Speaking at a ceremony to honor librarians, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati referred to book reading as a “religious obligation” according to the Supreme Leader, and called for promotion of book reading culture by the concerned authorities.
The ceremony at Vahdat hall on Tuesday was attended by high ranking government officials, Mehr News Agency reported.
Jannati noted that in 2010, the movement to promote book reading was approved by the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution and urged the authorities and the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance “to sustain this movement.” He said a lot needs to be done if Iran is to reach its goal of ranking first in science and technology in the southwest Asian region within the next decade as envisaged in the 2025 Vision.
Calling for comprehensive and sustainable programs for promoting reading culture at the grassroots level, he encouraged initiatives “to acquaint children and young adults with popular and ethical books.”
Constructive Role
Jannati quoting Imam Ali (AS), the first Shia Imam, said: “If a person is acquainted with books, he shall never feel distressed.” Elaborating on the quote, he said “books are man’s best friend while grief and distress result from loneliness.” Hence a man who “befriends books shall never feel lonely and distressed.”
He hailed the role of librarians, saying they are not “merely responsible for recording and supplying books to libraries,” but they can play a constructive role in acquainting readers with valuable books thus “bringing books out of obscurity.”
He referred to the 14% increase in the number of librarians in the past one year and the addition of 3 million copies of new books to libraries by the Public Libraries Institution as indicators of high attention paid to book reading by the institution.
