IRI minister calls for further promotion of book reading habits in society

1390/02/18-08:30

IRI Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Sayyed Muhammad Husseini reckoned that the Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) runs shoulder to shoulder with its landmark peers worldwide as regards several aspects, including the vast scope of audience.

 

The Iranian culture minister told an inaugural ceremony of the 24^th TIBF event that per capital time of study and per capita consumption of cultural commodities are two key indicators of cultural development worldwide for the purpose of which the book fair was a striking opportunity, TIBF press office reported.

 

The minister maintained described culture as ID card of any nation, adding that track of cultural development runs through books.

 

Dr. Husseini said the sitting Tenth Administration attached a high significance to the case of culture and that several working groups were established to follow the case during the provincial visits of the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his ministers.

 

"Elites and great intellectuals are residing everywhere throughout the country," the minister said, elaborating on the specific logic behind the formation of the working groups.

 

The IRI Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said books remain to be the essential, peerless path for transfer of legacy of predecessors to posterities unlike the vast technological advances in communications.

 

Sayyed Muhammad Husseini then delivered a brief report about the previous edition of the book fair and quoted a poll conducted by Culture, Art and Relations Research Center as showing that 73 percent of the visitor to the 23^rd edition (held on May, 2010) aged less than 30 and 70 percent of them held university degrees.

 

The poll also showed, the minister said, that 60 percent of the inspectors checked the options of "very much" and "much" when asked how much they were satisfied with the cultural rendezvous with 33 percent of the total respondents calling the 23^rd edition better than a previous edition (held on May, 2009).

 

Husseini said people were demanding the ministry to stage other book fairs, albeit in smaller sizes, in the course of year rather than settling for a large size, one-off book fair as Tehran Book Fair is.

 

As for state sponsorships for promotion of book reading habits, the minister said a line of credit worth 20 billion rials (nearly $2m) was earmarked for university students which would be rendered in the form of book sales vouchers.

 

Husseini then thanked all bodies and institutes who gave a hand in organizing the major cultural event, adding that up to 70 state and private bodies have been involved in the organization and operation of the 24^th edition of Tehran International Book Fair.

 

As regards the 24^th TIBF's sideline events, the minister spoke of 230 panels of discussion set to be staged in the House of Men of Pen on the fairground. Husseini cited other such sidelines events as free speech panels, several photo galleries, ECO pavilion, UNESCO pavilion and UN Information Center pavilion.

 

The minister went on to say that a special pavilion, titled Pavilion of Perseverance and Islamic Revolution, was offering themes about the ongoing regional developments, including the Palestinian issue and the Islamic uprisings in Bahrain, Tunisia and Libya.

 

The culture minister wrapped up his remarks by citing several debut events in the book fair, namely a special stand for top titles of year, a special stand for top Seminarian book of year, and a special stand for winners of annual Jalal Book Award and annual Parvin Etesami Book Award.