An International Conference on Ghiyath al-Din Jamshid Kashani (al-Kashi) was held in Kashan University (Iran) on 9-11 November 2000.
This was one of the many activities that took place in Iran for the Mathematics World Year 2000. Ghiyath al-Din Jamshid Kashani (d. 1429) was born in Kashan where he was engaged in mathematical and astronomical studies before his departure for Samarkand in 1421. This eminent Iranian scientist joined Ulugh Beg’s scientific circle in Samarkand and was supported by him. In Samarkand Kashani designed and supervised the observatory made for Ulugh Beg. Kashani is very famous for his accurate calculation of pi.
Some of the invited speakers who presented papers on the scientific heritage of Kashan were
A paper entitled Al- Kashi’s treatise on determining sine of one degree and analogous treaties of other astronomers of observatory of Ulugh Beg and of their students by Professor Boris Rosenfeld (Pennsylvania) was read in the congress.
A piece of theatre based on the life of Kashani was performed in Kashan on the occasion of the congress. A video film entitled A Qubba for Al- Kashi made by Dr. Yvonne Dold-Samplonius was shown and warmly appreciated in the congress. For her precious work on Kashani’s scientific heritage, Dr. Yvonne Dold-Samplonius was recognised as Honorary Citizen of Kashan during a special ceremony arranged by the municipality of Kashan. A workshop on the astrolabe organised by Dr. Jan P. Hogendijk and Mr. Reinoud Koornstra was also an attractive part of the congress. In the first day of the congress, the participants attended the special ceremonies of inauguration at two statues of Kashani, and the constructional site of the observatory of Kashan University that will be named after Ghiyath al-Din Jamshid Kashani. During the congress days, the participants also enjoyed marvellous sightseeing including the historical buildings of Kashan. The congress was sponsored mainly by the Iranian Mathematical Society and The Iranian National Committee for WMY2000.
Mr. Parviz Shahridri, an eminent Iranian scholar in the history and pedagogy of mathematics, introduces himself to the statue of al-Kashi in the campus of Kashan University, Iran.
Alongside the ICGK 2000, a conference on computational mathematics and astronomy was also held in Kashan University.
Mohammad Bagheri
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