TEHRAN- Iranian writer Mansour Alimoradi has been officially announced as one of the ten finalists for the prestigious BRICS Literature Award, an international literary award established in November 2024. 

The announcement was made during a press conference held on Monday, at the H.B. Jassin Literary Documentation Center in Jakarta, with the event accessible online to participants across multiple countries.

The press conference, attended by a number of cultural officials from the member countries, highlighted the award’s vital role in fostering cultural exchange, humanitarian cooperation, and shared values among the BRICS nations. 

The BRICS Literature Prize, launched during the BRICS Forum last year, aims to recognize authors whose works embody the cultural and spiritual values of the BRICS countries and beyond. The prize also promotes translation and the dissemination of literature across member nations, emphasizing contemporary themes rooted in traditional values.

Among the notable nominees is Mansour Alimoradi from Iran, who joins a distinguished list of authors that includes Ana Maria Gonçalves from Brazil, Alexey Varlamov from Russia, Sonu Saini from India, Ma Boyong from China, Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta from South Africa, Reem Al Kamali from the United Arab Emirates, Abere Adamu from Ethiopia, Denny JA from Indonesia, and Salwa Bakr from Egypt. 

The shortlisting process involved a rigorous three-stage selection, with the longlist announced in September at the Brasilia Forum. The final winner will be announced on November 27 in Khabarovsk, Russia.

Mansour Alimoradi is a writer, poet, and cultural researcher. He has carried out extensive research on the local culture of his birthplace, Kerman province. His other works include a short story collection, a poetry collection, and several novels. He has won numerous awards at domestic festivals for more than 15 years.

In September, Iran announced three writers to represent the country at the inaugural BRICS Literature Award.

Alongside Mansour Alimoradi, Reza Amirkhani and Majid Gheisari were the Iranian nominees whose names made it onto the longlist for the event.

From the outset, the Islamic Republic of Iran has played an active role in this international initiative. The Iran Book and Literature House, in collaboration with the Cultural Counsellor’s Office of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Russia, compiled and submitted the nominated works to the BRICS Award Secretariat. This effort is part of a broader strategy to promote the translation and international publication of Iranian literature.

Masoud Ahmadvand, head of the Cultural Center at the Iranian Embassy in Russia, serves on the event’s board of directors. The Board of Directors oversees the award’s strategic direction, determines the composition of national expert councils and juries, and manages the operational Secretariat.

The BRICS Literature Award extends beyond a traditional literary prize; it acts as a platform for cultural diplomacy. By nominating its distinguished writers, Iran aims to showcase its literary culture and identity to the global community, foster opportunities for the translation and dissemination of Iranian works, and strengthen cultural ties among the BRICS nations.

The award celebrates authors whose works reflect the traditions and cultural diversity of the BRICS countries. Its overarching goal is to deepen mutual understanding among member nations by highlighting their histories, traditions, and narratives through literature.

SAB/