TEHRAN, Oct. 6--Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) has drawn up a plan to swap children–s books with other leading institutions.
Announcing this, the director of public relations at the institute, Mehdi Baqeri said that during the current festival of European Children–s Literature held in Iran, European guests welcomed the proposal to swap books. The institute will formulate the procedure for swapping books with European institutions which will take effect during the upcoming festivals of literature for children in foreign countries.
—Nationwide book swap exhibits will also be held in the provinces for swapping books for children on province-to-province basis,š he added.
Meanwhile, the toy swap exhibit opened at the IIDCYA on the occasion of International Day for Children (October 8).

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--Deputy director of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) for international, legal and parliamentary affairs has announced that comparative studies will be conducted on religious monuments in Iran and other countries.
In a press release, the organization quoted Taha Hashemi as saying that all religious-historical monuments across the country point to monotheism of the Iranians and revival and introduction of these sites will help highlight the glory of Islam, which has managed to endure among people who have a civilization dating back to several thousand years.
Hashemi also described the plan to conduct comparative studies of religious monuments in Iran and other countries as a necessity and said, "We should learn from countries with ancient civilizations, which have managed to protect their historical edifices and introduce them in the best manner.
"The historical monuments dating back to the pre- and post-Islamic eras are among the legacies which should be preserved. In line with this, the services of foreign archeologists, who have undertaken major maintenance and renovation projects as well as the use of modern knowledge and technology deserve a special mention."
Turning to the transformation of religious sites to tourist centers, Hashemi said that the organization lacks a department which can play a vital role in this respect.
Establishment of an office to deal with this fundamental issue is imperative, he noted.
About the wrong attitudes in the past about the preservation of historical monuments, Hashemi said that it was believed in the past that any measure to revive the historical monuments is a tyranny against the Islamic Revolution.
"This wrong perspective prevented moves to conduct maintenance works on such monuments," he complained.
A strategic document for preserving the country's religious-historical monuments will be drawn up soon, Hashemi also said that the document should be based on the scientific regulations pertaining to the restoration of edifices.

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--“Running Home–, which is based on the film “Children of Paradise– by the noted Iranian director Majid Majidi was screened in the 19th Children–s Film Festival.
Majidi said prior to screening the film “Running Home– by Singaporean director Jack Neo that he permitted a Singaporean company to use the film script two years ago.
—This is the first foreign film produced on the basis of an Iranian film script. I take it a good sign and hope that just as the film script represented Iran in the international fora, it would also introduce Iranian cinema to the world in future as well,š he said.
The Singaporean film was produced in 2003 and translated into the Persian language by a team led by Jalal Maqami before being screened in 16 cinemas in Isfahan and the other cities.

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--Preliminary measures to save and restore Azadi Tower, a symbol of Tehran, were discussed in a meeting to deal with the condition of this historical monument.
According to the Persian daily Toseh, the meeting assigned a special committee the task of equipping the workshops and establishing fences around part of the monument, conducting preliminary preservation and repair of the tower, controlling and commissioning the current system to hold off surface waters around the museum, discussing the mechanism for designing plans and removing all the extra annexes to the tower.
A consultant of the project to renovate Azadi Square, Saeed Sa'datnia, further announced the approval of a plan to regulate traffic around the square.
He added that the meeting, which was held on September 28, also finalized the construction of two other underpasses in Azadi Square.
He added that the two underpasses to the southwest and northeast of the structure, which directed the traffic to the airport and Yadegar-e Imam Highway, will also be renovated.
"Proposals on reorganizing the central green area and the lighting system of the tower are currently undergoing expert studies," he noted.
The design for Azadi Tower takes into account Iranian architectural values and the structure is considered one of the country's unique monuments and a landmark for Tehran.
Negligence of officials to the proper maintenance as well as humidity seeping into the structure from the surrounding green space have caused serious damages to the monument, Sa'datnia said, adding that changing of the worn-out pipes and reparation of some sections of the tower which have collapsed, are among the main priorities of the project to renovate Azadi Tower.

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--Sureh Mehr Publishing House has published a book on techniques for writing literary critique called “From Surface (form) To Deep Inside (content)– by Jamshid Khanian.
Seven students of literature collaborated in compiling different types of short stories for studying their form and content.
The book has introduced seven items for examining a literary work--background, plan (form), character, structure, style, mood and content. —This approach will lead a critic to write a methodological critique,š the book said.
—To write a methodological critique, we should look at literature in view of pleasure and place confidence in our feelings and passion, which are the prerequisite for the durability of the arts.š
The book cited examples from the short stories available in the market for the seven items being considered in writing a literary critique: “Return– by Ahmad Dehqan as highlighting the background, “The Dusty Room– by Asghar Abdollahi exemplary of character, “Two Passers-by– by Mohammad Reza Safdari as example of structure, “Sea of Tranquility– by Shahriar Mandani-Pour (a model for style) and etc.
The book has 369 pages and is published in 2,200 copies.

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--The “Orange Fish–, a painted sculpture connected by wires and set in motion by currents of wind and created by the American sculptor Alexander Calder has been returned to Iran–s Contemporary Arts Museum from Switzerland.
Iran–s Contemporary Arts Museum forwarded the sculpture to Switzerland five months ago for restoration under the auspices of Calder Foundation, reported Mehr news agency.
The “Orange Fish– was displayed in Switzerland in an exhibit of the works of Spanish painter Juan Miro and Alexander Calder.
Alexander Calder (1898-1976) was a prominent sculptor of the 20th century. He built standing statues in Paris in the 1930s and displayed his buoyant inventions and witty wire portraits and colorful and complex miniature zoo.
Calder made a lyrical space in his (Orange Fish) in 1946 with sheet metal and wire paint.
The Spanish painter, Juan Miro, born in 1893, left behind an important legacy which is included among the most original of the 20th century. His works in general would be marked with a clear surrealist tendency, where the realm of the memory and imaginative fantasy were to take priority.
Tehran–s Contemporary Arts Museum had earlier organized an exhibition of Miro–s paintings.

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--Association of Young Cinematographers has reached an agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) department for provincial affairs to produce films lasting for 1,000 minutes.
Director of the association Nasser Pakideh said that the agreement will help young cinematographers to display their skills and will contribute to creating jobs.
He said that the cinematographers will be given a free choice in selecting the subjects of their films which will include three categories: narrative, documentary and animation.
—The director general of the IRIB for provincial affairs and I, myself as the director of production will undertake executive affairs of the deal,š Pakideh said. The agreement calls for sharing the responsibility of producing film, and the IRIB will provide the equipment and raw material for the project while the association will shoulder the expenses for producing the films, he said.

Takht-e Jamshid, Fars province

TEHRAN, Oct. 6--Magnificent historical site of Takht-e Jamshid in Shiraz, Fars province, will host a music group from Japan conducted by Idaki Shin.
Director of Takht-e Jamshid Cultural Heritage Department Mohammad Hassan Talebian told ISNA that the music group will perform the “Song of Peace– from the birthplace of civilization on October 14. Some 400 Japanese guests will attend the ceremony.
The Japanese musicians have already performed the “Song of Peace– in different historical sites of Africa, Japan and China. International television networks are expected to broadcast the event in their news bulletins.
A Japanese group made films about Iranian cultural heritage two months ago which will be broadcast on television concurrent with the performance of Song of Peace.
The event has been organized as part of the international program of Dialogue Among Civilizations.