Formation of Various Book-Centered Events

Book Week is one of the cherished cultural traditions in our country that should be strengthened more and more, and its potential capacities should be utilized for promoting culture, literature, and reading, as well as creating social vitality. However, this valuable tradition, like many customs and traditions, has become subject to monotony and formality over time, and has somewhat taken on a superficial character, losing its significant and influential functions.

On the occasion of the 33rd Book Week of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which concluded a few days ago, I will reflect on the overall program and some of its specific activities. It is obvious, but important to note, that the discussions about Book Week programs and the criticisms leveled against them are not related to the current officials of this program. The reason for raising these points now is that in previous periods, such criticisms could have been interpreted politically and caused problems and difficulties for the critic. However, no such assumption exists regarding the current managers of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and we hope they will welcome such discussions with goodwill and receptiveness, seeking ways to enhance the effectiveness of this commendable tradition.

Book Week was established in the first half of the 1960s (Solar Hijri calendar) with the aim of promoting books and reading in schools, and the Ministry of Education took charge of it. During that period, several other worthy measures were also taken to promote books and institutionalize reading among children and adolescents. The establishment of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, the launch of a reading center for new literates and the publication of Peyk magazines, the holding of the first National Book Week, as well as the formation of the Ministry of Information and Tourism and the separation of the Ministry of Culture into two ministries—the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and Art—each of which played roles in promoting books and reading, were all nearly simultaneous.

After the revolution, this good tradition was forgotten for several years until the mid-1980s when children’s and young adult writers, through a collective letter, called for the re-establishment of Book Week in Aban (October/November) to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Shahid Fahmideh. (I have previously written an article about that letter and its consequences in Jahan-e Ketab magazine). Aban was also the designated time for Book Week in the years before the revolution. Several years later, Book Week was re-established, and after several cycles, its timing returned to its original place, Aban. This time, however, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance became responsible for organizing this national campaign so that book promotion programs would not be limited to schools but designed and implemented for the general public across society.

The general definition that can be offered for the framework of Book Week programs can be described by these two components: decentralization (geographical, thematic, responsible entity) and public and popular participation. The core and essence of its goal can perhaps be stated in this one sentence: ‘Transforming books into front-page news and an important issue at various social levels during this one week, and creating a basis for subsequent book-centered promotional programs in a sustainable and continuous manner.’

This definition includes characteristics such as inclusiveness and comprehensiveness, a wide range of designers and implementers, popular participation, practicality, and policymaking and oversight in the civil sector.

With such a perspective, we have witnessed the formation of various types of book-centered events during these days, including the following categories:

1. Meetings and visits
2. In-person celebrations and competitions
3. Advertising and media activities
4. Cultural gatherings
5. Programs within organizations, departments, and institutions
6. Exhibitions
7. Festivals and virtual/non-in-person programs
8. Educational and promotional workshops and classes
9. Support programs in the form of book vouchers, reading baskets and book backpacks, organizational discounts, etc.
10. And…

With these introductions, in the next note, I will try to find an answer to this question, within the limits of my understanding and the article’s capacity: ‘How successful is Book Week in its current form, and how much does it align with its main goals?’

To be continued…