Execution of 30 Cultural Programs, 28% Growth in Publishing, and Review of Surkheh Library Status

According to KhabarOnline News Agency, Semnan Province, concurrent with Book and Reading Week, the acting head of the Cultural and Media Affairs Department of the General Directorate of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Semnan Province announced the implementation of nearly 30 cultural programs across the province.

According to the Public Relations of the General Directorate of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Semnan Province, Mohammad Lakzaei stated on Sunday: These programs have started in cooperation with county departments and cultural associations, and a part of them has been implemented since November 11th in some cities.

Referring to the 18th Book and Quranic Sciences Exhibition with the participation of national publishers as the most important program of Book Week, he added: “Book unveiling and review sessions, storytelling workshops and competitions, children’s book festivals, honoring book activists and librarians as part of the grand provincial book festival, and Masnavi and Shahnameh reading sessions are among the other planned programs.”

Lakzaei also announced programs such as donating books to city taxis and launching ‘study taxis’, donating 100 book packages to cultural institutions, schools, and universities, meeting with writers and veterans, holding poetry nights, and the ‘Let’s Read a Book’ campaign.

Significant Growth in Book Publishing in the First Half of the Year

The acting head of the Cultural Affairs Department of the provincial Guidance Directorate also announced the authorship and printing of 194 book titles in the first half of this year, stating: This statistic shows a 28% growth compared to the same period last year.

He added: “Of this number, 172 titles were original works and 22 titles were translations. The circulation of books also reached 105,120 copies, indicating a 34% increase compared to last year.”

Lakzaei identified the subjects of the published books as including local and indigenous works, children and young adults, cultural, and so on, and said: “In Semnan province, 56 publishing houses are actively engaged in operations.”

Review of Surkheh Public Library Status with Ministry of Culture Officials

Continuing programs related to the field of books, two officials from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance traveled to Surkheh county to review the status of the public library in this city.

During this trip, Saeed Jamshidi, Head of the Office of Supervision of Construction Projects, and Babashah, Deputy Head of the Planning and Budget Office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, held a meeting with the Governor of Surkheh to discuss the exchange (swap) of the dilapidated Ayatollah Feyz Library with a new building currently under construction by Surkheh Municipality.

Ayatollah Feyz Library has been closed due to dilapidation, and to provide suitable library space, a swap plan between the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Municipality is under review, pending approval from the Ministry to be implemented.

Subsequently, Ministry of Culture officials, accompanied by Seyyed Rasoul Mousavinejadian, Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of the province, and Majid Rahbari, Deputy Director for Management Development and Resources of the General Directorate, visited the proposed new building for the swap.