Achievements and Future Prospects at the 23rd National Growth Book Festival

The Secretary of the 23rd National Growth Book Festival delivered a comprehensive report at the festival’s closing ceremony, outlining the implementation process, aims, and achievements of this edition, and highlighting the festival’s important role in organizing educational and developmental resources for schools.

According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Office of the Organization for Educational Research and Planning, Abuzar Hesampour, Secretary of the 23rd festival, presented a detailed report at the closing ceremony and emphasized the festival’s significant contribution to coordinating educational and pedagogical resources for schools.

In his closing address, the Secretary underscored the festival’s vital position in coordinating school resources and noted that the festival is a continuous process grounded in the approvals of the Ministry of Education, aimed at enhancing the quality of educational content nationwide.

Rooted in Resolution 828 of the Supreme Council of Education, this scientific-cultural initiative has long been responsible for evaluating schools’ written resources. The continuity of this program has led to cooperation with more than 1,700 publishers to receive the Growth Badge and the necessary licenses; the latest edition saw active participation from more than 300 publishers.

In this edition, 3,701 works were submitted over the year, and 1,300 works were submitted through the recent call to the Secretariat. Of these, more than 3,000 works (60 percent) earned the Growth Badge, and after an initial evaluation, 400 works qualified for entry into the festival process.

Submissions from publishers nationwide across 11 categories were evaluated, including: Educational Sciences and Psychology; Religious Studies and Quranic Studies; Cultural and Social Studies; Children’s and Young Adult Fiction and Poetry (including categories: children’s stories, young adult stories, children’s poetry, documentary/memoir, life skills); Practical and Applied Sciences; Knowledge Enrichment and Illustration of Children’s Books.

Additionally, special prizes were designated for top works within specific educational and developmental priorities. These thematic priorities include religious identity, national and ideological identity, family identity, and the development of individual and social competencies for the next generation of Iran’s Islamic Republic.

Among these prizes are The Special Prize for Dear Iran, The Special Prize for a Kiss-Worthy Hand, The Special Prize for the Meaning of Life, The Special Prize for the Art of Living, The Special Prize for a Civilizational Leap, and The Special Prize for the Culture of Work. The Special Prize for the Culture of Work is awarded in cooperation with the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare.

The evaluation process for all works, across general tracks and special priorities, was conducted by nine judging panels. Each panel assessed the works rigorously against scientific and content-based criteria.

Ultimately, following thorough evaluations and adjudications, 76 works were named as finalists for the awards, of which 32 works will be announced as winners or commendations at this ceremony.