November 29 2013
A Cambridge University project analyzing and promoting the Shahna-meh has been given a funding boost of $2 million by Iranian-American philanthropist Bita Daryabari, the former wife of Google executive Omid Kordestani.
Set up in 1999 by Professor Charles Melville, a fellow of Pembroke College and a Persian studies professor, the project aims to study and translate anew the 1000-year-old Persian epic.
Daryabari, who fled Iran as a child after the revolution, set up the endowment as part of an ongoing project to promote Iranian heritage and culture.
She said: “Shahnameh is a holy book for all Persians because it was written in pure Persian during a time when the language was being influenced by Arabic. This literary masterpiece reflects Iran’s history, cultural values, its ancient religions, and its profound sense of nationhood.
“I feel it is my duty to ensure that future generations have the chance to hear these poems and stories that teach our children to take pride in their heritage and ancestry.”
The funding provided by Daryabari will be used to continue staffing the Shahnameh Centre, which is based at Pembroke. It will also support travel for research and attending conferences and help maintain a reference library of scholarship on Persian literary and artistic cultures.
Professor Melville said: “This magnificent endowment is important for several reasons.
“Firstly, it ensures that the Shahnameh Project can continue to develop and extend its ambitious aims to provide a rich and accessible resource for all those interested in Persian miniature painting and the arts of the book, as particularly exemplified in the outstanding tradition of Shahnameh manuscript production.”
He said: “For the foreseeable future, the sustainability and growth of this project is assured, with all its potential for educational purposes and fostering awareness of Iran’s cultural heritage and its relevance today.”
Daryabari gave a $6.5 endowment to Stanford University in 2007 to build its Persian studies program.