Tehran intl. press exhibit opens

 

Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini and a number of cultural officials attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition, which runs until November 3.

 

A total of 2380 Persian dailies, magazines and periodicals have participated in the exhibit, deputy culture minister for press affairs announced during a press conference last week.

 

Mohammad-Jafar Mohammadzadeh said that 50 pavilions have been prepared for the international section, which is scheduled to open on Tuesday.

 

Over 80 journalists and correspondents have been invited to cover the weeklong event, he added.

 

He gave no details about the identity of the invitees or the newspapers and the agencies for which they work.

 

He announced a decreased participation in the exhibition among the European Union press and said, “Due to the European Union’s decision to cut the Iranian satellite channels, we have decided not to invite EU member states to the exhibit.”

 

Mohammadzadeh urged the Iranian media to make their best efforts to keep the “calm, fresh and cultural atmosphere” of the exhibit and avoid presidential election campaigns.

 

“This exhibition should be cultural event, not a place for politicians’ maneuverings,” he added.

 

A temporary museum for the history of Iranian journalism has been set up on the sidelines of the exhibition.

 

A collection of the earliest Iranian newspapers and magazines and many other interesting objects have be showcased at a large pavilion dedicated to the museum.

 

The Press Union of the Islamic World, which was established by Iran during the last year’s exhibit, is scheduled to hold a meeting during the exhibition.

 

Representatives of 50 news agencies from the Islamic world have been invited to the meeting.

 

The union is comprised of 52 members including 38 dailies and 14 new agencies.

 

MMS/YAW

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