The initiative has garnered significant international interest, with an impressive 91 publishers from 34 countries registering their intent to participate.
The inaugural Tehran Publishing Fellowship Program is set to take place in the Iranian capital 12-15 May, timed to coincide with the 36th Tehran International Book Fair. This initiative has garnered significant international interest, with an impressive 91 publishers from 34 countries registering their intent to participate.
Check this list out: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Syria, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam have expressed their interest.
A selection process will see 30 of these international publishers chosen based on specific criteria established by a panel of judges.
Strengthening Domestic Publishing on the World Stage
Alongside this strong international response, 64 Iranian publishers have also registered for the fellowship. Of these, 40 are expected to be selected following a similar evaluation process based on pre-defined criteria and the decisions of the judging panel.
The overarching aim of this fellowship program is to bolster Iran’s presence and influence within the global publishing landscape, with an initial focus on the dynamic and internationally appealing genres of children’s and YA literature.
Understanding the Fellowship Model and Supporting Initiatives
The concept of a ‘publishing fellowship’ in this context refers to a collaborative environment designed to facilitate the sale of book rights amongst publishers, authors, and literary agents. This initiative enjoys the support of the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which actively promotes such efforts through established programs like the Grant Program and TOP (Translation of Persia).
The Grant Program is specifically designed to nurture the Iranian publishing industry and actively promote the presence of Iranian books in international markets. Complementing this, the TOP project focuses on encouraging and supporting the translation of Persian literary works into other languages, broadening their global reach and readership.
The Tehran International Book Fair, which typically attracts 2 million visitors, is the biggest cultural event in Iran. This year’s incarnation, with the theme “Let’s Read for Iran”, will run 7-17th May.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
