INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN-- The 24th edition of the International Storytelling Festival revealed the global jury on Thursday.The all-Iranian jury consists of
writer Ali Khanjani, theater instructor Moslem Qasemi and childrens book author Mohsen Hejri.The Institute for Intellectual Development of
Children and Young Adults, the organizer of the celebration, also unveiled the nationwide jury, which is made up of Hejri, Qasemi and writer
Mohammad Simazari.The efficiencies in the ritual-traditional section will be judged by star Mehdi Saffarinejad, author Ali Mehdinejad and
writer Mehdi Chayani.A jury made up of director Farzad Zeidi, star Sadeq Kiani-Moqaddam and playwright Mohammad-Ali Yazdanshenas will
evaluate the storytellers in the 90-second performance competition.Ten storytellers from across the world will participate in the festival
to share tales from their folk cultures throughout the Iranian event, which will open in Yazd on Sunday.Deepa Kiran, a founder of the Story
Arts Foundation in India, is one of the writers to participate in the celebration, which will happen from January 8 to 12, 2023 in Yazd
She is also a professional author and educationalist, engaged with using story arts as a pedagogical intervention, deeply impacting both the
student and the teacher.Divya Sarkar, a member of the Mumbai Storytellers Society, will join her fellow writers to give her own performance,
the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults-- Kanoon, the organizer of the celebration, announced on Saturday
She is also a phonics instructor, a special requirements educator and the creator of the Word Power Activity Center.Kenyan storytellers
Grace Wangari and John Mukeni Namai, Canadas only traditional Palestinian writer Sarah Abu-Sharar, Sila Topcam and Suheda Sahin from Turkey,
and Argentinean storytellers Mily Ponce and Claudia Montesino, and Mauricio Patino from Colombia have been welcomed to give efficiencies at
the festival.Fifteen Iranian storytellers, consisting of Mehri Khosravian, Mahmud Kharaqani, Shadi Pakzad and Mohsen Karimi, have actually
also been selected to inform stories in the worldwide section of the festival, which will run for 5 days.Photo: A mix photo shows jury
members for various classifications at the 24th International Storytelling Festival.MMS/ YAW
