TEHRAN- The 26th International Storytelling Festival, organized by Iran's Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA), commenced on Saturday in Yazd, showcasing a diverse range of talents from around the globe.

The festival has attracted significant participation, with over 34,000 storytellers from Iran and 25 other nations, highlighting the event's focus on cultural exchange.

The international section features storytellers such as Dimitris Prousalis from Greece, Maria Rubio from Spain, Giovanna Maludrottu from Italy, Shunsuke Ariyama from Japan, Chica Reis from Brazil, and Ali Kalout from Lebanon.

Storytellers from Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, India, Uganda, Congo, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Mexico will also be presenting during the festival.

A highlight of this year's event is the participation of renowned storyteller Sara Kassir from Lebanon, who is leading workshops and delivering performances, sharing her extensive experience with festival attendees.

The opening ceremony honored award recipients in the environmental, podcast, and 90-second categories.  The festival showcases performances with massive puppets, entertainment from artists, and features a storytelling mobile theater to reach remote areas.

An unveiling of a doll of Mehdi Azar Yazdi, an Iranian author will be a landmark event.

The International Storytelling Festival features sections like Traditional and Classic, Modern and Innovative, Traditional Ritual, Podcast, Minimalist, Sign Language, Poetic, Environmental, Religious, Scientific, and Progress and Heroes of Sacrifice and Resistance.

The main theme for this year's festival focuses on supporting children in Gaza and Lebanon, along with a special section dedicated to sacrifice and resistance.

Last week, Hassan Sadrai Aref, the secretary of the international section, highlighted the universal nature of storytelling, mentioning that the international category was added to the festival in late autumn.

Notable submissions for the festival, totaling 70 works from 25 countries, have been narrowed down to 50 selected entries following a thorough judging and evaluation process, he noted. 

The 26th edition of International Storytelling Festival is underway in Yazd, with the motto “The Secret of Stories Shapes Life.”

SAB/