Italy Guest Country of Honour at the Tehran International Book Fair

Eternal, universal, distributed with balance over the centuries, the variety of arts perfected by man and the wonder of landscapes designed by nature: a timeless beauty. This will be the common thread in Italy’s participation as Guest Country of Honour at the Tehran International Book Fair (نمایشگاه بین‌المللی کتاب تهران‎‎), from 3 to 13 May 2017 in the Iranian capital. Italy is the first western country to be invited as Guest of Honour, after Oman and Russia, an appointment of great symbolic value and of significant cultural, political, commercial and industrial value. The gradual rapprochement  between Iran and the west is confirmed, assigning our country a primary role in the pursuit of this process. It is also an opportunity for the Italian book and publishing industry to make contact with one of the most important cultural events not only of Iran, but of the whole of the Middle East. The Tehran Book Fair, held each year at Shahr-e Aftab (the modern exhibition site that has hosted it since 2016), welcomes approximately three million visitors over 11 days, and covers an area of 125,000 m2. This year it reaches the important and historic threshold of its 30th edition. Italy will have a pavilion of 300 square metres, with a book display area and space for publishers and professionals. Visitors can buy books by authors in Italian/English/Farsi and be welcomed in the meeting areas. A business area will be reserved for meetings between publishers and professional operators. The bookshop will also feature a selection of essential titles of Italian literature, flanked by contemporary literature, art publications, illustrated works, the best essays and children’s literature. About 100 works are expected to be included, in original language and translated into English, with special attention paid to books by guest authors. Timeless beauty will also display illustrations from the 2017 Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition.