TEHRAN -- The 16th International Visual Arts Festival for Youth opened during a ceremony on Saturday and will run until July 14 in the northern city of Gorgan in Golestan Province.

A total of 40 artworks by seven Iranian master artists are currently on display on the sidelines of the International Visual Arts Festival for Youth.
Artworks by Taha Behbahani, Hassan Bolkhari, Morteza Heidari, Mohammad-Baqer Aqamiri, Abbas Jamalpur, Nasser Arasteh and Masud Zendehruh Kermani will go on display at the Fakhreddin As’ad Gorgani Hall.
The hall hosted the opening ceremony of the festival which was attended by artists and officials including the director of the Visual Office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mahmud Shaluii.
Some 220 Iranian and 40 foreign artists from 20 countries including China, Pakistan, Armenia, Kuwait, Senegal, Afghanistan, and Germany are participating in the two major sections of the exhibition and in workshops.
The festival features sections for drawing, painting, calligraphy, miniature, sculpture and cartoons which are on several themes including the Holy Quran, the characteristics of Prophet Muhammad (S), friendship and peace and hopefulness.