Iran showcases culture at Eurasia Int’l Book Fair as Russia opens film academy
Russia unveiled the Eurasian Academy of Cinematographic Arts, while Iran drew strong attention with a major cultural presence at the Eurasia International Book Fair in Kazakhstan, IRNA reported.
In a video address, President Vladimir Putin called the academy’s creation a “very important” step to strengthen cultural ties, aiming to build an “open platform” for creative collaboration across the region.
Plans include student exchanges, workshops, and joint film projects to “lay a foundation for greater mutual trust.”
The opening ceremony in Moscow drew artists and officials from Russia and 22 other countries. Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova and Nikita Mikhalkov, head of the Russian Filmmakers’ Union, both spoke at the event. Mikhalkov said the academy should serve as a “hub for sharing cinematic knowledge and experience.”
The academy unveiled its official symbol, the “Diamond Butterfly,” a sculpture blending traditional and modern elements meant to represent “flight and transformation” in cinema.
The idea for the Eurasian Film Academy first surfaced at a BRICS culture ministers’ meeting in St. Petersburg. Built with the support of the Filmmakers’ Union, the Russian Culture Foundation, and the Foreign Ministry, the academy will promote films that reflect family and traditional values.
The first Eurasian Film Award ceremony will be held on December 5 in Moscow.
Meanwhile, Iran showcased over 100 premium titles at the Eurasia Book Fair in Astana, ranging from literature and art to Iranian studies and Persian language learning. Many works were translated into Kazakh and Russian to reach a broader audience.
Iran’s booth also featured Mojtaba Sajjad, head of Iran’s Jungle Publishing Institute, and master calligrapher Hamid Niroumand.
Niroumand presented a new handwritten collection of Omar Khayyam’s quatrains, drawing crowds in a country where the Persian poet remains widely admired.
The book fair, running through April 27, hosts more than 70 publishers from 15 countries, including Turkey, China, Portugal, Mongolia, Venezuela, and Spain.