The Book “The Calligraphy Heritage of the Timurs,” Published with TİKA’s Contributions, Introduced in Herat, Afghanistan

The book “The Calligraphy Heritage of the Timurs,” published by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), was unveiled during a program held in Herat, Afghanistan’s cultural capital. The book explores the art of calligraphy that flourished during the Timurid period.

The introductory program was attended by Sinan İlhan, Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Herat; Ahmet Tukur, Afghanistan Representative of the Turkish Maarif Foundation; Hamidullah Kamgar, author of “The Calligraphy Heritage of the Timurs”; Ferid Ahmed Eyubi, Deputy Director of Herat Provincial Culture and Information; Abdulcelil Tevana, President of the Herat Calligraphers Association; Aziz Niyazi, Vice President of Herat University; Refik Şehir, Head of the Herat Experts Council; Muhammed Davud Munir, President of the Herat Writers Association; Arafat Deniz, TİKA’s Coordinator in Herat; Ahmet Duran, Director of the Afghan-Turk Maarif Schools of the Herat Maarif Foundation; and many academics.

Speakers from Ireland and the United States also contributed to the program through video messages.

TİKA’s Coordinator in Herat, Deniz, delivering the program’s opening speech, highlighted TİKA’s extensive contributions to culture and art in Herat. He noted that the book “The Calligraphy Heritage of the Timurs” is the 10^th publication by Afghanistan’s prominent researcher and author Hamidullah Kamgar.

Deniz emphasized that the book serves as an important scholarly resource on the art of calligraphy, offering a valuable foundation for preserving the craft and passing it on to future generations.

Information on the Nastaliq Script

Abdulcelil Tevana, President of the Herat Calligraphers Association, noted that Mir Ali Heravi, the creator of the Nastaliq script, was born and raised in Herat. He added that the book provides detailed information about Hirevi’s works and biography.

Calligrapher Nik Mohammad Mastamand Gori highlighted the book’s significant contributions to previous studies on the art of calligraphy that flourished during the Timurid period, emphasizing its irreplaceable value in the field.

Gratitude and reflections from Kamgar, the author of the book

Kamgar, the author of the book, reflected on the challenges he faced while preparing the work and detailed the research he conducted to gather manuscripts and examples of calligraphy. He expressed gratitude to the many friends, both in Afghanistan and abroad, who supported him throughout the process and thanked TİKA for their contributions to the book’s publication.

Kamgar explained that the Nastaliq script developed during the Timurid period but expressed concern over UNESCO’s recognition of it solely as part of Iran’s cultural heritage. He stressed the importance of raising awareness about Afghanistan’s cultural heritage and emphasized that this book aims to contribute to that effort.

The book “The Calligraphy Heritage of the Timurs” offers in-depth information on calligraphy during the Timurid era, making a significant contribution to the world of art and culture.