TEHRAN-Iran has participated in the 37th Moscow International Book Fair (MIBF), underway in the Russian capital from September 4 to 8.

Iran pavilion at the fair is presenting 400 titles from 64 Iranian publishers in the fields of Persian language education, Islamic studies, children and adolescents, Iranian studies, art, and classical and contemporary literature, IRNA reported.

Various events have been programmed to be held at the Iran pavilion including workshops on Iranian calligraphy and painting, specialized meetings, book launches and introductions, and meetings with publishers and authors.

A total of 27 books in Russian were unveiled at the Iran pavilion during the past few days. They are mostly in the fields of humanities and Islamic sciences.

In a visit to the Iran pavilion, the ambassador of Iran to the Russian Federation Kazem Jalali underlined that the main foundation of relations between countries should be based on the pillar of culture. “Translation of Persian and Russian works are the basis for the mutual acquaintance of the Iranian and Russian nations, which is well underway,” he said.

“The translation of Russian works and novels into Persian was common in the past decades, and now this process is being followed along with the translation of Persian works into Russian,” the ambassador added.

He pointed out that reading books and attending each other's exhibitions are ways to develop cultural relations between the two countries and increase mutual understanding between the people, especially the elites of Iran and Russia.

“According to the officials at the Iran pavilion, the books in Russian language about prominent people, especially the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran and also the leaders of the resistance, have been more popular in the exhibition. Likewise, the books regarding the resistance of our country against sanctions for more than four decades have also attracted the attention of visitors,” Jalali asserted.

The Iranian ambassador noted that scientific and philosophical books by Iranian publishers have been of interest among Russian experts as well.

Over 300 publishing houses from Russia and other countries such as Iran, Germany, China, Azerbaijan, and Belarus have showcased their books at the 37th MIBF. 

Book presentations, meetings with authors, lectures, discussions, and master classes are among the programs presented at the 5-day event.

The Moscow International Book Fair is the most important international book event in Russia and the most significant annual event for the Russian book industry. 

SS/SAB