Some 50 years ago, a local book-lover, Haj Akbar Etemadi, used to lend his books to residents of the village with the aim to encourage them to read books. Now after half a century, his village earned the highest rank among all Iranian villages loving to read books.
Some 850 villages participated in the competition. Allocating required spaces to libraries, the number of libraries, arrangement of cultural activities such as competitions, festivals, and book fairs in each village were among criteria evaluated by the judges in the competition.
Director General of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Fars Province. Behzad Moridi, said that a Plaque of Gratitude signed by Guidance Minister as well as Rls. 500 million in cash will be presented to the residents of Layzangan village.
Layzangan in Rostaq Town is in the city of Darab in Fars Province, southwest of Iran.
The word Layzangan means a valley whose residents are wise and clever.
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