بازگشت
Books published inside Iran are reliable
1402/02/22-11:15
Yuram AbdullahWeiler, freelance writer and political critic, says if I were to prepare a book on contemporary Iran, I would rely primarily on research from within the country itself.
According to the news headquarters of the 34th Tehran International Book Fair, a meaning of cultural diplomacy has been introduced as bargaining to reach goals that unite human societies. Achieving these goals is based on common cultural factors between societies. As a rule, countries with a richer culture will have the ability to absorb more. “Book” is an important factor and medium in the dialogue between cultures, and the publishing industry of any country with a long and rich cultural history is a place for these dialogues.
Tehran International Book Fair, which we are on the verge of its 34th period, can be considered an important factor in cultural diplomacy because it is the result of Iran's rich publishing industry. For this reason, the news staff of this period of the exhibition decided to ask about the Tehran International Book Fair in a conversation with some of the world's great intellectuals and scholars, and it can be said that the goodness of these conversations is the introduction of this fair to these thinkers.
In this respect, Yuram AbdullahWeiler, freelance writer and political critic, says “With a broad selection of books on a wide range of topics, the Tehran Book Fair can be viewed as presenting a cross section of contemporary Iranian culture.”
Following is the full text of the interview:
Q: Are you familiar with Tehran Book Fair? If your answer is yes, how did you get to know it? If you are not familiar with it, how can Tehran Book Fair be included in the cultural calendar of the world?
A: Yes, my wife and I visited the Tehran Book Fair when we were in Iran some eleven years ago.
Q: In general, what is the position of the book as a cultural commodity in cultural diplomacy?
A: Books have the imprint of the culture of the author, and thus act as transmitters and preservers of it.
Q: Every year, cultural events in Iran begin with the Tehran Book Fair, and many people participate in it, and the entire cultural and artistic currents in Iran are somehow related to this exhibition. To what extent can such an exhibition represent the contemporary culture of Iran by reflecting in the media?
A: With a broad selection of books on a wide range of topics, the Tehran Book Fair can be viewed as presenting a cross section of contemporary Iranian culture.
Q: If we assume that you are planning to visit the Tehran Book Fair this year, what is the first reason for this visit? Do the mere name of Iran and its civilizational and cultural background attract you to attend the exhibition, or is it the temptation to familiarize yourself with the books produced in Iran's publishing industry?
A: Absolutely, the name “Iran” and its ancient civilization and rich cultural variety attract me. To my deep regret, I will unfortunately be unable to attend this year.
Q: If you want to prepare a book about the contemporary situation of Iran in the fields of culture, politics, and religion, in which countries would you rely more on the published research and prepare it?
A: If I were to prepare a book on contemporary Iran, I would rely primarily on research from within the country itself.
The 34th Tehran International Book Fair with the slogan “the future is to be read” started on the 10th of May and will continue until the 20th of May 2023 in the Mosque of Imam Khomeini and simultaneously on ketab.ir.
