The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran has organized the roundtable “Role of book in bringing nations together” s part of the Book Week in the country. Publishers, workers of culture and foreign diplomats participated in the discussions.

The press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that RA Ambassador to Iran Grigor Arakelyan made a speech, addressing the role of books in Armenia and Armenian communities worldwide.

Speaking of UNESCO’s decision to declare Yerevan a capital of the book in 2012, Ambassador Arakelyan told the history of Armenian printing. He pointed out that the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing will be marked not only in Armenia, but also throughout the Diaspora.

The first book was printed in the Near East 400 years ago, in New Juga (a city in Iran with a large Armenian community).

Ambassador Arakelyan proposed jointly preparing cultural programs for the Iranian people to be informed of Armenians’ spiritual values and holding cultural events in Yerevan and Tehran.