TEHRAN -- Turkey’s International Mevlana Foundation plans to pay homage to Rumi-focused Iranian vocalist Shahram Nazer during a ceremony in Shiraz in November.

The ceremony is a part of an international congress to highlight the relationships between the poetry of Hafez, Shams-i Tabrizi and Rumi, foundation representative Foruzandeh Arbabi told the Persian service of ISNA on Saturday.
The ceremony has been organized in appreciation of Nazeri’s efforts in promoting Rumi poetry around the world, Arbabi said quoting Rumi’s 22nd niece Esin Çelebi who is the deputy director of the foundation.
“Through his intense concerts over the past four decades, master Nazeri has invited people of the world to live in peace, which was Rumi’s greatest wish,” he added.
According to Arbabi, Nazeri will be one of the guests of honor at the Rumi commemorative celebration held annually on his death anniversary on December 17 in Konya, home to the mausoleum of the Persian poet and mystic.
Nazeri has previously been honored with the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur medal, one of France’s most prestigious awards in the world of art and culture.
It was given to him in Paris in September 2007 in recognition of the scholarly interest he has taken in the musical interpretation and vocalization of the transcendent lyrics of Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi.
Photo: Vocalist Shahram Nazeri performs in a concert at the Niavaran Cultural Historical Complex in Tehran on August 7, 2008. (Mehr/Ahmad Motalaei)