International Book Fair Planned for Sistan and Baluchestan

According to the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Zahedan, quoting the Public Relations of the General Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Sistan and Baluchestan, Mehdi Mohseni, in this meeting held with a group of provincial writers, elaborated on the details of the House of Books’ programs for promoting reading and strengthening the publishing economy at national and provincial levels.

The Deputy for Economy and Culture of the Iran House of Books and Literature referred to the resumption of provincial book fairs after 8 years as one of the central programs of this institution and added: developing software tools for introducing books to the world, strengthening presence in international exhibitions, and the role-playing of bookstores in the virtual section of exhibitions are among other ongoing measures.

Mohseni, referring to the growing trend of book donations to libraries, said: In the past year, book donations with a cover price of approximately 120 billion Rials (about 12 billion Tomans) were made to 14 provinces and 17 library centers, which is about eight times the figure for the same period last year.

He emphasized: This trend will continue with a focus on less-privileged and deprived areas.

Mohseni, who traveled to the province for Book Week and book reading, announced plans for large cultural projects in Sistan and Baluchestan and stated: We are currently pursuing and negotiating for the holding of the Sistan and Baluchestan International Book Fair and also the Chabahar International Cultural Festival in cooperation with the Free Zone and the General Department of Ports. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the House of Books are ready to mobilize resources for this goal.

While appreciating activists in the field of books and book-friendly villages in the province, he added: Ideas such as developing book passages, book markets, expanding libraries through book donations, organizing campaigns and book reading workshops are on the agenda for this vast province. Our goal is to develop cultural justice and decentralization in the supply of cultural goods across the country.