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The Book Fair is the Result of a Year of Serious and Precise Work
2024-05-15 14:00
Mohsen Momeni Sharif described the Book Fair as an opportunity for gatherings and exchanges of ideas among cultural enthusiasts, a result of a year of serious and precise work by the organizers, which manifests itself during the 11 days of the fair.
In an interview with the news headquarters of the 35th Tehran International Book Fair, Mohsen Momeni Sharif stated: "Using phrases like 'the largest cultural event in the region and country' for the Book Fair may seem repetitive and clichéd, but everyone should know that great efforts are made to host book enthusiasts at this fair."
He believes that the Tehran Book Fair has always been a symbol of the cultural commitment of the people and an indicator of the country's public culture.
Momeni Sharif expressed hope that the side and cultural programs of the fair would be beneficial for the audience, adding: "There has always been criticism that the Book Fair has a commercial aspect, but fortunately, we have witnessed the expansion and development of its cultural aspect and book-centric cultural programs, which have seen good quantitative and qualitative growth in recent years and this year."
Regarding the simultaneous holding of the online and physical fairs, he said: "The online fair can become handy to those who are far from Tehran and cannot attend the physical fair."
Reducing the Commercial Aspect of the Physical Fair
The former director of the Islamic Revolution Art Bureau suggested that it would be better to reduce the commercial aspect of the physical fair and conduct more sales through the online space. This approach would be beneficial both for those who want to visit the fair and for the publishers, providing an opportunity for visitors to easily explore the fair and for the books to be well displayed.
Momeni Sharif also commented on the simultaneous presence of booksellers at the Book Fair, stating that publishers and booksellers participating in this year's Tehran Book Fair are more satisfied compared to previous years. However, in his opinion, the main goal alongside sales should be the promotion of book culture and reading. All these factors have contributed to the public's positive reception of the Book Fair, with some people attending more than once to take advantage of the cultural and artistic programs at the venue.
Regarding his latest work "The Moon and the Oak," which is available at this year's Book Fair, he said: "I know the geography of Kurdistan well, and this book is a tribute to the dear people of Kurdistan. It carries a very important message to those who pursue their desires through illegal and improper means."
Momeni Sharif continued: "When my other book 'The Secret of the Red Rose,' which is about Martyr Sayad Shirazi, was unveiled, I thought to myself that this book has an owner. The new book follows the same path, from which I had distanced myself due to executive preoccupations. 'The Moon and the Oak' is a small work to introduce Kurdistan. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution has always had a grateful view of the Kurdish. The Kurds have always been the guardians of Iran's borders. The martyrs that Kurdistan has given are not fewer than those from other ethnic groups, and this should be narrated in some way."
The 35th Tehran International Book Fair, under the slogan "We Read, We Build," will be held from May 8 to May 18, 2024, at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla in person and on the ketab.ir platform.
