Kermanshah on the Track of Culture / Book Exhibition Returns After 8 Years

As reported by the correspondent of the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Kermanshah, the 15th National Book Exhibition of Kermanshah began its work after a seven-year hiatus at the Shahed International Exhibition Park, an event that has imbued the city’s atmosphere with the scent of culture and books. This exhibition is arranged thematically and as a sales fair, making purchases easy for applicants and book lovers.

In this edition of the Kermanshah Book Exhibition, 320 publishers with more than 13,000 book titles are present from December 5th to 11th. The exhibition welcomes enthusiasts, visitors, and buyers every day from 9 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 8 PM.

Book Exhibition Marks a New Chapter of Culture in Kermanshah / Unveiling of Ustad Mohabbat Literary Award

Mozaffar Teimouri, Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Kermanshah Province, described the holding of the 15th Provincial Book Exhibition as a significant cultural event after eight years and said: “This event was realized through the efforts of provincial officials, and during a meeting with the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, one of the first demands of the province was the re-establishment of the book exhibition.”

He referred to the wide participation of publishers and added: “Today, we are witnessing the opening of this influential exhibition, which is being held with the presence of approximately 320 publishers from across the country and nearly 30 Kermanshah-based publishers and booksellers.”

Teimouri called the book exhibition the “Spring of Books” and stated: “Books mean culture, they mean our identity; books inherently carry human experiences and eternal wisdom, and play a significant role in today’s society. This exhibition is a golden opportunity for easy access to books that were perhaps difficult to acquire before.”

The Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Kermanshah Province described the exhibition space as an opportunity for close communication among cultural figures and continued: “We walk in a vibrant space and meet poets, writers, and intellectuals up close, establishing direct contact with books. We hope these programs continue.”

He also referred to recent activities in the cultural sector and added: “Last week, after three years, we held the closing ceremony of the Provincial Theater Festival, and Kermanshah hosted this event, with two provincial theater groups also reaching the national stage.”

Teimouri announced upcoming programs and said: “With the emphasis of the Governor, we have a program on identity-building on the agenda, during which prominent figures of the province in all cultural, artistic, Quranic, research, media, and sports fields will be honored. We hope this program coincides with the Prophet’s Mab’ath (prophetic mission).”

Teimouri considered the approval of the Kermanshah Literary Award as one of the important cultural events and said: “For the first time, the Kermanshah Literary Award was included in the budget headings of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and this was a long-standing demand of the province’s writers and publishers. Works published between 2021 and 2024 will be judged in three categories: poetry, fiction, and children’s literature. Winners will receive a statue, a certificate of honor, and a cash prize. We plan to hold this ceremony in March.”

He also announced planning for a national art event and said: “We will hold the National Calligraphy Congress from Mirza Kallehor to Ayatollah Nojoumi, and the ministry’s approval has been obtained for it.”

Teimouri also mentioned the valuable library of Ayatollah Nojoumi as one of the cultural demands of the province and explained: “In coordination with his family and with the emphasis of the Governor, the transfer and establishment of the valuable library of Ayatollah Nojoumi at the central gallery of Kermanshah has been put on the agenda, and its location has also been foreseen.”

Culture is the Driver of Development, and Books are its Beating Heart

Manouchehr Habibi, Governor General of Kermanshah, further emphasized the decisive role of culture in development and said: “In any society, if culture is not properly realized, the right path will not be followed. Any society that aligns itself with books will reach the correct path faster.”

He considered books as the axis of growth and added: “The secret to progress in every sector is books, and we must make the position of books more prominent in families; knowledge brings ability, and this knowledge comes from books.”

Habibi, referring to full support for cultural programs in the province, stated: “We support all events that highlight the name of Kermanshah, and we have no restrictions on this, provided the event is distinguished and worthy of the province.”

He considered the role of culture to be beyond other areas and said: “The cultural sector must be more prominent than all other sectors because culture is the basis for the progress of other sectors. If we have had prominent individuals throughout history, it was because of their familiarity with books. If we want both this world and the hereafter, we must turn to books.”

