210 Iranian athletes, including 137 men and 73 women, will participate in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia.

As reported by IRIB, Iranian athletes will compete in 13 different sports. In men’s section, Iran will have 60 representatives in athletics, one in shooting, 10 in powerlifting, six in swimming, six in archery, four in table tennis, four in cycling, three in buccia, seven in judo, six in chess, six in goalball, 12 in sitting volleyball and 12 in wheelchair basketball.

In women’s section, Iran will have 23 athletes in athletics, six in shooting, three in archery, two in table tennis, three in buccia, six in chess, six in goalball, 12 in sitting volleyball and 12 in wheelchair basketball.

The competitions will be held in Jakarta on October 6 to 13. Some 3,000 athletes from 43 countries are expected to participate in 15 Paralympics and three non-Paralympics sport contests.

The last edition of the games where held in 2014 in South Korea’s Incheon where 200 Iranian athletes who were sent to the event pocketed a total of 120 medals (including 37 gold, 52 silver and 31 bronze medals). Iran was ranked fourth in the previous Asian Para Games, after China, South Korea and Japan. / Mehr news /

The 2018 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy is awarded to Iran’s Literacy Movement Organization for its program titled ‘consolidated teaching of literacy and ICDL basic computer skills’.

The UNESCO International Literacy Day conference took place at Paris Headquarters on September 7, a day ahead of the actual International Literacy Day, and explored the theme of integrated approaches to literacy and skills development with approximately 200 participants from all over the world.

This year’s prizes went to projects advancing literacy and skills development from Iran, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Spain and Uruguay. Each of the five winners received a medal, a diploma and $20,000 cash prize.

The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy was also established in 2005, with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. It gives special consideration to literacy amongst adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth, particularly girls and women.

According to the UNESCO official website, UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have rewarded excellence and innovation in the field of literacy since 1967. So far over 485 projects and programs undertaken by governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals around the world have been recognized.  / Mehr news agency /

Members of the Iranian Parliament have approved in principle the bill on the establishment of eight free trade zones and 12 special economic zones.

The parliamentary session on Wednesday saw 127 lawmakers vote in favor and 51 against the bill, while 10 MPs abstained.

Once the parliament and the Guardians Council give their final approvals, the following FTZs will be created: Incheh Borun in Golestan Province, Mehran in Ilam Province, Ardabil in Ardabil Province, Sistan in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Baneh-Marivan in Kurdestan Province, Jask in Hormozgan Province, Bushehr in Bushehr Province and Qasr-e Shirin in Kermanshah Province, IRNA reported.

/ Financial tribune /

The 3rd edition of film artists association of New York will screen three Iranian animated pieces, including ‘Balance’ by Barzan Rostami and ‘Alphabet’ by Kianoush Abedi, in its competition section.

‘Blows with the Wind’, directed by Hazhir As’adi, ‘Balance’ by Barzan Rostami, and ‘Alphabet’ by Kianoush Abedi, have made it into the competition section of the third edition of film artists association in New York, US.

The American film festival is scheduled for 11-13 October 2018.

‘Alphabet’ narrates the story of people who have forgotten life and are separated from knowledge and truth. The animation depicts a nation that has forgotten the alphabet to life, cannot see, cannot hear, and cannot speak, but the words are waiting for them impatiently.

‘Blows with the Wind’ is about a scarecrow that becomes human to escape from a series of some unpleasant events. On his way, he sees two other scarecrows whose conditions are worse than him. Now faced with a dilemma, he has to make a very difficult decision.

‘Balance’ tells the story of soldiers who sacrificed their lives so that the people of the city may live in peace. /  Mehr news /

The secretary of 31st International Film Festival for Children and Youth said over 420 works from 70 countries across the world have applied to participate in the event.

Addressing a press conference in Tehran, Alireza Rezadad said the event will take place from August 30th to September 5th 2018 at central Province of Isfahan in national and international sections.

He added that the international section comprises the feature length and short fiction films as well as animation feature length and short fiction.

Rezadad underscored that the event attaches great importance to enhancement of social happiness in the society.

He stressed that boosting social happiness would impact the children and youth as the major capital of cinema.

