Hafez Day commemorated in Shiraz

Commemoration Day of Iran’s internationally renowned poet, Hafez, was held by his tomb in his hometown, Shiraz, in the presence of 1st Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Vice President and head of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Masoud Soltanifar.

Prominent Iranian and foreign poets as well as literary figures and experts in Hafez studies attended the commemoration service that received broad mass media coverage.

The National Library of Fars Province, too, will in its Documentaries Department hold a scientific conference on Hafez on Sunday.

October 12th marks “Hafez Day” in the Iranian National calendar.

Khaje Shams-ud-Deen Muhammad Hafez-e Shirazi (1325/26–1389/90), was a Persian poet.

His collected works are regarded as a pinnacle of Persian literature and are to be found in the homes of most people in Iran and Afghanistan, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings.

His life and poems have been the subject of much analysis, commentary and interpretation, influencing post-fourteenth century Persian writing more than any other author.

Themes of his qhazals are the beloved, faith, and exposing hypocrisy. His influence in the lives of Farsi speakers can be found in ‘Hafez readings’ (faal-e Hafez ‎) and the frequent use of his poems in Persian traditional music, visual art, and Persian calligraphy.

His tomb is visited often. Adaptations, imitations and translations of Hafez’ poems exist in all major languages.