The donation of the Bijan Taheri library to the Faculty of Oriental Studies in Rome
In the spring of this year, Italy was the scene of two parallel cultural events of great symbolic value: while Umberto Eco's personal library was inaugurated in Bologna, in Rome his collection of books found a new and prestigious home. Bijan Taheri, an Iranian citizen deeply attached to Italy. Thanks to the efforts of the translator Abolhasan Hatami and the invaluable collaboration of Professor Shirin Zakeri, Taheri's entire personal library was donated to the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Wisdom.
These two events remind us of a profound truth: personal libraries are a priceless legacy that transcends national borders and is passed on to future generations. But behind the books donated to Sapienza University lies the extraordinary story of a man who made his entire life a bridge between two worlds.
Who was Bijan Taheri? Born in Tehran in 1940, Bijan faced the challenge of polio from a very young age. Yet this difficulty, which hindered his ability to walk throughout his life, never dampened his curious and independent spirit. Arriving in Italy at 19 to study geology, he was immediately fascinated by the cultural and political vibrancy of his host country. A secular and progressive man, he found not only his professional path in the antique Persian carpet trade in Rome, but also love, marrying an Italian citizen with whom he had two sons, Hossein and Reza.
A safe haven for the Iranian community Over the years, thanks to his innate charisma and profound sense of solidarity, Bijan became a true beacon for Iranians in Italy. His business in the center of Rome became a "safe haven": a place where compatriots fleeing the Shah's repression, and later young people seeking guidance, could find logistical and financial support, and human warmth. He always viewed the political upheavals in his homeland with a critical and independent eye, convinced that only a democratic model could guarantee true freedom and social justice for the Iranian people.
Dialogue, love for the South, and the "Alefba" Association His profound humanity led him to a deep connection with Southern Italy, particularly the island of Lipari, which became his spiritual refuge. In Rome, his tireless commitment materialized in the founding of the Italian-Iranian Association. “Alefba”Through it, Bijan distinguished himself as a rare builder of dialogue: he was able to communicate with both consular institutions and the Iranian dissidence, with the single, greater goal of disseminating Persian culture and reconciling divisions.
A legacy that lives on Bijan's greatest miracle occurred at his funeral in October 2024: a crowded ceremony where institutions, young people and dissidents found themselves united in the memory of a man who dreamed of a prosperous, democratic and peaceful Iran.
Today, with the donation of his beloved books to the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Bijan Taheri's legacy continues. His pages remain available to the students and scholars of tomorrow, keeping open the doors to the cultural dialogue he spent his entire life building.