During a session held on "Illustration of children's books in the procedure of globalization", experts of international publication and illustration said that since the massive children's books' publishers are governmental, Iran has lost its motivation to enter the world markets and the globalization of Iranian books and illustration is based on cultural development.

IBNA: The session was held by experts including Ali Hashemi Shahraki, the managing director of the Illustrator's Association and Leili Hayeri, the manger of Kia literary Agency.

Firstly, Hashemi Shahraki talked about the influence of illustration on attracting children to read saying that illustration has a vital role in attracting children; accordingly the illustrators have a grave responsibility to draw the children towards reading. Moreover different readers from different countries, cities and tribes have different tastes."

He added:" The matter eases the works since it boosts the variety and every illustrator can work according to his choice but on the other hand, the work gets difficult since an Iranian illustrator isn’t familiar with the culture of foreigners. Thus getting information about different cultures can help an illustrator to succeed."

In other news, Hayeri said:" Since many years, we are talking about Iranian illustration, its deficiencies and weak points but unfortunately proper plans and policies aren’t presented for presenting Iranian books in international markets."

She went on to say that Iranian illustrators have bagged many awards, but the publishers only think about the book's sale and due to different issues including the weak translation and the book's context, no contracts are sealed with the illustrators.

Then the program's presenter asked a question saying; "Do other countries, just like Iran, illustrate only children's books?"

Answering the question, Hayeri said:" In other countries, illustrations are included in adolescents and some adult's books as well but they are mostly used in children's Picture Books."

In other news, Hashemi Shahraki said:" Foreign publishers care about their sales and the illustrator's awards are not their criterions. On the other hand, festivals in which Iranian illustrators gain awards are mostly artistic and American and European illustrators prefer attending creative festivals which consider different translations and reprints."

Hayeri added:" In neighboring Arabic countries, picture books are used for introducing the countries' scholars which are indeed Iranian figures."

Children's literature should be able to communicate with the children throughout the world, but the texts which are presented to Iranian illustrators fail to have such a feature, she added.

The session was held on Monday, May 7, in the 25th Tehran International Book Fair's House of Literati.

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