HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A book café featuring more than 1,000 titles has opened in Herat city to promote reading, provide a suitable space for book lovers and support local artists.
Wali Shah Bahra, head of the Ustad Abdul Wahid Bahra Cultural Centre in Herat, told Pajhwok Afghan News that more than 1,000 book titles were on display at the café.
He said the café would not only sell books but also provide a suitable environment for reading. Books by Afghan and Herat-based authors, as well as works in various languages, are available at the centre.
Students and other readers can use the facility for reading, preparing for the university entrance exam, conducting research and working on academic theses, he said.
Bahra added that decorative items and handicrafts made by girls in Herat were also displayed and available for sale at the café, helping promote and support local artists.
He said calligraphy and miniature painting classes would also be held at the café by professional artists.
Mohammad Naser Moeen, a lecturer at Herat University, described reading as a longstanding tradition among Herat residents.
He said the café could provide young people and those interested in science, literature and culture with an opportunity to read and benefit from books.
Although book-reading levels in Afghanistan are lower than in developed societies, Moeen said the presence of young people and girls in libraries and literary associations in Herat, along with their interest in reading, reflected the city’s strong cultural spirit.
Participants welcomed the opening of the café.
Ali, one of the participants, said the increasing use of mobile phones and digital devices had led some young people to spend much of their time on them. However, he said a quiet and attractive space with a variety of books could encourage young people to return to reading.
Another participant, Abdul Basir, said such places were important for Herat’s youth, as they could become familiar with different books in a cultural environment while spending part of their time reading.
He said Herat had historically been a centre of knowledge, culture and literature, adding that establishing places such as the Farhangsara Book Café could help preserve and strengthen the city’s cultural heritage.
At the end of the ceremony, a number of books were distributed among participants. Some attendees also pledged to donate books to the café to help expand its collection.
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