To celebrate the 180th anniversary of the first Persian newspaper ‘Kaghaz-e Akhbar,’ the Archive Research Center of the National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI) will hold a meeting today ( May 13) to review and analyze the various stages in the history of the press.
The meeting in Tehran will look into “the various subjects, processes and aspects involved in the history of the press,” according to the website of NLAI (nlai.ir).
Discussions will revolve around three main topics: history of the press, analysis of the issues involved, and development of the press in Iran.
The website did not give the names of the speakers at the meet, but said a major part of the discussions will be on ‘Kaghaz-e Akhbar,’ a monthly newspaper first published on May 1, 1837 in Tehran.
Commissioned by Mohammad Shah of the Qajar dynasty, who reigned from 1834-1848, the newspaper was brought out by court intellectual and travel writer Mirza Saleh Shirazi who was the first official reporter in Iran.
The monthly had no specific name. It was called Kaghaz-e Akhbar, (literally newspaper in Persian). Its purpose was to communicate the decisions taken at the royal court and neutralize the efforts of the heirs of the previous ruler Fat’h-Ali Shah (1772-1834) who were staking a claim to the throne.
The event is in collaboration with the Iranian Society of History, History Research Association and Women Association of History Researchers.
National Archives off Haqqani Highway is the venue of the meeting which starts at 9 am and will run through 5 pm. It is open to the public.
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