TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the 27th Tehran International Book Fair during a ceremony on Tuesday morning.Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, TIBF Director Seyyed Abbas Salehi, and representatives of Iranian and foreign publishers attended the ceremony.
“A book, its publisher, and the reader are respected as much as wisdom itself,” Rouhani said during the opening ceremony.
“God has sworn by the pen. Therefore, it is respected and the writer is more respected,” he added.
“We should try to pave the way for book writing and reading… if we want books to obtain their rightful place, we should provide security and freedom for their writers and publishers,” Rouhani stated.
“The international book fair is a kind of public diplomacy and a place for cultural exchanges and interactions,” he added.
Afghanistan is the guest of honor at this edition of the Tehran International Book Fair.
About 600 foreign publishers from Germany, France, Turkey, Japan, Lebanon, Syria, China, Qatar, and several other countries will be presenting about 160,000 of their latest publications during the event.
The organizers have also arranged open-air theatrical performances and some other cultural programs.
Cultural exchanges, translation, copyright, and several other subjects will be discussed at meetings on the sidelines of the fair, which runs until May 10 at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla.
SB/YAW/HG
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