Book-Reading Culture In Afghanistan
Book-Reading Culture in Afghanistan
Book-reading culture among Afghans, particularly Afghan university students, is growing. Book-reading culture is growing one more time after long-standing and cumbersome years of war in Afghanistan and concomitant with development of cultural institutes in this country. Afghanistan lost its many cultural centers and places during civil wars; however, most cultural and literary centers including public libraries and library of Kabul University were reconstructed after the collapse of Taliban Regime in this country.
Nasimeh Sharifzadeh, technical deputy of library of Kabul University, says, "Authorities of library of Kabul University have collected cultural, scientific, literary, religious and political books in association with other countries in order to enrich and promote book-reading culture across Afghans."
"Although the library of Kabul University has been ruined completely during civil war, it now has more than 200 thousands books which are mostly supplied by Iran, Japan, China and USA," she added.
She described valuable the book-reading culture for Afghans and especially Afghan students and said that about 800 to 1000 students per day refer to the library to study. However, it is thought the promoting book-reading culture in a country whose population is about 70 percent illiterate is not easy.
For a student living in Kabul another reason which made pale book-reading culture in Afghanistan is limited access of young people to internet; because this technology can provide the required information for people faster.
According to him, most libraries of the country have ragged books as their contents are in contrast to what we see today. For him, poverty and unemployment prevent people to read books.
Ahmad Seyr, Book Seller in Kabul, says, "Economic poverty, lack of security and general migration are among factors that have damaged the country's education system and deprived people from studying. According to statistics announced by deputy president of Public libraries there are totally 150000 books in public libraries of Afghanistan which cannot meet the needs of readers.
Source: Sedaye Afhan (AVA)
