RUMI FORUM

9.11.2007, National museum meeting room, Prague

 

 

World experts took a look at Rumi from many different points of view, both teoretical and practical. Three segments included contributions on philosophic and literal aspects of Rumi´s work. Afternoon lectures discussed the way sufi thoughts are reflected in dance and ordinary life.

 

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PROGRAM:

  • Rena Milgrom - Open field o.s.(CZ) – opening of the conference
  • Vakil Nashat (Afghanistan) – ceremonial unveiling of Rumi´s sculpture
  • Mohammed Reza Movahhedi, PhD. -(Iran) recitation of Rumi´s poems, Rumi´s heritage for present. Dr. Mohammed Reza Movahhedi studied Persian language and litarature at the University of Tehran. In his dissertation work he was involved with gnostic comments of Sheikh Najmaldin Razi. Apart from book publication of graduate and dissertation work he published other works about islamic gnosticism in Persia and other literature criticisms and historical articles in Iranian magazines. Dr. Movahhedi has been studying gnostic wisdom for a long time, mainly the heritage of Molavi. Currently he teaches Persian at the Institute of Middle East and Africa, Charles University - Faculty of Arts, Prague.
  • Doc. Jan Marek (CZ) - Rumi´s Influence on Persian Literature. Doc. Jan Marek is a Czech specialist in Indian and Iranian studies. He worked in the Oriental Instute of the Czech Academy of Sciences for many years, then at the Indological Institute Charles University - Faculty of Arts until his retirement. He is an expert on the Islamic culture of the Indo-Pakistani region. He is the author of several studies on Muhammad Ikbál, he translated poetry of Ikbál, Djameeh and others. Recently he published books about Pakistan and about Afghanistan.
  • Marek Smurzinsky, PhD. (POL) - The Polyphonic Structure of Mevlana‘s ghazal. Dr. Marek Smurzinsky is one of the leading Polish experts of Persian language and literature, he teaches at the Jagellonic University in Krakow. He graduated Persian language and literature first at Varsaw University, then he graduated at the University of Tehran, where he received his doctor’s degree and where he taught for many years. His works include historical and translation works.
  • Sashar Zarif (CAN/Azerbaj) - The Sufi Influence on Dance and Rituals. Sashar Zarif is a multi-disciplinary artist from Toronto. He graduated in Azerbaijani Music and Dance Conservatory and the York University in Toronto where he currently teaches at the Faculty of Dance. He focuses on classic Indian dance Bharatanatyam, Uzbec, Tadjic and Persian dancing forms and dances from the Caucasus and Central Asia. He has established the Canadian Joshgoon Academy of Azerbeijani dance and the Dance Theater of Sashar Zarif. In his research he has been focusing mainly on dancing improvization, ethno-musicology, sufi-dervish rituals, the therapeutic character of traditional arts and the reconstruction of Persian classical dance called „Saghi“.
  • Prof. Luboš Kropáček (CZ) - The Reflection of Sufi Spirituality in Arabic and Persian Poetry. Prof. Luboš Kropáček is belongs to prominent Czech specialists in African and Arabic studies. He studied at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. In 2001, he was named professor of History and Culture Asia and Africa countries branch at FFUK and he has been teaching in this Institute up to today about culture history of Afrika and Islam. The scientific and activities of Prof. Kropaček are very broad. His publications are known and often quoted abroad. Czech readers know mainly his older dictionaries of Arabic Swahili, numerous translations and monographies on islam.
  • Cynthia Lukas, Kell Kearns (USA) - Why Rumi returns today? Cynthia Lukas – writer and film producer, lecturer of personal growth and global transformation. As a journalist she has cooperated with many regional and national publishing houses. She wrote many novels, one of her latest books „The Spirit of the Owl“ was nominated as the Book of 2006 in the USA. She is interested in making films on spiritual topics. With her colleague Kelly Kearn they founded Heaven on Earth Creations. Kell Kearns began as a film reporter. In 1984 he left local broadcast and he started Idanha Films, a national television and film production company. He shot several films on spiritual topics, one of the most popular is the document „In Remembrance of Martin“ which captures the life story of Marin Luther King, jr. His latest film made together with Cynthia is „Rumi Returning“ commemorating the 800th anniversary of Rumi´s birth.

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  • The Forum was facilitated by: Zdeňka Lammelová

 

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