Iranian Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers claimed seven medals at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov International in Bulgaria.

Greco-Roman wrestlers Saeid Esmaeili and Meysam Dalkhani won two gold medals in 60kg and 63kg, respectively.

Alireza Abdevali in 72kg and Alireza Mehmedi in 82kg seized two bronze medals in the division.

Freestyler Meysam Abdi claimed Iran’s only silver in 97kg. Mostafa Ghiasi in 79kg and Yadollah Mohebi in 125kg also snatched two bronze medals in the competition.

The 59th edition of the event was held in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria from Feb. 17 to 20.

This tournament was held in honor of Dan Kolov who was the first European freestyle wrestling champion from Bulgaria and European and world champion Nikola Petrov. /T.T/

Iran defeated Sri Lanka to win the 1st Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Beach Volleyball Championship.

Iran 1’s Sina Shokati/ Mojtaba Aro beat Anjana/Sandun 2-0 (21-16,21-12) in the final match on Sunday.

Iran 2’s Mehdi Mahfoozi/ Ali Ghorbanpasandi won the bronze medal after their Sri Lankan opponents Tiron/Ashen withdrew from the match.

The three-day competition was held in Beach Park Negombo, Sri Lanka for the 75th Independence Cup. /T.T/

Elnaz Shakerdoust won the Best Actress award at the Rabat International Author Film Festival for her role in the drama film “Titi”.

Shakerdoust won the award at the 26th edition of the Rabat International Author Film Festival held from February 11 to 19, 2022 in Morroco.

The jury members of the festival also praised the Iranian drama film “Titi” directed by Ida Panahandeh, for presenting a new theme and a different image of Iran.

The festival is dedicated to the Author cinema, a true cinema of art and thought in all its forms, to brave films, demanding, intelligent, even radicals who destroy the clichés; films that have an urgency and personal writing dedicated to humanity in all its forms./MNA/

Winners of the 7th Arbaeen International Award were announced in the closing ceremony of the event on Wednesday.The ceremony was held in the headquarters of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, here in Tehran.

Amir Ali Javadian, a representative of the panel of arbiters said that a total of 4,800 works from 1,080 individuals in different categories of photography, films, books, etc. were received by the secretariat of the event.

In the photography category, Ahmad Abdul Amir from Iraq won the title, and Iran’s Hadi Dehghanpour and Arjan Arsalan from Turkey stood next.

Mohammad Faraj Salehi from Iran claimed the 1st rank of professional films and Iran’s Ruhollah Asadi Kiadehi was announced runner-up. Mohammad Azizi from Iran and Elchin Aghazada from the Republic of Azerbaijan stood next.

The category of popular films had no top winner but Zahra Lempan from Thailand and Ali Soltani from Iran gained second and third places.

In the category of travelogue, Maryam Ghandi from Iran, Abbas Karim Almohammadavi from Iraq, and Mohammad Etemadi from Afghanistan gained top three awards.

In the category of social media pages, Iraq’s Al-noreen Facebook page claimed the title while Ahlulbayttv page in Instagram from UK and Hoseiniee page in Instagram from Iran ranked next.

And finally, in the book category, Mohammadreza Abedini from Iran gained the top prize. Iran’s Mohammaderza Pouyafar and Serbia’s Serjan Markovich achieved the next ranks.

Responsibility for documenting Arbaeen
Addressing the event, head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICOR) Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour said that the closing ceremony was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

Speaking about the March of Arbaeen, the cleric noted that the event paves the way for the formation of modern Islamic civilization as it attracts thousands of people who love Ahl al Bayt (AS).

He lauded the participation of people from 24 countries in this year’s edition of the international award despite the problems that were in place for traveling to Iraq during Arbaeen due to the pandemic.

Neutralizing enemies’ plans to distort the image of Iran in Iraq and vice versa, formation of moral virtues such as friendship, keeping the uprising of Imam Hussein (AS) alive, and showcasing the authority and power of Ahl al Bayt (AS) followers are among the features of the great March of Arbaeen, he said.

The fact that media affiliated to arrogant powers censor this popular event shows the influence of this movement, he said, noting, “This doubles our responsibility for documenting the Arbaeen.”

The poster of the 8th edition of the international award was also unveiled in the program:

ICRO has organized the Arabeen Award since 2014 with the aim of reflecting the manifestations of this international religious event to the world.

Wherever words cannot convey the greatness of a message, the best communication medium would be the language of art. That is why ICRO decided to hold the international award annually in the categories of photos, videos, and travelogues, with the aim of spreading the message of Arbaeen and Ashura.

Arbaeen, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (AS).

Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites. /IQNA/

Handicraft products worth $9.6 million were exported from the northern Gilan province during the current Iranian calendar year 1400 ( stared on March 21, 2021), the deputy provincial tourism chief has said.

The sum of handicraft exports has jumped fivefold since 1398 when the value of provincial handicrafts exports stood at $1.8 million, Farzad Rashidi said on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

“Despite sanctions and the outbreak of the coronavirus, Gilan’s handicraft exports reached $9.6 million this year which marks a significant growth compared to that of $1.8 million collected in the year 1398.”

