On Saturday, July 19, 2025, the Specialized Workshop on Children’s Rights and Business was held at Book City Central in collaboration with UNICEF Iran and the Book City Academy. The event brought together managers, supervisors, and sales personnel from the children’s and young adult sections of Book City bookstores, along with other stakeholders in the […]

The executive secretary of the “Sand Fox Prize” emphasized that adults have been kept from interfering in the award process: “We made every effort to ensure that the screening committee refrained from personal judgments when compiling the book list, so as not to hinder children’s opinions.” Tayebeh Ejei, in an interview with IRNA, spoke about […]

Pedram Alvandi, manager of BookCity Central, says: “At BookCity Central, children are free to do anything, and we are not worried about books or products getting damaged. We consider it part of the cost of running the store.” In an interview with the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA, Persian), Pedram Alvandi discussed the challenges of […]

A unique literary prize—for young readers, chosen by young readers! The Sand Fox Book Award is an innovative literary initiative inviting teenagers to select their favorite book of the year. Held over ten weeks in the summer of 2025, this award will honor one original (Persian) book and one translated title—both selected exclusively by teenage […]

BookCity Institute launches the first edition of the Sand Fox Book Award with a focus on meaningful youth participation. As part of its initiative to design and organize the inaugural Sand Fox Book Award, the Children and Youth Department of BookCity Institute conducted a comparative benchmark study on major international book awards selected by children […]

During the darkest and most turbulent days of war, we stood firm—not just as a cultural institution, but as a sanctuary of light, dialogue, and resilience. With unwavering dedication, BookCity worked to keep the flame of culture alive in every neighborhood and every corner of our land. What you see in this short film is […]

In a groundbreaking move that has sent ripples through Iran’s literary community, Hermes Publishing House hosted an unveiling ceremony for their innovative “Edge of Knowledge” book series on May 3, 2025. This pioneering collection represents one of the first structured attempts in Iran to integrate artificial intelligence into the traditional book translation process. A Bold […]

In a groundbreaking move that signals a new era for the Iranian publishing industry, Hermes Publishing has unveiled its first series of AI-assisted translated books, marking a significant leap forward in the integration of artificial intelligence within literary translation. On Sunday, May 4, 2025, Hermes Publishing, under the leadership of Director Morteza Kardar and Chief […]

In a recent meeting between Ali Jafarabadi, Deputy Director of the Book City Institute, and Archbishop Andrzej Józwowicz, the Vatican’s ambassador to Iran, it was announced that the Persian translation of Pope Francis’s autobiography, Hope, will soon be published in Iran. Jafarabadi expressed his condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, the late leader of […]

Hermes Publishing is poised to release Hope, the Persian translation of Pope Francis’s autobiography, offering Iranian readers a profound glimpse into the life and thoughts of the leader of the Catholic Church. Hope chronicles Pope Francis’s journey from his childhood in Argentina to his ascension to the papacy, exploring his experiences within the Society of […]

In a vibrant celebration of children’s and young adult literature, the BookCity Institute recently hosted the concluding ceremony for the 13th annual Flying Turtle Awards. This esteemed event, a true highlight in Iran’s literary calendar, brought together a passionate community of writers, illustrators, publishers, esteemed jurors, and devoted lovers of children’s books on Tuesday, April […]

The second edition of the Qeshm National Oud Festival reached its final stage, culminating in a series of captivating stage and street performances held on the evening of Wednesday, April 15, 2025 (Farvardin 27 in the Iranian calendar), just ahead of the festival’s official closing ceremony. This festival, a landmark event for Iran’s cultural landscape, […]

The second day of the Qeshm National Oud Festival marked another significant step in bridging authenticity and innovation within Iranian music. This festival, held through the dedicated efforts of the BookCity Institute and hosted by the Qeshm Free Zone Organization, continues to welcome artists and enthusiasts of Iranian music from across the country, transforming the […]

The second edition of the Qeshm National Oud Festival officially commenced on April 13, 2025 (Farvardin 25, 1404 in the Iranian calendar), filling the land, sky, and sea of Qeshm Island with the resonant tones of the oud. This significant cultural event, running until April 16, 2025 (Farvardin 28), is a collaborative effort brought to […]

As part of the lead-up to the main event, the 2nd Qeshm National Oud Festival, co-organized by the BookCity Institute and the Qeshm Free Zone Organization, embarked on a unique nationwide journey titled the “Route of Oud” (راه عود – Rah-e Oud). This initiative, symbolizing a deep homage to the revered oud instrument, traversed over […]

UNICEF Iran and BookCity Partner to Launch Nationwide Nowruz Reading Campaign UNICEF, in collaboration with BookCity , is excited to announce a new reading campaign timed to coincide with Nowruz celebrations. Running from March 10, 2025 (20 Esfand 1403) to April 8, 2025 (20 Farvardin 1404), the campaign aims to foster a love of reading […]

The second Qeshm National Oud Festival, held on Qeshm Island, Iran, is set to unfold with new changes and ambitions. Organized in collaboration between the Qeshm Free Zone Organization and the Book City Institute (شهرکتاب), a cultural organization that manages a chain of bookstores and cultural centers across Iran, the festival introduces a non-competitive section, […]

On Tuesday, February 5, 2025, Shahnameh BookCity in Mashhad hosted the 26th installment of its acclaimed Tuesdays of Life Wisdom series—a vibrant discussion centered on Sarah Bakewell’s How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Answers (translated by Maryam Taghdisi). Philosopher and researcher Amin Fardoos-Ara led the event, unpacking Michel de Montaigne’s timeless wisdom […]