A total of 1818 Iranian and 756 foreign publishers will showcase their new books at the fair, which runs until May 14.
Foreign publishers from 51 countries, including Britain, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Singapore, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, will display 126,000 books during the event.
The problems of book publishing in Iran are to be discussed during 40 sessions to be held on the sidelines of the book fair. Organizers also plan to showcase Iran’s publication activities of the past 26 years in a special pavilion.
The program aims to review developments in the field of publishing such as the celebration of the best book of the year, national and international research work, and exhibitions of Quranic books and will also introduce public libraries.
The book fair is also scheduled to hold an exhibition entitled “The Land of Iran and the Persian Gulf” in order to document the Iranian identity of the Persian Gulf throughout history and its strategic status in the world. One hundred historical maps of the Persian Gulf as well as 800 books and historical documents on the body of water will be displayed in the sideline sections of the exhibition.
Iranian and foreign experts have also been invited to participate in gatherings to discuss Persian Gulf issues during the exhibition.
About thirty Iranian and foreign researchers and translators of Ferdwosi’s Shahnameh have been invited to participate in a special program slated to be held during the book fair, which is regarded as Iran’s most significant international cultural event.
The program will focus on the review of various translations of the Shahnameh and will also honor deceased researchers.
May 15 is Ferdowsi Day in Iran. Many scholars, writers, researchers, and enthusiasts gather at his mausoleum in Tus in Khorasan on this day to commemorate the author of Iran’s national epic.
The Tehran International Book Fair will also display a collection of Persian translations of books by fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen. The series of works was published by Nashr Publications in four volumes, concurrent with the bicentennial of the birthday of the Danish author. The works were translated by Jamshid Navvabi over a period of one and a half years.
Directors of book fairs in Islamic countries such as Turkey, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, and Morocco have been invited to the event. They are also scheduled to attend a seminar in which the expansion of cultural relations among Islamic countries will be discussed.
MMS/HG
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MNA