Cultural Institutions celebrate Syrian Book Day
On April the 23rd of every year, Syrian cultural institutions celebrate the Syrian Book Day in conjunction with the celebration of the World book Day, as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization holds many events in cooperation with international organizations concerned with the book industry and annually chooses a city as the international capital for books.
Syria has begun dedicating a day for books since 2015, as it annually launches many events in Damascus and the governorates.
In this regard , Head of the Arab Writers Union, Dr. Muhammad al-Hourani, said in a statement to SANA: “The union began as a Syrian cultural and intellectual institution to accompany this celebration a while ago through establishing numerous libraries in villages and towns and supplying them with books issued by the Arab Writers Union at low prices in addition to holding various literary festivals and symposiums.”
Writer Riad Tabra, member of the Executive Office of the Union, described the celebration of Book Day to confirm our need for this knowledge product to take its place in our minds, not only in our libraries, indicating that the first steps to address the book crisis are to recognize it and search for ways to make the book a living reality in our lives.
The celebration of Book Day, according to the head of the Syrian Publishers Association, Haitham Hafez, is an opportunity to strengthen the partnership relationship between public and private institutions, because they are all concerned with this knowledge industry and to secure the requirements for its development , especially since Syria is engaged in a fierce war that has been present in various Arab book fairs and exhibitions.
He stressed It is necessary to draw attention to the book’s content that reflects our civilization and its ability to develop, and for this purpose the Directorate of Culture’s centers holds weekly workshops and reading sessions for children .
In turn, writer Nasr Mohsen believes that the book is of greater importance than other needs, and it is the way to communicate between people as a social, cognitive and cultural need, and it is the most important compass for development and advancement.
Representing the Syrian General Organization of Books , the poet Qahtan Bayrakdar, Director of Children’s Publications, reviewed the cultural centers’ interest in the book of children and young people, in addition to active participation in symposiums and forums on writing for children, and holding meetings with the work team of Osama and Shama magazines with schoolchildren.
Rawaa Ghanam