Mehr Gonbadkavous Book Lovers Association; An Active Organization in Promoting the Culture of Reading
Seyed Ali Karimian, in an interview with a reporter from the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Gonbadkavous, noted that through hard work and solidarity, cultural groups like the Qassem’s Daughters Book Reading Group, Mehr Book Lovers Association, Jorjan New Thinker Readers Institute, and Small Artists’ Takiyeh were formed years ago in the underserved Seyedabad neighborhood of Gonbadkavous. He added: This book-centric organization has now reached a stage of growth and maturity where it doesn’t experience a week without books.
He then referred to some of the association’s activities in autumn, especially during Book Week, Basij Week, and Fatemieh days. These include attending the Shahid Beheshti Public Library in Gonbadkavous and holding a study session centered on the book “Stories of Imam Ali (AS),” implementing the innovative “One Night, One Book, One Martyr” program at the home of the Farghani martyrs, the “Hey’at, Come Get a Book Prize!” book reading competition, and a book and cultural products exhibition at Nastaran Elementary School.
Karimian continued: Other notable activities include setting up book and cultural product exhibitions at Montazer Ghaem School and Shahed Boys’ Elementary School in Gonbadkavous, producing virtual content and creating clips based on Shahnameh stories with the artistic contribution of the association’s reading girls, Shahnameh sessions, and a friendly gathering at the Seyedabad neighborhood center of Gonbadkavous Municipality, accompanied by a group reading of the book “Aash Nazri.”
He then mentioned that one of the benevolent traditions in the Mehr Gonbadkavous Book Lovers Association is the continuous donation of books, especially to children and teenagers. He said: In cultural events and gatherings, we have always strived to take a step towards familiarizing the future generation with the culture of reading by donating books.
Seyed Ali Karimian concluded: Also, like previous years, as part of the “Mehr Wants Kindness” campaign, we prepared and distributed stationery for underprivileged students, and also launched a campaign to exchange waste paper for books and stationery, with the empathy and cooperation of the association members.
According to IBNA, Seyed Ali Karimian is a poet, managing director of Ahledel Publications, director of Mehr Gonbadkavous Book Lovers Association, and a veteran of the Sacred Defense era.
He is also the commander of the Hazrat Javad al-A’emmeh Basij base in Gonbadkavous and one of the narrators of the 8-year Sacred Defense, who, after years of presence on the fronts, is now active on the cultural front and strives to write and publish works.
To date, Seyed Ali Karimian has authored and published works such as “Our Neighborhood is Spring, Its Martyrs are Countless” in memory of “Martyr Mehdi Haddadi,” “Lady of Honesty” in memory of “Martyr Tayebeh Sedaghat,” the first female martyr of the Islamic Revolution in Gonbadkavous, “Pigeon of Love” based on the biography of the Shrine Defender “Martyr Javad Sanjeh Vanli,” “Brave Radio Operator” in the name and memory of “Martyr Kazem Sadeghpour Malek Mian” from the martyrs of Gonbadkavous city, “God of Knowledge and Sword of Ali (AS),” and “Sheikh Jalal al-Din Ayatollahzadeh (Kani).”
Also, thanks to the efforts of Seyed Ali Karimian’s wife, a beacon under the name “Parastoo Bookstore” has been shining for years in the underserved Seyedabad neighborhood of Gonbadkavous.
