TEHRAN – The 26th International Storytelling Festival, hosted by Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA), hosted by Iran’s Institute of Intellectual Development, began on Saturday at Yazd, showing off a diverse range of talent from around the world.
The festival highlights its focus on cultural exchange, with over 34,000 storytellers from Iran and 25 other countries.
The International Section features storytellers such as Dimitris Plausalis from Greece, Maria Rubio from Spain, Giovanna Mardorotu from Italy, Aliyama Island in Japan, Chica Reis from Brazil, and Ali Karu from Lebanon.
Storytellers from Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, India, Uganda, Congo, Tanzania, Nigeria and Mexico will also be announced during the festival.
The highlight of this year’s event was the participation of famous Lebanese storyteller Sarakasil. Lebanon leads workshops, offers performances and shares extensive experience with festival participants.
The opening ceremony honored winners in the Environment, Podcasts and 90 Seconds category. The festival brings you to remote locations by showing performances with giant dolls, artist entertainment and showcasing storytelling mobile theaters.
The presentation of the dolls by Iranian author Mehdi Azar Yazdi will be a groundbreaking event.
International Storytelling Festival includes traditional, classic, modern and innovative, traditional rituals, podcasts, minimalist, sign language, poetic, environmental, religion, science, progress, heroes of sacrifice and resistance, and more. There is a section.
The main theme of this year’s festival is a special section focused on sacrifice and resistance, focusing on supporting children in Gaza and Lebanon.
Last week, Hassan Sadray Alev, secretary of the international division, highlighted the universal nature of storytelling, saying that the international category was added to the festival in the late autumn.
He said the festival’s notable submissions, which total 70 works from 25 countries, have been narrowed down to 50 selected entries following a thorough review and evaluation process.
The 26th edition of the International Storytelling Festival is being held at Yazd, with the motto being “The secrets of stories shape life.”
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