About Us

In the winter of 1962, a group of 37 professionals and others interested in the cultural development of the young generation met to lay the foundation of an institution devoted to the promotion of children’s literature in Iran. CBC was registered as a non-governmental, not for profit, cultural organization in 1968.

Objectives:

CBC’s main objectives are as follows:

To support the growth of national literature for Iranian children and young adults;
To encourage quality production of all types of literary and informational books for children and young adults;
To produce monumental books such as Encyclopedia for Young People and establish an appropriate organization to carry out the compilation of the work;
To promote development of children’s reading culture;
To increase individuals’ knowledge of children’s literature by educational programs;
To collect resources for rendering library services and establishing small types of libraries;
To explore ways for encouraging creators and publishers to produce quality literary and informational books;
To introduce Iranian children’s literature to other countries;
To circulate news in written and electronic forms.

All CBC activities are carried out under the supervision of a ten member elected Board of Directors, comprising seven principal and three alternate members. Members of the Board of Directors are elected for a term of two years by the CBC General Assembly. A chairperson heads the Board.

The Board of Directors in exerting its duties and in order to facilitate CBC growing activities creates various decision making bodies. Two major bodies are the Executive Council of the Encyclopedia for Young People and the Executive Council of Reviewing Groups.

CBC activities are undertaken by more than 15 permanent or ad hoc groups or committees. Along with adults, about 120 children and young adults actively collaborate in different activities of CBC. These include Reviewing, Traditional Games, Library Special Services, Promotion of Reading and Children’s Literature in Schools (Research and Promotion) Groups, Research Library, Seminars and Exhibition, Introduction to Children’s Literature workshop (Education), Publications, Site, National and International Relations and Encyclopedia for Young People Committees.

Every individual or organization interested in children’s literature, or involved in publication of children’s books, after approval by Board of Directors, may become an affiliated member of CBC, by paying an annual membership fee. Affiliated members may become official members after 3 years upon their request. Annual membership fees for an affiliated member is Rials50,000 and for an official member is Rials70,000. CBC monthly newsletter is sent to all members. CBC has seven institutional and more than 800 individual members.

Major parts of CBC activities are carried out on voluntary basis. Funding is through membership fees, donations, execution of cultural projects, sales of publications and royalty for The Encyclopedia for Young People.