TEHRAN – The Chinese capital was hosting the Iran Cultural Day held on Saturday on the sidelines of the 29th edition of the Beijing International Book Fair.

Attended by a number of Iranian officials and Chinese cultural figures, the cultural program took place at the China National Convention Center, Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) announced on Monday.

During the program, the Chinese translations of several books by Iranian writers were launched and the Iranian ensemble Eksir Eshq gave several performances.

“I held meetings with China’s deputy culture minister and the director of the Beijing book fair and I hope we could play a more active role at the fair in the future and China would involve active participation in the Tehran International Book Fair,” Iran’s Deputy Culture Minister for Cultural Affairs, Yaser Ahmadvand, said at the beginning of the cultural day.

“Iran and China pursue mutual interests in the region and the world and they also have a lot in common as far as cultural issues. Furthermore, raising our knowledge of China as one of the major players in the present and future world is an absolute necessity in Iran. We must be accurately informed about current conditions and trends in China in precise detail,” he added. 

“We are eager to expand cultural relations with China and we consider it beneficial to both countries. The government, especially after the Iranian president’s visit to China, has a strong tendency to boost relations with the country in all areas, including cultural fields,” Ahmadvand noted.

During the meeting Ahmadvand held with Chinese cultural officials, they agreed that Iran would allocate a larger pavilion to Chinese publishers at the 2024 Tehran International Book Fair.

He also invited Chinese publishers, writers and cultural figures to attend the book fair.

He also announced Iran’s plan to translate about 100 books by Iranian writers into Chinese and Chinese writers’ books into Persian in the near future. 

Algeria was the Country of Honor at the 2023 Beijing International Book Fair, which was held from June 15 to 18.

So far, Iran has not been selected as the Country of Honor at the event. 

China was the guest of honor at the 2019 Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF), Iran’s major event in the publishing industry.
 
Photo: Iranian officials and Chinese scholars hold copies of Chinese translations of several books by Iranian writers launched at the Iran Cultural Day at the China National Convention Center in Beijing on June 18, 2023. (ICRO)

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