A ceremony was held in "House of Writers" on Wednesday Nov.
18th, on the occasion of the week of books. The ceremony was organized to both
celebrate the week of books and book-reading and honor the cultural activities
of religious minority associations.
The congress, being a third of its kind, had been organized by General
Department of Associations, Establishments and Cultural Activities of the Deputy
Office of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, under the
title "third congress on publications and elites of Christian, Zoroastrian and
Jewish compatriots", in which several cultural activists of these communities as
well as the authorities of Ministry of culture and Islamic guidance were
present. Siamak Mareh Sedgh, Farhad Aframian, Feizollah Saketkhoo from the board
of directors of Tehran Jewish Association, some writers and poets from the
Jewish society including Ebrahim Saeidian and Rahman Delrahim as well as Dr.
Arabzadeh, the university Professor and Rabbi Golestaninejad also took part in
the congress.
At the beginning of the program, Saeed Taghavi, the In charge of General
Department of Associations and Establishments of the Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance, gave his welcome speech to the guests. He pointed out that the
program has been held for 7th time and it is the third time that it is held
under the foregoing title. He then mentioned the targets for holding the program
and said, the goal of this congress is to honor the writers, poets and other
cultural activists of the communities. Later in his speech, expressing his
gratitude and appreciations from the authorities of Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance because of their efforts to hold such program, he invited Dr.
Mohsen Parviz, the Cultural Deputy of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
to give his speech to the audience.
Addressing his welcome to the audience and giving some explanations on the House
of Writers and its activities, Dr. Parviz mentioned the week of books and went
on; in this week we totally have 450 programs. We are very happy that one of
these programs has been dedicated to our minority compatriots and that
regardless of religious differences, they are engaged in cultural activities and
they can also have their influence on other fields. This is one of the honors of
the Islamic Republic of Iran that all people gather together for the sake of a
unified goal away from religious differences. He also expressed his
appreciations from the religious minority communities because of their
participation in the Presidential Election. "We must be aware of such events,
and fortunately we are. I take the opportunity to thank the stands adopted
against the recent riots and also against those who had planned to hurt our
country's independency by our compatriots in minority communities", he added
referring to the presidential election aftermaths.
At the end of his speech, he thanked the cultural activists of the religious
minorities and went on; fortunately there is a positive potential among the
minority societies for cultural works and they can step forward in order to
direct their own communities. Every individual compatriot must become interested
in reading books and a double burden is placed on the shoulders of those who are
able to write and speak. This program is actually the payment of our debt to all
those who create cultural works in this area, he added closing his speech.
Afterwards, other speeches were given by the Priest Khorshidian from Zoroastrian
community and Varan, member of editorial board of Christian society's Alik
publication. In his statements, referring to the old history of Iran, the Priest
Khorshidian asked all cultural activists to see how they can restitute and
protect the 10,000-year history of Iran and vaccine Iran against the attacks of
foreign cultures. In his statements, the member of Alik Publication's editorial
board referred to the 85th anniversary of the said publication and mentioned
that the secret of long-time life of the publication lies in the ambitions of
its writers, and mutual understanding of the Christian society and the
journalists.
At the final part of the ceremony, several cultural activists (listed below)
were honored and they received prizes and certificates of recognition.
From the Christian society, Dr. Magrovish Toumarian, Ms. Zadourian, Ms. Janet
Lazarian,
From Assyrian society, Ms. Janet Salibi and Dr. Melion Betmansour;
Ms. Parirokh Khosraviani from Zoroastrian society,
Also among publications of state religious minorities, Ofogh Bina and Alik
Publications were chosen.
We should appreciate the efforts of Ofogh Bina's editor, for his essays and
articles published in the said magazines. The editor granted his award and
letter of commendation to the society of Jewish Iranians.