Habibi, referring to the cultural background of the province, said: “Kermanshah is the birthplace of literature, mysticism, and thought, and this necessitates that we strengthen the taste for reading among our children and place books in the basket of family needs.”

He considered the reading index a significant criterion for measuring progress and continued: “Today, if they want to measure the progress of countries, the rate of reading is one of the main components. Books and reading must become a public necessity.”

The Governor General considered the opening of the 15th Kermanshah Book Exhibition as a sign of public interest and said: “The opening of this exhibition shows that people are interested, and this need must be addressed. We have strived to provide this space, and our attention has always been on culture and books.”

He emphasized the demand-driven nature of this event and added: “This exhibition is a movement that was the wish of the people, culture enthusiasts, and writers of the province, and we are happy that it has been realized today.”

Libraries are the Bright Torch of Culture and Society’s Growth

Hojjat al-Islam Habibollah Ghafouri, Representative of the Supreme Leader and Friday Prayer Leader of Kermanshah, referring to the importance of books and reading, said: “In the book exhibition, we see books that have been printed and created and are exposed to enthusiasts, but these works have important behind-the-scenes aspects that are less seen.”

He emphasized the efforts of writers and added: “Literate and capable writers have worked hard and suffered for every sentence in the books; these efforts must be seen and appreciated.”

Ghafouri also referred to the role of publishers: “Publishers who continue to publish and distribute books in difficult conditions, despite fierce competition from virtual space and reduced public interest in reading, deserve appreciation; this interest and love for books has enabled the publication of valuable works to continue, otherwise many activities would have stopped.”

He referred to the importance of libraries in history and said: “Libraries have always held a special place in the scientific standing and virtue of societies. In times when it was not possible for the general public to buy books, it was these libraries that guided society towards reading, alongside the country’s growth; therefore, strengthening, promoting, and advocating for libraries and the culture of reading are important responsibilities of cultural institutions.”

The Representative of the Supreme Leader in Kermanshah further discussed the value of the book exhibition and stated: “What is happening today and what we are witnessing with the opening of the exhibition is the result of collective efforts and must be presented to cultural figures.”

Ghafouri concluded by referring to the exhibition’s several-year closure and thanked the Governor General and other officials: “The several-year closure of the exhibition was a strange issue, but with the follow-up of the Governor General of Kermanshah and the cooperation of other officials, this torch was lit again, and I personally appreciate and thank this action.”

Familiarity with Books and Reading Must Be Taught from Childhood

Mohammad Rashidi, representative of the people of Kermanshah in the Parliament, referring to the importance of familiarizing children and teenagers with books, said: “There is nothing called ‘book literacy’ or ‘introductions to reading’ in our education; a child who wants to go to school does not know how to befriend books, what book is suitable for him, and what book can help his intellectual and spiritual growth.”

He added: “A book is a journey through horizons and even a spiritual journey towards God, but I believe not all books are worth reading once; some books are worth reading thousands of times, and some are not. The work of culture, art, and literature must be qualitative and has three main pillars: writer, publisher, and audience.”

Writer, Publisher, and Audience Grapple with Economic Obstacles

Rashidi spoke about the problems of these three pillars: “Today, due to economic and financial obstacles, writers, publishers, and audiences are all facing problems; many writers complain that their works are not published, publishers face difficult printing and publishing conditions and have suffered many losses. Audiences also have less access to books due to economic reasons, and their relationship with books has diminished.”

He offered solutions to solve this problem: “We must use e-books, private books, and modern tools to bring people closer to book content; the important issue is that the differences between books and the value of each work should be properly explained, because books contain spiritual and emotional worlds that must be promoted and supported.”

Rashidi further emphasized: “Efforts to provide for people’s livelihoods are essential, but if the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual content of people remains weak, these actions will be fruitless. Therefore, special attention must be paid to the fields of culture, art, and books to achieve real impact.”

At this ceremony, the poster for the Kermanshah Literary Award, which is to be held this year under the name of Ustad Mohammad Javad Mohabbat, was unveiled.