The Role of the Book Week Headquarters is to Create a Movement / Launching a Used Book Market in Qom

According to the correspondent of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Qom, Mohammad Reza Sougandi, in a gathering of the organizing committee for the 33rd Book Week, stated: The organizing committee for the book fair became active in August at the Publishers’ Complex, and on Qom Day, the permanent book secretariat was inaugurated with the presence of the Deputy Minister. The process of organizing the book fair is underway and will be relaunched in February after several years of hiatus.

He added: The feature of this year’s exhibition, compared to previous years, is that it will be held in a consolidated manner with a centralized sales system.

Sougandi emphasized: We will have virtual sales simultaneously with the physical exhibition, and all publishers and booksellers in Qom can participate in the exhibition’s sales.

The Director-General of the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Qom clarified: In Qom, we have a complex called ‘Makta’ which is unique in the country. This complex, consisting of a specialized library, provides facilities to its audience. This is an important capacity that exists in Qom and should be utilized.

He elaborated on the programs for Qom Province’s Book Week, saying: Book donations, holding a national assembly of book activists, launching an educational library in the Shahid Avini complex, honoring writers and book enthusiasts focusing on active readers, establishing a book club in cooperation with the municipality, student trips to visit scholars’ libraries, and launching a news headquarters are among the programs for Qom Province’s Book Week.

Sougandi added: In the Sacred Defense section, Shahid Kazemi Publications has special programs for teenage girls and boys. Book reading competitions, two campaigns, and book unveilings are among other programs of this publisher.

The Director-General of the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Qom emphasized: The role of the organizing committee for the 33rd Book Week is to connect these activities and create a movement.

He reminded: After the events in Beirut, the field of printing and publishing moved to Qom, and in Qom this readiness exists to utilize its capacities.

He stated: Creating a book-browsing movement, connecting families with cultural complexes, and book donation are on the agenda of the organizing committee for the 33rd Book Week of Qom Province.

Sougandi emphasized: We intend to activate a book donation movement. We will prepare a place for books to be sorted and then donated, and subsequently, we will launch a used book market so that people can both sell and buy their books.

Finally, he evaluated the capacity of women in the publishing sector as good, saying: Currently, we have 150 female publishers and many female writers active in Qom. A specialized meeting is planned to discuss and hopefully resolve issues in this sector.