Iran’s cultural scholars of the year honored

TEHRAN,Dec.24 (MNA) -- Organizers of the 13th International Festival of Cultural Research of the Year has announced the winners, honoring the Head of the University of Qom, Ayatollah Ahmad Beheshti, as one of the top winners. In a closing ceremony attended by Culture Minister Mohammad Hosseini held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the best researchers on art, culture and religion were honored in various sections. Hosseini announced that the holy city of Mashhad has been selected the 2017 Cultural Capital of Islam and will be hosting the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers arranged by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). Academic director of the festival Yahya Talebian next said that about 400 articles and research papers were submitted to the secretariat of the festival, out of which 300 were published. The ceremony continued with the announcement of Ayatollah Beheshti as the first prize winner in the “Culture and Religion” section, while in the “International Communications of Culture” Hojjatoleslam Saeidreza Ameli was honored as the first winner. While no first prize winner was selected for “Iran’s Art, Culture and Media” section, Masud Kowsari won the second prize. The section “Strategic Studies of Culture” had no first prize winner and Hojjatoleslam Adel Sarikhani was honored as the second winner. The ceremony continued with short speeches delivered by top scholars including Ali Ravaqi, who criticized the inadequate situation of young researchers, especially those in the field of literature.