Iran at VDNKh

On September 2nd-6th, the Moscow International Book Fair will take place at VDNKh. The forum will gather about 500 publishing houses from Russia and post-Soviet and foreign countries. The participants include publishers and authors from Azerbaijan, Albania, the UAE, Belarus, Hungary, Venezuela, Germany, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Turkey, Ukraine, France and Japan.

The special guests of the fair will be three countries – Armenia, Serbia, and Iran – due to Literature Year in Russia. According to Amir Massoud Shahramnia, General Director of the Institute of Cultural Exhibitions and Fairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the event is very interesting for Iranian cultural activists.

“Conducting an exhibition is a very good opportunity to get acquainted with other cultures, as well as for cultural interaction and cooperation. Through cultural diplomacy it can develop its relationships,” Shahramnia says.

About 300 square meters at the VDNKh is given to Iran. “There is a huge interest from publishers, writers, artists and representatives of the art culture of Iran. More than a hundred people came from Iran – writers, poets, prose writers and cultural activists, they came to Moscow to participate in this exhibition. Somewhere 15 of our novelists, our leading writers will participate. Some of our prose works have been translated into Russian, they are familiar to the Russian reader.”

On September 2nd, the presentation of a book by Saadi titled 'Bustan' will take place. It was composed by Iraj Rastegar in two languages. Moreover, a round-table discussion on the topic “From Rudaki to Jami: Persian Literature in the World Context” will take place.

On September 3rd a presentation of the Russian edition of a book by Kermani Moradi Houshang will take place, titled ‘You're Not a Stranger.’ Various aspects of modern Iranian literature, including poetry and literature for children and teenagers, will be discussed.

On September 5th a book titled 'Iran' and a new textbook for the Persian language will be presented. The next day, a discussion of 'Persian and Russian Comparative Literature' will be held.

“Of course, our goal is long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia, especially in the framework of the Moscow Book Fair, and the following year at the show, when Russia will be a special guest, our cooperation will develop,” the Director of the Institute of Cultural Exhibitions and Fairs of Iran hopes.