Senior lawmaker urges for more efforts to cut book prices

1391/02/23-08:30

Qolam-Ali Hadda Adel, head of the IRI parliamentary commission in charge of cultural affairs described the 25th edition of Tehran International Bok Fair (TIBF) as a successful effort, adding that three special exhibition marquees set up in the fairground.

The lawmaker was speaking to TIBF press office Friday during an inspection of the landmark cultural event.

Mr. Adel singled out tow special TIBF marquees as beacons of the major international book fair, namely ‘Yas’ and ‘Islamic Awakening.’

The former marquee was dedicated to the lifestyle and thoughts of Hadhrat Fatema (S.A.), the revered daughter of Hadhrat Muhammad (S.A.) while the latter was dedicated to the ongoing Islamic Awakening movement in the Middle East and South African countries, otherwise erroneously called by the mainstream western media as ‘Arab spring.’

The lawmaker also thanked the TIBF authorities for naming different pavilions and exhibition marquees across the fairground after the Iranian martyrs. “The initiative shows our respect for our culture. The martyrs are source of dignity for the country,” he added.

He senior lawmaker was critical of excessive prices of paper in the country. “Paper for authors and intellectuals in the society was like gasoline for cars,” he said, adding that government must made more efforts to cut the paper prices.

The lawmaker called paper a basic commodity for the society and said the government must pay subsidies to contain a growing inflation in the national publication industry. To the same effect, Mr. Adel also proposed the government expand public libraries nationwide and distribute more book shopping vouchers among university students.

The 25th edition of Tehran International Book Fair will be wrapped up on May 12 following a special closing ceremony.