TEHRAN -- The second Fajr Poetry Festival is to take place on February 23 and 24 in Mashhad.

There will be 22 Iranian participants competing this year, secretary of the festival Mahmud Ekramifar told MNA.
“Initially each province will introduce six contestants to take part in the festival’s six sections which will include: Imam Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution, the Intifada, and ritual, social, free-themed and children’s poetry. One entrant from each province will find its way to the final stage of the competition,” he added.
He went on to say that each province will also introduce its youngest poet who will be honored in the special young people’s section of the gala.
Ekramifar continued, announcing that Saber Emami has been appointed as head of the academic committee of the event, and that the names of the jury members will be publicized soon.
He further expressed hope that the second Fajr Festival would be an international event, and said the officials of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance are endeavoring to invite foreign participants.