Germany joins TIBF with over 400 titles

1394/02/22-10:47

A German publishing authority attending the 28^th Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) says she has joined the landmark cultural event with a mission to meet with Iranian publishers for mutual cultural exchanges.

Director of Asia and Africa department in Frankfurt Book Fair, Ursula Holpp also told the TIBF’s press office that the German book fair has been represented in the Iranian cultural event since 2002, helping the country’s publishing companies  to build ties with top Iranian publishers and illustrators through relevant workshops.

The German manager said her country has joined the Iranian book fair with over 400 titles, all chosen by the German embassy in Tehran.

The titles, Holpp said, largely deal with such themes as children, literature, German language as well as a collection of books known as Alexanderplatz Books that focus on a diversified array of themes from literature and art to foreign languages.

Holpp said German language students in Iran as well as Iranian nationals residing in German make up the main portion of visitors to the German pavilion, adding however that Iranian publishers and illustrators too may inspect the pavilion in search of joint ventures with the German publishing industry.

As for translation of Persian titles into German, the publishing authority said works of Iranian authors have received a good welcome in Germany, adding however that such titles are far too few.

Holpp cited shortage of literary translators from Persian to German and a tight content policy on the part of the German publishers as reasons behind the problematic situation.

The 28^th Tehran International Book Fair started work in Tehran on May 6 under the motto of ‘reading as talking to the world.’ It runs until May 16.