For the first time in the history of Kurdish publishing, we as Atlas Publishing House were able to participate in the 36th International Book Fair in Tehran

For the first time in the history of Kurdish publishing as (Atlas Publishing House) we were able to participate in the 36th International Book Fair in Tehran, capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran officially and with the beautiful Kurdistan flag from 7 to 17 May

At the same time, we were able to bring books of several Kurdish centers to the exhibition and put them in front of the readers of the sweet Kurdish language, which included hundreds of titles!

Here I intend to discuss this participation from several perspectives:

1- In terms of spirituality, it was of great spiritual value not only for Atlas but also for all Kurds in the east and the centers of the east and the writers, translators, intellectuals and readers who visited us.

Teachers and students of Iranian universities attached great importance to the participation and described it as a big and important step.

2- Politically, a Kurdish center officially attracted the attention of the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran by putting up the Kurdistan flag.

3- As a service to the language, culture and literature of the Kurdish nation, it was the best station to introduce other nations through books and direct conversations with visitors from different nations in Iran and cultural exchange and transfer to each other.

4- In general, the Atlas room was regarded as a representative of the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdistan flag was a pleasure for all those who visited us.

Obviously, every first step will not be without shortcomings, we as the first experience that we participated in an exhibition abroad is normal if we have shortcomings, we will certainly have better plans for the coming years.

Although it was our first experience, we were in a strategic location and with the help of Mr. Mariwan Halabjaee, a well-known Halabja writer and translator in Iran, who was the official representative of Atlas we sent it away

We did our best to participate in the exhibition in 2024. I was officially invited as a special guest by the organizer of the exhibition (Book House) of Tehran to the opening ceremony of the 35th Tehran International Book Fair This year's participation was the result of this agreement and was not a small achievement!.

What was interesting were the following points!

1- Except for Kurdistan People's Channel and Kurdsat, which thankfully covered our room, no Kurdish channel in the Kurdistan Region covered this important step.

2- No government officials and party and government representatives visited us.

3. Although we had not officially invited anyone, but this was because we were not sure of our participation until a week before the opening of the exhibition, because:

Although we had notified all the publishing houses through social media and groups a month before the exhibition, but unfortunately none of them showed their willingness to participate.

4- It was strange that although we had sent the list of books to the organizer of the exhibition, the supervisory department of the exhibition prevented us from bringing several religious sources brought with us by a participating center, while most of them were printed in Iran!

5. Another observation was that the exhibition was held in an Islamic republic, but some visiting friends from the East Kurds came and criticized why you brought religious books!?

6- In addition to the Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance visited our room and expressed his happiness, several other Iranian personalities and officials visited us and congratulated us, but in Kurdistan even in the page of Sulaimani Expo! Neither by appreciation nor vice versa !!!

what does this tell us

I want you to be the judge :!

My final message is:

We will continue to serve the culture and literature of our nation and

( He does not desire from you reward and no thanksgiving )

Hassan Rahim Ahmad

Organizer of the International Book Fair / in Sulaimani