TEHRAN, Dec. 4--The Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and the Young Adults (IIDCYA) has set a record in publishing books for various age groups which provide materials to teach the children creativity from the early years of life.
The institute was founded over 30 years ago by a group of intellectuals and prominent teachers specializing in children's education with the aim of producing written materials and make use of the multi-media to develop creativity among the young generation.
It did not lag behind the modern means of reaching out to the children and bolster their spirit to lead a good-model life as recommended by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The IIDCYA recently published 10 books for children, namely: 1. You Smell of Apple, 2. Mountain, 3. Life Story of a Smile, 4. Pieces of Colored Papers, 5. The Kind Moon, 6. To Whom Does the Sun Belong? 7. Beautiful Heart of Babor, 8. The Magic of Colors, 9. Find It Out With a Mirror and 10. The Pig's Last Journey. The institute also published a monthly called Kavosh.
Each of the books contains useful materials for children of various age groups. For example, the book 'Mountain' written by Abbas Zamani offers guidance on mountaineering as a favorite recreation among children. The book contains verses by prominent poets such as Shahriar, Sohrab Sepehri Zeinab, Valian and Abbas Nouri to symbolize the beauty of the mountain and encourage young adults to sporting and mountaineering.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--A modern academic building in Negarestan Garden, which was earlier home to Tehran University's faculty of social sciences, will be transformed into the university's museum.
Announcing this, the custodian of the garden, Ali Akbar Abadi said that the museum will be commissioned as part of celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Tehran University.
According to the Persian daily Aftab, an advisor to the head of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), Seyyed Ahmad Mohit Tabatabaei contended that every university should preserve its history, which includes biographies of instructors, luminaries, meritorious students as well as the publications which have so far been published.
"For this reason, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of Tehran University, the building which once housed the social sciences faculty in Negarestan Garden will be transformed into a museum," he noted.
Giving the reasons for the choice of Negarestan Garden as the proposed site of the museum, he said that the venue is the first place where Tehran University's classes were held and is in fact considered one of its major buildings. The museum will probably be operational before the start of the next Iranian year on March 20.
Negarestan Garden prospered during the reign of Fathali Shah of the Qajar dynasty when royal residences were transferred to that location.
However, it lost its splendor with the transfer of the royal residence to Golestan Palace during the reign of Nassereddin Shah.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--Organizers of Tehran International Book Fair in a letter to the US publication 'National Geographic' have expressed their indignation over use of the bogus name of 'Arabic Gulf' instead of 'Persian Gulf' in a recently published atlas.
They further announced that 'National Geographic' is officially banned from attending the upcoming book fair to be held in Tehran.
Director of Tehran International Book Fair's Public Relations Department said that 'National Geographic' can only take part in the next exhibition if it revises its map and atlas.
Registration of foreign publishers wishing to take part in the 18th Tehran International Book Fair began on October 16 and will continue until May 3, 2005.
Deputy head of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) for legal affairs called on the government, particularly the Foreign Ministry, to pursue the issue.
Taha Hashemi noted that all domestic cultural institutes should react to the use of the spurious name of Arabic Gulf. "What 'National Geographic' has done by changing the name of Persian Gulf contravenes international law," he added.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--Popular composer Majid Entezami will work on the composition of the great symphony of 'Sacrifice' within the next one month.
According to the Persian daily Aftab, Entezami has been directed by the Foundation of Martyrs and War Veterans to compose the symphony which will be composed in four parts. Entezami said that he was currently working on the last part.
"The first part is the opening part of the symphony and it based on the theme of the epic and will be played in chorus, the second part is inclined to classic pop and pieces for guitar and orchestra, the third part has mystical mood with a theme of protest and the last part or the denouement of the symphony is magnificent with an air of glory and remorse which you can touch in my works," he said.
On the main plot of the symphony, he said that he did his best to closely communicate with the young audience by employing a classic atmosphere. "I used pop music instruments like guitar, piano, and guitar boss with the songs in classic mood," he said.
Elaborating on his incentive to compose the symphony, he said that sacrifice is the most magnificent aspect of life rooted in the nature of every human being and it would be a very beautiful expression to carry the theme of sacrifice in the language of the oldest means of communication between the nations throughout history.

MASHHAD, Razavi Khorasan, Dec. 4--Head of Majlis Cultural Commission's Mass Media Committee said that the culture for the proper use of satellite TV has not yet been formed.
Speaking to IRNA, Fatemeh Rahbar added that since satellite dishes have been introduced into the country, no restrictions can be imposed on its use. Despite all legal prohibitions, satellite dishes are still seen on rooftops, she noted.
Rahbar, who is an MP from Tehran, further said that satellite programs leave negative, destructive and misleading impacts on the youth generation; notwithstanding its scientific, positive and scientific aspects.
Majlis Cultural Commission's Mass Media Committee has a bill on the use of satellite dishes on its agenda, she said adding that the draft legislation is in the final stage.
Rahbar noted that members of the committee believe that a system of management for the control of satellite should be created.
The management, once established, will be required to select useful programs from the satellite for being aired on national TV.
Majlis Cultural Commission has also called on the related organizations, institutes and those involved in cultural issues to present their expert views in this respect, she concluded.

Golshifteh Farahani (r) in a scene from 'Boutique'

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--Members of the jury at the recently concluded 26th Nantes International Film Festival awarded an Iranian actress for the best lead role and an Iranian film as the best movie at the event.
According to the Persian daily Iran, Golshifteh Farahani, who acted in the film 'Boutique' by Hamid Nematollah, was awarded for the best lead role while the film 'Pilgrimage' by Bahman Kiarostami was selected as the best film in the competition section of the festival.
Four Iranian films 'Boutique', 'Pilgrimage', 'Zohreh and Manuchehr' by Mitra Farahani and 'Bitter Dream' by Mohsen Amir-Yousefi participated in the event, which is held in Nantes, France and featured films from Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Farahani had earlier received the award for the best actress for her role in the film 'Pear' at the Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran as well as the prize for best lead role actress for her roles in 'Boutique' and 'Tears of Cold' at the seventh Cinema Festival.
In an earlier round of Nantes Festival, Iranian actress Niki Karimi received an award for her role in the film 'Sara'.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--Police have broken up a gang engaged in smuggling artifacts by arresting 36 of its members and confiscating more than 940 of the stolen artifacts, ISNA reported.
In a series of operations in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, police confiscated silver and gold coins, sword, statuettes, a vase, mirror and engraved inscriptions dating back to pre-Islam era, including Sassanid and Selucid dynasties.
Private collection owners in Europe and US offer high prices for these masterpieces of Persian art.
Meanwhile, it was reported that many Persian manuscripts are currently being sold in auctions abroad. While a large number of Persian handwritten books are being sold in Zarafshan (in Uzbekistan), Uzbek officials have asked Iran's cultural officials to cooperate with them in collecting, preserving and maintaining the handwritten works that can be used by Persian professors and researchers.
Iran's cultural envoy in Bangladesh reported that a library of Persian handwritten books has been found where such books are exchanged. A similar situation has been reported in China.
Head of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, Hossein Marashi, has said that his organization has not yet decided on whether to help officials of those countries in keeping these manuscripts or to purchase them and bring them back to Iran.