Online Public Lecture: The Historical Connection between Classical and Modern Tajik Literature: The Interplay of Cultures and Spiritual Traditions.

Short description

Modern Tajik literature and poetry draw upon a profound historical tradition rooted in the ancient spiritual origins of our history. The foundation of Tajik literary heritage was established by Abuabdullo Rudaki, the founder of literature during the Samanid era (10th century)—a period marking the flourishing of Tajik statehood. His thematic depth, linguistic style, civic engagement, and philosophical and lyrical profundity set the standard for the subsequent development of Tajik literature, playing a role akin to that of Shakespeare's works in Western European Renaissance culture.

This lecture will explore the trends and directions in the development of Tajik literature from the classical period to the present day, highlighting key milestones in its evolution. It will also analyze new movements in literature and poetry that have emerged under the influence of intense transformations in both national and global contexts.

About the Speaker:

Said Sangovich Safarov (Said Sangin) is a renowned Tajik poet, translator, and prose writer. In 2013, he graduated from the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University with a degree in Russian Philology. His first poetry collection, "My Soul is Dushanbe" (Dusha moya Dushanbe), was published as early as 2011. In 2014, he published a bilingual collection of poetic translations titled "Stars of Ariana" (Zvyozdy Ariany), which included his translations of works by Tajik classics—from Rudaki and Hafiz to Shohin and Tugral. In 2020, Sangin released another bilingual collection—"Tajik Folk Rubai and Dubaiti" was named one of the top ten books in the A. Zinovyev Contest in Russia. In 2022, his first prose book, the short story collection "Those Who Follow the Sun"  was published to wide acclaim from both literary critics and readers. In 2024, he published a collection of poems titled "My Beloved Land" ("Kray moy rodimiy"). For this collection, Said Sangin was awarded the Mirzo Tursunzade Poetry Prize by the Union of Writers of Tajikistan.

Said Sangin is the Editor-in-Chief of "Pamir," the magazine of the Union of Writers of Tajikistan. In addition to poetic translations, he also translates fiction, primarily short stories by contemporary Tajik authors. He is a member of the Union of Writers of the Republic of Tajikistan and, in 2025, became a laureate of the Mirzo Tursunzade Prize.

Moderator:
Pulat Shozimov (Doctor of Philosophy, Professor) – Senior Research Fellow, Aga Khan Humanities Project, Graduate School of Development, University of Central Asia

Hybrid format:

Date and time: February 18, 2025, at 15:00 (Tajikistan Time)

Time: Sep 18, 2025 03:00 PM Tajikistan

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94654250745?pwd=BaJwM9DafO95NE6myDaZ0z3ThPYtBX.1   

Meeting ID: 946 5425 0745

Passcode: 061378

Language of the event: Russian

Registration:
Please confirm your participation by sending an email to Pulat Shozimov at pulat.shozimov@ucentralasia.org.

Recordings of previous University of Central Asia lectures can be viewed on the university's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/ucentralasia.

The views presented in the lecture are the personal views of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the ideas of the University of Central Asia and its employees.