UNITED NATIONS: The writings of Abu Abdullah Jafar ibn Mohammad Rudaki, a poet who is believed to have laid the foundations of Persian classical literature, should serve as an inspiration to international efforts to combat extremism and attempts to divide peoples and cultures, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon on Wednesday.

Speaking at a commemoration ceremony on the 1,150th anniversary of the birth of Rudaki, Mr Ban said it was fitting that the world body, given its goals, should celebrate the life of a poet “who so beautifully extolled the virtues of good and justice.

“With simplicity and elegance, Rudaki pioneered a great tradition, laying the foundation for Persian classical literature,” the secretary-general said. “He took poetry from the realm of the abstract into contemporary life. And, in the process, he shed new philosophical light on society. Rudaki is truly the ‘Sultan of Poets’.”

Mr Ban said Rudaki’s influence is particularly important today, given the work of the UN-backed Alliance of Civilisations, “our initiative to counter extremism and heal the divisions that threaten our world”.

Today’s commemoration, attended by many scholars and artists, was organised by the permanent representatives of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Various artists from Iran and Tajikistan rendered Rudaki’s poetry on the occasion.