University of Tehran grants honorary doctorate to Coleman Barks
The honorary doctorate was presented to Barks for his years of efforts writing books on Molana Jalal al-Din Rumi and translating Rumi’s poetry.
Barks was dressed in a special costume at the event.
Head of the University of Tehran Faculty of Literature and Humanities Ali Afkhami, Tehran University dean Abbas-Ali Amid Zanjani, Professor Ali-Mohammad Haqshenas, ceremony chairman Ahmadreza Khezri, and other academic figures participated in the ceremony, which was held at the university’s Ferdowsi Hall.
American poet Robert Bly also attended the ceremony but said he preferred to read his translations of Hafez poetry rather than deliver a speech.
Barks was also given an Iranian hand-woven carpet and a silver medallion commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the University of Tehran.
Barks thanked university officials at the end of the ceremony, saying that he is grateful for the Iranian civilization which has presented its glorious crown, in the form of Rumi, Sadi, Hafez, and many others, to world literature.
He noted that the West has not made proper efforts to translate the beautiful concepts in these Iranian poets’ works.
However, the sense of humor in Rumi’s poetry has been inspiring Americans recently, he added.
Barks went on to say that he heard about Rumi and read his poetry at the age 39 when Bly introduced him to Rumi.
He believes that translating Rumi’s poetry feeds his soul, and he considers it a sublime pleasure and entertainment.
Coleman Barks was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was educated at the University of North Carolina and the University of California at Berkeley. He has been teaching poetry and creative writing at the University of Georgia for thirty years.
He is the author of numerous Rumi translations and has been a student of Sufism since 1977.
“The Essential Rumi”, “The Drowned Book”, “Rumi: The Book of Love”, “The Soul of Rumi”, and “The Juice” are some of the books written or translated by Barks.