TEHRAN- The 38th edition of the International Film Festival for Children and Youth of Isfahan opened on Saturday with a ceremony honoring child and adolescent martyrs, attended by festival secretary Hamed Jafari, Isfahan Mayor Ali Qassemzadeh, members of the City Council and municipal officials.
The ceremony began with a visit to the Martyrs’ Cemetery of Isfahan, where participants paid tribute to the city’s child and adolescent martyrs as well as those killed during the 12-Day War and the Ramadan War, IRNA reported.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jafari said he hoped the festival would become a blessing for future generations, allowing children and adolescents to live with hope, motivation and a positive outlook toward the future.
“We had hoped that the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Iran and its people in the recent wars could have witnessed the opening of this new edition of the festival,” he said, while thanking participants and organizers for their efforts.
For his part, Qassemzadeh said this year’s festival was being held in a different atmosphere, particularly following the martyrdom of children at Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab.
“It is natural for the atmosphere of the festival to be affected by the martyrdom of the children of Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, and we cannot remain indifferent to such an incident,” he said.
The mayor noted, however, that the festival had retained its cultural and artistic character, pointing to Isfahan residents’ determination to maintain social and cultural activities even during periods of conflict and enemy attacks.
He said the same spirit was reflected in the continuation of the festival, adding that difficult circumstances should not prevent children from pursuing their dreams, talents and creative activities.
He expressed hope that the festival could further establish Isfahan as an international destination for children’s culture and art and provide an opportunity to introduce the talents and aspirations of Iranian children to audiences around the world.
The mayor also described the current edition as the first international festival held in Isfahan following the US aggression against Iran, saying efforts had been made to strengthen the event’s international profile after 38 editions.
As part of Isfahan’s efforts to develop as a child-friendly city, Qassemzadeh said cinemas had been distributed across different parts of the city to make festival screenings and programs more accessible to children and families.
He added that the organizers sought to make the festival more than a venue for film screenings, turning it into a platform for children to participate, be seen and engage with cultural and artistic activities.
During the ceremony, the families of martyrs Seyyed Mostafa Tabatabai, Jafar Aqapour, Mehdi Nasr Esfahani, Moein Heydari, Mehdi Bokaei, and several others were also honored.
The 38th International Film Festival for Children and Youth will run until October 8 in Isfahan with the participation of the Farabi Cinema Foundation and Isfahan Municipality.
SAB/
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