Saadi Foundation kicks off Persian language summer school

The Iran-based Saadi Foundation, dedicated to promoting the Persian language internationally, has initiated a summer school for foreign learners of Persian.

The summer school, currently in session, will run until August 16, featuring students from 11 different countries, according to the director of the foundation’s education department Amir Ahmadi, as reported by ISNA on Saturday.

A total of 46 intermediate and advanced learners are participating in the program, having been selected from 120 applicants after passing a proficiency test, Ahmadi said.

The students have previously completed beginner courses in Persian and reached a satisfactory level of proficiency. The summer school aims to deepen their knowledge of Persian language and literature.

The participants are from several countries, including Russia, Turkey, Greece, Armenia, Pakistan, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Turkmenistan, reflecting the diverse interest in Persian language studies.

Persian, or Farsi, is an ancient language spoken primarily in Iran, Afghanistan (as Dari), and Tajikistan (as Tajik), with a rich literary history spanning over a millennium. Its script, derived from Arabic, can be challenging for learners unfamiliar with right-to-left writing.

Persian vocabulary is influenced by Arabic and Turkish languages. The phonetic structure is straightforward, lacking gendered nouns, but its grammar requires dedicated study, making it a rewarding yet challenging pursuit for foreign learners.

The difficulty of learning Persian depends on the learner’s native language. Speakers of languages similar to Persian, like Turkish or some Indo-European languages, may find it easier due to shared features.

On the other hand, learners from languages with different structures, like Mandarin or Vietnamese, may find Persian more challenging. Additionally, understanding Persian literature and expressions requires learning about cultural references. Despite these challenges, many find learning Persian rewarding and insightful into a rich and historic culture.