TEHRAN-The closing ceremony of the 6th edition of the International Biennial Book Cartoon Contest was held on Monday in the amphitheater of the Central Library at Tehran’s City Park, awarding the winners of various categories.

Over 2,000 works by 650 artists from 73 countries around the world were submitted to this year’s edition of the contest. Since 2011, this festival has been held every two years consistently. The event celebrates the art of caricature, has no age restrictions, and is open to all languages, Borna reported.

Masoud Shojaei Tabatabai, the festival secretary, remarked that the presence of prominent artists at the festival reflects its continuity and significance as an international event. “This year’s festival has seen considerable developments in both quality and quantity. While 73 countries participated in the previous edition, artists from 74 countries joined this year,” he said.

He added that the involvement of distinguished judges is an important aspect of the festival, and this year, three artists from different regions—China, Turkey, and Italy—participated as judges, with some respected figures from Iran also joining. 

“The highest number of participants came from Iran. The task became more challenging with the addition of the “Amateur” and “Gaza” categories,” he noted and emphasized their duty to address Gaza in this festival as well.

SS/