RASC News Agency: Renowned Afghanistani singers Sediq Shabab and Taher Shabab have been honored with the “Qand-e Farsi” award in recognition of their contributions to Persian-language music and cultural preservation. The Persian Language Festival in London, held on February 22, bestowed this prestigious award upon two distinguished Persian scholars Alireza Qiyamati from Iran and Akhlaq Ahan from India as well as the two celebrated Afghanistani artists. According to iFilm2, the 10th Annual Persian Language Festival took place at the University of Westminster in London in commemoration of International Mother Language Day.
The festival featured a diverse program, including insightful discussions on Persian civilization, poetry recitations, traditional music performances, and cultural reflections. The event brought together an esteemed gathering of Persian-speaking intellectuals, artists, and scholars from Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan residing in the United Kingdom. As part of the festival’s highlights, the “Qand-e Farsi” award was presented to Alireza Qiyamati and Akhlaq Ahan for their scholarly contributions to the Persian language, alongside Taher Shabab and Sediq Shabab, whose musical legacy in Afghanistani Tajik folk traditions has played a significant role in preserving cultural heritage.
The Persian Language Festival is an annual event in London dedicated to celebrating and safeguarding the rich linguistic and cultural legacy of Persian. For over a decade, this festival has been organized each year on a Sunday close to February 21, aligning with the United Nations’ observance of International Mother Language Day. It is spearheaded by the Tajik and Persian-Speaking Community Association, reinforcing efforts to promote Persian as a vital cultural and historical treasure.
Persian, one of the world’s most ancient and enduring languages, is currently spoken by approximately 123 million people across Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan.
