Tajik Book on Cultural Ties Gains International Recognition, but Remains Overlooked at Home
Orientalist and art historian Munira Shahidi, daughter of the renowned Tajik composer Ziedullo Shahidi, has brought international attention to her book “Cultural Ties Between East and West in the 21st Century.” The work explores cultural parallels and literary connections between civilizations, highlighting the Tajik people’s role as guardians of the intellectual legacy of great thinkers. While presented at events in Cambridge and Berlin, the book has yet to be showcased in Tajikistan. From Oslo to Amazon “I showed that in Tajikistan people speak the language of great classics such as Khayyam, Hafiz, Ferdowsi, and Mawlavi, who are also recognized in the Western world. This demonstrates a new dignity of the Tajik people to the world,” Shahidi explained. Publishing the book, however, was not straightforward. With no funding available, unexpected assistance came from two Iranian visitors to the Ziedullo Shahidi Museum of Music Culture, who offered to publish it free of charge. The book was released in Oslo at the end of 2024 in both Tajik and English. The publication soon entered Amazon’s global network and spread through major universities worldwide. Yet, this platform does not cover Tajikistan. Only ten copies of the book reached the country, purchased by the Tajik Embassy in Uzbekistan. European Presentations The book’s first public presentation was held in Baku at a conference supported by the Tajik Ministry of Culture. Shahidi was subsequently invited to the Azerbaijan Center for Cultural Studies. Later, during a four-month stay in Cambridge, England, she presented her work three times at university colleges. “Students realized that British Orientalists were among the first translators of Khayyam, Hafiz, Ferdowsi, and Mawlavi into English,” she noted. The book was also introduced in Berlin, Prague, London, and Samarkand. No official presentation has yet been organized in Tajikistan. An Undervalued Heritage Shahidi laments that classical Tajik and Persian literature is insufficiently studied in her homeland. “If their works were included in school and university programs, conversations would become more pleasant, and people’s behavior would improve. The philosophy of Mawlavi, for example, is a whole world of treasures,” she said. She also expressed concern over declining interest in reading, suggesting that television and radio could play a larger role in promoting literature and the arts through live programs and discussions on poets, philosophers, and composers. Another source of disappointment for Shahidi is the neglect of her father’s creative legacy. “The songs of my father, Ziedullo Shahidi, are no longer heard on radio or television. Yet songs like ‘Vatan, Vatan,’ ‘My Star,’ ‘Our Home,’ and ‘Your Village’ were once very popular,” she said. To address these challenges, the Ziedullo Shahidi International Foundation was established and now operates under the Public Council of the President of Tajikistan. According to Munira, the foundation regularly raises issues of art and international cooperation. “The art of the Tajik people is great, but the world does not know it. We need to establish more ties with Iran and Afghanistan and present our potential to the world,” she concluded.
