Yazd: Iran's book capital

In the ceremony to introduce Iran's 5th book capital, the city of Yazd was chosen due to the diversity in book-reading programs and special attention to creative cultural activities. In this special program, we are going to make you acquainted with the city of Yazd and speak about the cultural programs that will be held in the city on the occasion of being chosen as Iran's Book Capital.

The city of Yazd was introduced as Iran's fifth Book Capital during a ceremony in Tehran. During the ceremony, the select persons and the lovers of book from villages and nomadic areas were introduced. Bazanj village in North Khorasan province was selected as the choicest one and certain villages in Fars, Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan, Semnan, Mazandaran, Sistan-Baluchestan, East Azarbaijan and Hamedan provinces were introduced as sample villages in the section of book lovers. Also, the four cities of Mahabad in West Azarbaijan province, Sadra and Shiraz in Fars province and Dezful in Khuzestan province were recognized as creative cities in the field of book- reading.

The Book Festivals have connected more than eight thousand cities and villages, over 200,000 children and teenagers, and nearly 3,000 groups and institutions to book for the past five years. The secretary of Iran's fifth book capital, Ibrahim Heidari said: "Totally five rounds of festivals of nomads and book-lovers have been held in which over 5,500 cities, villages and nomadic regions have participated."

"Iran's Book Capital" is the title of a program in Iran, based on which every year a city is selected as Iran's Book Capital. Parts of this program are based on the World Book Capital, but it has been assimilated with Iran's culture in terms of executive structure.

Since 2001, the title "World Book Capital" is given every year by UNESCO to the city which has made great efforts to strengthen the position of book and reading. The goal of UNESCO is to implement cultural programs related to book in that year and this will boost enthusiasm for book-reading among people. This selection does not include any financial award, but it is the acknowledgment of the best program dedicated to books and reading.

In the first round of the event, Ahwaz was introduced as Iran's Book Capital. The cities of Neishabour, Bushehr and Kashan were selected as the next book capitals in the following years.

The selection and introduction of Iran's Book Capital considers infrastructural objectives which are the same criteria. Some of these objectives are: increase of cooperation and participation of different governmental and non-governmental organs in the field of book, absorption of assets of private sector, supporting new and innovative ideas, and designing attractive and popular programs related to book.

Yazd is one of the historic cities of Iran whose ancient attractions have turned it into the first mud-brick city in Iran and the second mud-brick city in the world. Due to the big number of historical sites in Yazd and its mud-brick buildings, the city has been registered in UNESCO world heritage and is referred to as an international city. Yazd is known as the city of "wind towers" and "qanats". Qanat is a gently sloping underground channel to transport water from an aquifer or water well to surface for drinking or irrigation.

Yazd is one of the regions in Iran where people have inhabited since over 3,000 years ago. A few historians believe that the first building was constructed in Yazd at the time of Alexander the Macedonian who had a prison built in the area and put his name on it. But according to other historians Yazdgerd I of the Sassanid dynasty had ordered the building of this city; hence the name of Yazd which means sacred, auspicious and meritorious.

Greek historians would call the city of Yazd as "Isatis". Isatis had probably emerged on the ruins of the ancient city of "Kathe". After the advent of Islam and the Iranians' embracing of Islam, the name "Dar ul-Ebada" (the region of worship) was given to Yazd. During the Achaemenid era, the city enjoyed valid roads, post offices and transportation facilities. Transportation was so important in those days, that the Al-Muzaffar family rose to kingship from the post of Meybod district. The people of Yazd speak Farsi with Yazdi dialect, and they have preserved many beautiful Farsi words and combinations in their dialect. Some of the cities and towns of this province have certain linguistic features which make them distinct even in Yazd province. Zoroastrians speak in the language of Behdini or Zoroastrian type of Dari and especially hold religious ceremonies in this language.

The majority of the people of Yazd province are Shia Muslims. Wedding ceremonies, national and religious festivals such as Nowruz, Eid al-Fitr, Eid Ghadir, Eid Mab'as, and the birthday anniversary of the Prophet of Islam and the Infallible Imams (Blessings of God upon them), especially mid-Sha'ban, are held very gloriously.

Nakhl-bardari or date palm-carrying ceremony has been common in Yazd. The palm is considered as the coffin of Imam Hussein. The palm tree is in fact a massive wooden framework which does not look like a date leaf. The framework is covered with black cloth, with hundreds of swords and special decorations such as mirrors, fruits, silk cloths on both sides. In the first ten days of Moharram or the last ten days of Safar, the wooden framework is carried on the shoulders of mourners, and it is turned around a square three times before getting back to its original place. The ceremony is held with simultaneous elegies and panegyrics in praise of Imam Hussein and his loyal companions.

Yazd province has been an industrial zone for long while some of these industries are hand-made. Carpet-weaving, knife making, basket weaving, stone carving, cloth knitting, ceramics, pottery, canvas knitting, gold work and silverwork are among the handicrafts of Yazd. Yazd province produces and supplies half of Iran's textiles, and 70% of the industrial employment of Yazd province belong to these handicrafts.

In addition to the machine and handmade industries, confectionery has been common in the Yazd province since ancient times and various kinds of pastries of Yazd have been known beyond the Iranian borders. The most famous pastries of Yazd that have gained global repute are Qottab, Pashmak and Baklava.

The most conspicuous feature of Yazd is the special desert architecture, wind towers, minarets and domes. Wind towers have been used to capture breeze and wind to cool indoors. The architectural fiber of Yazd is typical of the hot and dry climate. It fully fits with the cultural conditions of the people and the climate of the region. In the center of each neighborhood in the city, usually there is a bath, a bazaar, a water storage, a mosque, a Hosseiniya, small workshops, and a stream (to access the qanat).

Launching of one thousand book reading clubs in Yazd province with the slogan "Global Yazd, Thousands of Knowledge Clubs" in recent months has been one of the reasons for choosing this city as Iran's Book Capital. Plus, implementing the plan of 40 book celebrations in 40 cities and inauguration of book garden were other programs for promotion of book-reading in Yazd province. The first art and culture passage in Iran which was held in Nowruz in Mazariha alley of Yazd was also significant. Mazariha alley is a 700-year-old alley. The event revealed more dimensions of the cultural capacities of Yazd as the bride of the Iranian desert cities.

Yazd is one of the important provinces of Iran in the scientific, cultural and religious fields. It has the honor of enjoying the highest number of acceptance at universities for the past 25 years. Yazd province, through the creation of 1,833 reading clubs, ranked second after Isfahan in number; while in proportion to the population, ranks first in Iran in the field of establishment of book-reading circles. Public libraries are one of the centers that have extensive programs for the coming year in Yazd province.

Programs that will be held include: "A New Story, a Fresh Cup of Tea ", library services for foreign and domestic tourists, and a variety of book-based cultural programs at libraries, comprising collective book-reading sessions, critique and unveiling of book, venerating writers, book consultation, and mother and child creativity classes. In terms of the number of libraries, Yazd ranks first in Iran with 111 public libraries including 96 rural and city libraries and 15 cooperative libraries.

FK/RM/ME