Brazil Hosts Its First In-Person Persian Language Course

According to the Saadi Foundation’s Public Relations Office, the first in-person Persian language course was inaugurated in Brasília in conjunction with the commemoration of the renowned Persian poet Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi, known as Rumi. The course is being held in collaboration with a cultural café-bookshop in the city.

Rafael Souza, owner of the café-bookshop and director of the venue hosting the course, welcomed the participants at the opening ceremony. He emphasized the importance of cultural and educational programs in promoting greater familiarity with Iran and the Persian language and expressed his pleasure at collaborating on the initiative.

Alireza Mirjalili, Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saadi Foundation representative in Brazil, then paid tribute to Rumi and introduced participants to the poet and mystic’s life, ideas, and works. He also presented a collection of Rumi’s poems translated into Portuguese.

Referring to the role of Persian literature in introducing Iranian culture and civilization, Mirjalili stressed the importance of familiarizing Brazilian audiences with Iran’s literary and cultural heritage.

The course covers the Persian alphabet, reading and writing skills, pronunciation, everyday conversations, and an introduction to Iranian culture, history, and literature. The sessions have been designed to provide an interactive learning environment in which participants can deepen their understanding of Iranian literature and culture alongside learning the Persian language.

Hossein Heydari, Cultural Affairs Expert at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Brazil, also delivered an educational presentation on the Persian alphabet, its structure, teaching methods, and topics planned for upcoming sessions.

At the end of the event, Rafael Souza donated several books he had authored to the Cultural Counsellorship of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.