Book Fair Relocation Causes Kerfuffle

As exhibitors start looking forward to the 20th annual Tehran International Book Fair, the announcement of a relocation for the event is causing some exhibiting publishers concern.

Traditionally the book fair has been held at Tehran’s permanent fairgrounds, where the event commanded 80,000 square meters. According to Iran News, the new venue, Azadi Stadium, “apparently does not have such an open space to set up pavilions and passageways, he said pointing out that if tents are to be put up there will be more problems.”

Representative offices of foreign publishers in Iran have argued that the international section of the event will face many problems if the location is changed.

The Tehran International Book Fair is held each May.

There’s less concern about the BRAW Book Festival, part of the BBC’s family reading campaign, and being held at Wester Hailes library in Edinburgh, Scotland on January 20:

There will be a mixture of professional storytelling of Scottish Tales, children's crafts, a workshop for adults on how to tell stories, a puppet show, refreshments and the prize-giving for the “daftest place to read a book” painting contest.