TEHRAN-- The Iranian Studies Center prepares to unveil five Persian paintings produced based upon stories from the works of Nezami Ganjavi, the greatest romantic epic poet in classical Persian literature.The art work have been developed by Mehdi Farrokhi and will be introduced as part of the centers program to commemorate Nezami Day, which falls on March 12 this year, the director of the center, Abdolmajid Sharifzadeh informed the Persian service of IRNA on Wednesday.Following the unveiling event, Mohammad Ali Rajabi of the Farshchian Islamic-Iranian Arts University will deliver a speech.

Nezami is one of our great poets who introduces himself as an Iranian in his poetry and never ever feels ashamed of his nationality, Sharifzadeh said.

In his Panj Ganj [The Five Treasures], he attentively made up the most extensive lyrics produced in the history of Persian literature and taught us morals and wisdom, he added.

Due to their unique literary characteristics, his works should have to be scrutinized in different conferences, and in the Iranian Studies Center of the Iranology Foundation, we plan to discuss his poetry and its effect on art, in particular Persian painting, he noted.

By a research study into the past, we learn about a close relationship between Iranian literati and artists, and the connection has been a source of inspiration for the artists and has been represented in their artworks, Sharifzadeh explained.Iran will celebrate Nezami Ganjavi in an eight-day celebration beginning on March 5.

The National Orchestra is arranged to carry out a performance with poems from Nezami at Tehrans Vahdat Hall in a closing event on Nezami Day.Nezami Ganjavi (c.

1141-1209 CE) is primarily known for Khamseh , two copies of which that are protected in Iran were inscribed on UNESCOs Memory of the World Register list in 2011.

Khamseh is a pentalogy of poems composed in Masnavi verse type (rhymed couplets) with a total of 30,000 couplets.

These 5 poems include the didactic work Makhzan ol-Asrar (The Treasury of Mysteries); the 3 standard romance of Khosrow and Shirin, Leili and Majnun, and Haft Paykar; and the Eskandar-nameh, which records the experiences of Alexander the Great.There are different versions of Khamseh in Iranian libraries, but the two variations kept at the Central Library of the University of Tehran and the library of the Shahid Motahhari School and Mosque in Tehran are the ones that were signed up by UNESCO.Photo: A Persian painting by Mehdi Farrokhi.MMS/ YAW