Minister suggests put off thematic book fair debate until after permanent venue is available

1390/02/22-08:30

IRI Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Sayyed Muhammad Husseini welcomed suggestions that Tehran book fair would rather be staged thematically, adding however that any plans to stage a thematic book fair inevitably would require a vast area of land.

 

Mr. Husseini was speaking to reporters Wednesday on the sidelines of the 24^th edition of Tehran International Book Fair, the book fair's press office reported.

 

The Iranian culture minister suggested delay the debate until after a permanent venue was constructed for the landmark cultural event.

 

The culture minister said by a thematic book show it was meant to amass related pavilions alongside one another so as to allow individuals to get quicker and more continent access to their desired titles.

 

Asked why certain cheap contents were allowed in the book show, Sayyed Muhammad Husseini said the responsibility rested with publishers of those contents. He elaborated that the authorities only consider whether a title has met minimum standards, namely of red lines, before allowing the title into the fair.

 

"The readership will gauge about quality and will welcome stronger contents," the minister said, adding however that the ministry has planned to enhance publicity works for useful contents.

 

He said he advocates the mainstream idea that books vary in terms of quality of their content, however should the ministry initiate to gauge and distinguish the contents and subsequently promote the more useful ones, perceptions would take hold in some individuals that the authorities had adopted restrictive approaches to publication.