The major share of this “success” is due to the registration of Qasemabad by the World Crafts Council as a global hub of handicrafts, the official explained.

“The WWC inscription has made the handicraft brand of Gilan province much more prominent and has provided a good ground for exports.”

Situated in Roodsar county, Qassemabad village is nationally known for its traditional costumes because of its vibrant colors and uniquely beautiful designs. However, the Chador Shab, a kind of homemade outer garment for women, was the main subject for the WCC assessment.

With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next.

The value of Iran’s handicrafts exports stood at $120 million during the first eleven months of the past Iranian calendar year 1399 (March 20, 2020 – February 18, 2021), Mehr reported. The country’s handicrafts exports slumped during the mentioned months in comparison to the same period last a year earlier due to the damage the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on global trade.

The Islamic Republic exported $427 million worth of handicrafts during the first eleven months of the calendar year 1398. Of the figure, some $190 million was earned via suitcase trade (allowed for customs-free and tax-free transfer) through 20 provinces, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts. Ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are traditionally exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries. /T.T/

Six acclaimed Iranian shorts will be reviewed in a special program at the first edition of the Close-up Film Festival, which take place in March in Coquitlam, Canada.

“Are You Volleyball”, “Retouch”, “Lunch Time”, “Adamha” (“Human Beings”), “Cloudy Children” and “Animal” will be screened in the program “Focus on Iranian Short Films”, which will be organized in collaboration with the Coquitlam Public Library, City Centre Branch.

“Are You Volleyball” is about a group of Arab asylum seekers, who arrive at an English speaking country border and are prevented from continuing on. They have arguments with border guards every day until a deaf-mute boy becomes the catalyst for better communication between the two groups.

Directed by Mohammad Bakhshi, this film has been screened in numerous festivals across the globe and won several prizes, including the best short film award at the 9th BCN Sports Film Festival in Spain.

Winner of the Golden River and Audience Choice award at the 12th River Film Festival in Italy, “Retouch” has been directed Kaveh Mazaheri.

It follows a young woman whose husband is trapped under a halter during a workout, but she declines to save him and, consequently, he dies.

“Cloudy Children” directed by Reza Fahimi is another highlight of the lineup. Set in a central Iranian village, the film narrates the story of two students fighting over things that they could never have, and in the end they share everything that does not belong to them.

The movie emerged as the big winner at the Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia (SSFF & ASIA), receiving the Grand Prix of the event in Tokyo and Yokohama.

“Lunch Time” by Alireza Qasemi has also been won awards at several international film festivals.

The film is about a 16-year-old girl who is forced to deal with the harsh bureaucracy and the responsibility of identifying the body of her mother.

Each screening will be followed by a question and answer session, which will be attended by filmmakers and critics. /T.T/

The Iranian National Commission for UNESCO announced on Tuesday the launch of an international prize to celebrate studies from across the world on the Persian poet Nemazi Ganjavi.

The studies must throw the spotlight on the significance and impacts of Nezami on Persian language, literature, art and culture, the prize policymaking council said in a press release.

The prize will be presented on Nezami Day, which will fall on March 12 this year.

“Due to our negligence, different aspects of Nazemi have been introduced among the younger generation and this negligence has caused some movements,” Iranian National Commission for UNESCO Hojjatollah Ayyubi said in a meeting with the council.

“Different books on Nezami’s works have been translated across the world this year, but none of them have referred to his language and identity origin,” he added.

He noted that the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO plans to hold the Persian poet in high regard in UNESCO programs more than ever.

“According to numerous documents, the origins of Nezami’s family can be traced back to Tad, a village near the town of Tafresh” Ayyubi noted.

He said that the National Museum of Iran plans a commemorative event for Nezami, which will be followed by another cultural program in Tafresh.

Abdolmahdi Mostakin, the secretary of the prize, also said, “Different massive programs have arranged by the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO to celebrate Nezami’s works, which have inspired numerous literary, dramatic, and artistic works in Iran, the region and the world over the past 800 years.”

“Due to his creativity and unique innovations in Persian literature and his creative imagination, several countries in the region are trying to connect themselves to the great poet,” he stated.

“Regarding his great cultural potential and his Iranian origin, Nezami can join the neighboring nations to the eternal sources of Islamic Iranian culture and develop Iran’s soft power in the global culture and civilization,” Mostakin noted.

Earlier in January, Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance announced its plan to commemorate Nezami Ganjavi in a weeklong program in March.

The program, which has been set up as a hybrid event with virtual and live meetings, will begin on Esfand 21 in the Iranian calendar year (March 12), which is celebrated by Iran as Nezami Day every year. /T.T/

The Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2022 listed 37 Iranian institutions among the world’s best universities that are 50 years old or younger, up by eleven compared to 2021.