The official reiterated that United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will financially support part of the expenses for the applicants and accepted nominees at the second Youth Filmmaking Olympiad in Iran.

Iran Youth Cinema Center is also seeking to pave the way for presence and cooperation of UNICEF in the Youth Filmmaking Olympiad in Iran.

He added that the festival plans to honor late Iranian-Armenian Director Zaven Ghokasian with a special prize for the first time in the history of the event.

Born in Isfahan in 1950, Ghokasian was graduated from the University of Isfahan in chemistry. His mother’s passion led him to become interested in cinema.

He was part of the jury in a number of film festivals in Iran, Austria and Armenia.

Rezadad added that a pair of Japanese filmmaker and artist Hayao Miyazaki’s animations including animated features ‘Spirited Away’ (200 1) and ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004) will hit the silver screen in non-competition section of the festival.

He said selected films of France International Film Festival (Festimaj), and Berlin International Short Film Festival (Interfilm) will be screened in the festival.

Rezadad added that in this edition of the festival three books will be introduced. / mn /

A weeklong Iranian cultural festival will open in the Russian capital of Moscow next Monday to offer a variety of programs, Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) announced on Tuesday.

Over 40 Iranian artists along with an official delegation, which will be headed by ICRO director Abuzar Ebrahimi-Torkaman, are scheduled participated in the festival.

Traditional music performances and art exhibitions, as well as film screening sessions, will be organized during the festival.

The screening sessions, which are scheduled to be attended by a number of top Iranian and Russian cineastes, will be followed by review sessions.

Several Russian Iranologists will be honored during the event.

The festival will also be held at the same time in Ufa, the capital city of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

In addition, the Iranian delegation will also hold meetings with a number of Russian cultural officials and figures during their sojourn in Moscow. / Tehran times /

The indicators of life quality, life expectancy, and achievements in different fields prove great growth among women in Iran since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Increasing rate of women’s literacy and life expectancy is one of the great achievement of the Islamic Revolution, said Masoumeh Ebtekar, vice president for women’s and family affairs, here on Sunday.

Various health services and height increase of Iranians comparing with other countries proves investments in this regard, Mehr News Agency quoted the VP as saying.

Only about 5 percent of Iranian women enjoyed university education in 1979 while currently the rate has increased to 27 percent, she explained.

Iranian women play active role in science production and technology, Ebtekar further elaborated, adding women’s economic role is still on the rise.

Gender equality is rooted in jurisprudential issues and implementing the equality in the society has been one of the goals of Islamic Revolution, she said adding implementing equality in the society involves different aspects, one of them is gender equality pivoting on women issue.

Housewives account for 30% of GDP

The value of women’s home jobs has increased in Iran after the Islamic Revolution and 25-30 percent of Gross Domestic Product is the work of housewives, ISNA quoted Ebtekar as saying.

Speaking at a conference on “feasibility study on the equality of male and female blood money” held in Mashhad, on Sunday the vice president announced that today Iran is more subjected to charges against injustice equality.

Currently, women in Iran enjoy a favorable social position, Ebtekar said adding about 41 percent of state employees and 30 percent of scientific board of universities are women.

About 40 percent of agriculture products are produced by rural women while their blood money still stands half of men, she regretted.

Today, the society’s viewpoint about women has changed greatly and women make great influence on society economically, she concluded. / Tehran times /

Iranian men’s national volleyball team trounced South Korea in three straight sets at the final showdown on Sat. and won the gold medal of the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Iranian squad put on a brilliant performance at the final showdown held in Jakarta on Saturday, defeating their South Korean rivals in three straight sets (25-17, 25-22, 25-21) to win the second gold medal of Asian Games volleyball contests.

The volleyball gold rounded up Iran’s medal tally to 20.

Defending champions Iran had handed Qatar its first loss of the 2018 Asian Games in the semi-final, defeating their rival team in three straight sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-18) to fight for the gold medal. The Iranian team had won against Pakistan, Mongolia and China in the three first games.

The 2018 Asian Games will come to an end on Sunday. With 20 gold medals, 20 silver, and 22 bronze, Iran is ranked 6th after China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. / Mehr news /