Book Exhibition Opened in Khoy
According to the correspondent of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Urmia, Hojatoleslam Qasem Khani said on Wednesday evening at the opening ceremony of the book exhibition in Khoy County: ‘Almighty God, in the first verses revealed to the Holy Prophet, commanded ‘Read,’ meaning He instructed the Prophet to read.’ He added: ‘In other divine verses and traditions of the infallible Imams (AS), much emphasis has been placed on study and reading books.’ Qasem Khani stated: ‘Today, in the field of study and reading, the Supreme Leader holds the first rank in the country, and people, especially the youth, must follow divine commands, the recommendations of the infallible Imams (AS), and the Supreme Leader, by showing great effort in reading, so that the country’s reading rate increases day by day and reaches a desirable level.’
The Friday Prayer Leader of Khoy said: ‘Among the numerous reasons for the low reading rate, one is the high cost of books, and another is cyberspace and the internet. We hope that relevant officials will solve the related problems so that book prices become cheaper, and people should also control their use of cyberspace.’
Book Exhibition with 3,000 Titles Opened in Khoy
Ali Moghadam, the head of Khoy’s Islamic Guidance Department, also stated at the ceremony: ‘Given the mission of cultural institutions to act on the directives of the Supreme Leader in promoting the culture of study and reading, this is the third book exhibition organized by the Islamic Guidance Department in the county since the beginning of this year.’
He added: ‘In this exhibition, 3,000 book titles from 20 reputable national publishers will be displayed and sold over three 10-day periods.’
Moghadam said: ‘The books available at the exhibition are offered with a 50% discount to culture-loving people, readers, and ever-present Basij members. A special discount has also been allocated for students, whose transportation costs will be covered by the exhibition.’ Moghadam also stated: ‘Books are constant companions in personal development. Regular reading enriches vocabulary, improves writing skills, and directly impacts our cognitive abilities.’
He explained that beyond acquiring practical skills, books teach us empathy; by placing ourselves in the shoes of different characters and cultures, we shed prejudices and gain a deeper understanding of the diversity of human experiences. A reading society is one where dialogue is more constructive, decisions are more reasoned, and human interactions are richer.
He said: ‘In the age of information and speed, where the endless flow of data occupies the human mind, the importance of returning to books and deep reading is felt more than ever. A book is not merely a collection of paper pages but a gateway to unknown worlds, past histories, and ideas that expand the boundaries of our thought.’
According to IBNA; during the judging of the national program for selecting book-oriented cities in the country, the city of Khoy was introduced as Iran’s ‘Book Enthusiast City’ for the year 1404 (Persian calendar year).