The ranking is based on the same 13 performance indicators as the flagship THE World University Rankings, but the weightings have been adjusted to give less weight to reputation.

The universities are judged across all their core missions – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook – to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons available.

The 2022 ranking includes 539 universities, up from 475 in 2021.

A further 251 institutions are listed with “reporter” status, meaning that they provided data but did not meet our eligibility criteria to receive a rank.

Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences tops the Iranian universities, ranking 67th with 2,958 full-time equivalency students, 10.6 students per staff, 3 percent international students, and 51:49 female to male students ratio.

In 2019, 13 Iranian universities were included in this ranking among 351 universities, in 2020, the number of universities increased to 20.

Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris is the world’s best young university for the first time this year, with last year’s frontrunner Nanyang Technological University, Singapore dropping to second.

Hong Kong has three institutions in the top 10, more than any other territory, while France is the most represented country in the top 20, with five institutions in this group.

Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the highest new entry in the ranking, in fourth place.

India and Turkey overtake the UK to become the most represented countries overall, with 40 institutions each. The UK shares third place with Iran (both have 37 universities).

Academic quality

Most recently, the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2022 has ranked 694 Iranian institutions among 30,000 top universities across the world.

Also, 59 Iranian universities have been listed among the top 3,000 institutions in the world in terms of academic quality, according to the 2021-2022 report released by University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP).

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Graduate Employability Rankings 2022 list has been released, which included three Iranian universities out of a total of 550 institutes worldwide that highlighted graduate employment processes.

Moreover, 34 Iranian universities and institutions were listed among the top 1,000 in the world, according to Shanghai Ranking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2021.

A total of 58 universities from Iran have been listed in the Islamic World University Rankings 2021 announced by the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC).

ISC is the third internationally accredited citation center established in Iran based on a resolution adopted in 2008 by the 4th Meeting of the Islamic Ministers of Higher Education (ICMHESR) in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to index, evaluate and publish scientific productions in Islamic countries.

In “ISC world university rankings by subject” includes 4 major criteria of Education, Research, International Activity, and Innovation. /T.T/

 

Iran claimed the title of the CAFA U19 Futsal Championship on Saturday. Ali Sanei’s boys defeated Uzbekistan 7-1 in their final match and won the first edition of the competition. Each team played four matches on a round-robin basis.

Iran started the campaign with a 10-3 win over Afghanistan and also beat Tajikistan (2-1) and Kyrgyz Republc (6-1).

Afghanistan finished in second place. Iran also won Fair Play award. /T.T/

The 37th Fajr Music Festival ended on Friday evening with honoring the winners of the Barbad Awards, which are presented to top musical productions of the year.

Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili several other cultural officials attended the closing ceremony of the festival organized at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall.

“Iranian musicians are among the most genuine artists of the country. They have always respected Iranian culture and rituals, and nobody is allowed to view them as anything else,” Esmaeili said.

“These people are our cultural asset and nobody is allowed to speak about them in an ill-mannered fashion,” he noted.

He said, “The organizers have done well to hold art festivals under difficult conditions, and it’s not fair to generalize a weak point to other parts.”

Esmaeili also called regional Iranian music a great treasure and urged the organizers of the Fajr Music Festival to pay special attention to the genre.

The Barbad Award in the regional music category went to “Talesh”, a musical project initiated by Majid Kalabi, placing a spotlight on melodies used in the Talesh region in the northern Iranian province of Gilan.

In the Modern Iranian Music without Vocals category, the Barbad Award was given to “Provativa” by Asu Kehzadi, while in the Modern Iranian Orchestral Music with Vocals category, Behnam Abolqasem for “Still, the Moment of Rain” and Amin Homai for “Where Have Gone?” were awarded honorable mentions.

Puria Akhavas was selected as best singer in the Modern Iranian Orchestral Music with Vocals category for the album “Still, the Moment of Rain”.

“Longing” composed by Reza Vaali was selected as the best Western classical music.

The award in the Vocal Pop and fusion Music Composition section went to the Pallet band for the album “North to South”, while the best singer award in this section was given to Omid Nemati for the album “Meridian Origin”.

In the Dastgahi Music without Vocals category, the Barbad Award went to the album “Parallel to Infinity” composed by Arman Mahdieh.

Hesam Inanlu won an honorable mention for his composing the album “Amid” in the Fusion Music without Vocals, while the album “The Story of Separation” composed by Amir Sharifi received the award in the Dastgahi Music with Vocals category.

Mojtaba Asgari was named best singer in the Dastgahi Music category for the album “The Bustan of Sadi”.

In the Pop Music without Vocals section, the award was given to “Detresse” composed by Elyas Dejahang and Majid Eidani-Asl, and flutist Mehrdad Gholami won the award for his performance in the Classical Music category for the album “Pieces for the Flute”.

Noufe under the management of Moein Farzad was selected as best label.

Harpist Azarnush Salek, tombak virtuoso Morteza A’yan, and singer and kamancheh player Faraj Alipur were also honored with lifetime achievement awards. /T.T/