Director General of Provincial Public Libraries: The cultural identity of Iran is inextricably linked with the flow of literature and poetry.

According to Khabar Online News Agency, Semnan Province, with the efforts of the Public Libraries Department of Damghan County and cooperation from the municipality and the university of this city, the special poetry night program “A Moment of Leisure and a Book” was held in the conference hall of Damghan University. The event was attended by the renowned contemporary ghazal poet, Master Gholamreza Tarighi, Damghan’s Friday Imam Hojjat-ul-Islam wa-al-Muslimeen Rostamian, Deputy Governor of Semnan for Management Development and Resources Reza Abdollahzadeh, Director General of Public Libraries of Semnan Province Saeed Dehghanloo, Head of Damghan County Public Libraries Department Azadeh Aminian, expert staff from the General Directorate of Public Libraries of the province, and a group of prominent Damghan poets and provincial and county officials. In this ceremony, Master Abolfazl Sadeghi Nejad, a veteran in the field of poetry, music, and art in Damghan, was honored.

Saeed Dehghanloo, Director General of Public Libraries of Semnan Province, at the beginning of the ceremony, while appreciating the presence of Master Tarighi, the country’s renowned ghazal poet, and other prominent poets present, stated: The discussion of poetry has had a special place in Semnan province from ancient times until now, and this province has historically enjoyed a rich culture and has been the cradle of many poets, scholars, mystics, intellectuals, and literati, and even now, the people of poetry and art in this province hold a special position.

He added that the cultural identity of Iran is inextricably linked with the flow of literature and poetry, and the mission of the General Directorate of Public Libraries of Semnan Province, as a cultural institution, is to safeguard and protect this precious heritage. He further stated: Today, nothing can explain the authentic and identity-rich Iranian lifestyle as much as poetry, so we must strive to preserve our position in poetry and literature by holding such ceremonies.

Dehghanloo noted that holding such programs will introduce Iran’s civilization better and more extensively to future generations and said: The closing ceremony of the “A Moment of Leisure and a Book” poetry festival will be held on Saturday evening with the presence of the distinguished master of Persian poetry and literature, Dr. Tarighi, at the Central Library of Semnan.

In this poetry night, Damghan masters and poets Dr. Alireza Ra’iyat Hasanabadi, Zeinab Dolatkhahi, Kazem Khajezadeh, Seyed Ali Shahcheragh, Mehdi Khademian, Akram Motahari Nejad, Ali Fathi Damghani, and Dr. Reza Davari recited their latest verses and ghazals.

Master Tarighi, the country’s renowned ghazal poet, also recited his poems and verses at this poetry night.

It is worth mentioning that Naser Hamedi, a poet, documentary filmmaker, and media activist, hosted this magnificent ceremony, and Esmaeil Fattahi, an artist and composer from Damghan, performed the music for this program.

At the end of the ceremony, in addition to honoring Master Gholamreza Tarighi, Abolfazl Sadeghi Nejad, a composer, musician, and veteran in the field of culture and art of Damghan county, and also a group of poets who recited their poems, were honored.