SHAFAQNA – The 14th edition of the Imam Reza (AS) International Festival will be inaugurated today with the birthday celebration of Hazrat Masumeh (SA), the sister of Imam Reza (AS), at her holy shrine in Qom.
The festival is due to open with the opening message of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Ali Jannati.
The festival has helped deepen the knowledge about Imam Reza (AS) in neighboring countries, the Director of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO), Abuzar Ebrahimi Torkaman, said in a press conference held at his office on Wednesday.
“Many books and articles have been published or translated in the international section, while a collection of poetry on Imam Reza (AS) has also been composed by foreign poets,” he added.
He also noted that works by artists and scholars have been submitted to the secretariat of the festival from countries such as Indonesia, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, India, Russia and Spain.
A vast array of art and cultural programs including film book fairs, exhibitions of artworks and seminars has been arranged for the 10-day program.
About 6000 individuals from 77 countries in over 80 different courses are attending the festival this year.
Several cities will also be hosting different sections of the festival, secretary of the event Firuz Fazeli said in a press release published on Wednesday.
Birjand in South Khorasan Province will be hosting the calligraphy and calligraphic-painting category of the festival, and the winners are due to be announced on August 8.
Winners of the animation section will also be announced on the same day, Fazeli added.
In addition, Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan Province will be hosting the award-giving ceremony of the graphic designs section on August 10. Deputy Culture Minister for Artist Affairs, Ali Moradkhani is expected to attend the program.
Winners of the travelogue and memory-writing section of the festival will also be awarded during a ceremony in Ilam on August 10.
In addition, Isfahan will be hosting the award-giving ceremony for the best artists in the miniature section during the 10-day program.
The festival will come to an end in Mashhad on August 14, which marks the birthday of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Imam of the Shia Muslims.
Photo: This file photo shows Muslims visiting the holy shrine of Hazrat Masumeh (SA), the sister of Imam Reza (AS), in Qom, which will host the opening ceremony of the 14th Imam Reza (AS) International Festival today.