ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (DNA): Majid Meshki, Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, visited the National Book Foundation (NBF), Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, and met with Managing Director Dr. Kamran Jahangir.
The meeting featured detailed discussions on expanding literary and cultural cooperation between Pakistan and Iran, publishing Urdu translations of Persian literature, and introducing the rich intellectual and literary heritage of both countries to a wider readership.
The Iranian Cultural Counsellor highlighted the rich traditions of Iranian literature, particularly the creative dimensions and intellectual diversity of children’s literature. He also presented several books comprising Urdu translations. During the meeting, both sides agreed to work towards the translation and publication of 40 Iranian children’s books in Urdu and their distribution across Pakistan.
Under the proposed arrangement, the Iranian Embassy will provide the Urdu translations of the selected books, along with the relevant copyrights and publishing rights, while the National Book Foundation will undertake their publication, promotion and nationwide distribution. This collaboration is expected to introduce Iranian literature to Urdu readers and improve the availability of quality and diverse reading material for children.
Director Headquarters, National Book Foundation, Murad Ali Mohmand, was also present on the occasion. Both sides emphasised that literature and translation serve as effective means of fostering intellectual dialogue, cultural awareness and mutual understanding among different languages and societies. In this context, the proposed initiative was viewed as an important step towards strengthening the literary and cultural dimension of the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Iran.
It was also agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed to formalise the collaboration. The signing ceremony is expected to take place in the near future at the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, in the presence of the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training and the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan.
The proposed collaboration will provide children with opportunities to explore the literature, ideas and creative experiences of another culture. Through translation, the initiative is expected to strengthen intellectual links between languages, encourage reading among the younger generation and promote literary and cultural exchanges between Pakistan and Iran.
