TEHRAN – Sara Kasir, an experienced storyteller from Lebanon, and Iranian storyteller Mehdi Mohammadian shared first prize at the 22nd International Storytelling Festival in Tehran on Saturday. 

Winners in various categories were honored during the closing ceremony of the event, which was organized at the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA).

The jury composed of children’s TV programmer Giti Khameneh, writer Morteza Sarhangi and actor Ashkan Khatibi, all from Iran, did not announce any winner for second place in the international competition. 

Third prize was shared by Iranian storytellers Maryam Fahimpur, Kimia Yaqubi and Solmaz Sadeqzadeh. 

In the national competition, Hossein Kazemi took first place, while Zahra Dehestani and Farideh Mahmudi received second and third prizes respectively.

First prize in the grandparents section went to Fatemeh Seyyed-Rezai who was followed by Zahra Rezai and Mohammad Kargar.

A number of Iranian storytellers along with narrators from Turkey, Lebanon, Japan and Spain were competing in various sections of the International Storytelling Festival, which was held from December 17 to 21.

Photo: Lebanese storyteller Sara Kasir (R) receives her prize at the 22nd International Storytelling Festival at the IIDCYA in Tehran on December 21, 2019. (YJC/Nasim Aqai) 

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