Mohsen Hashemi's Report on the first award
The World Award of Monotheistic Religions has been designed with the objectives of strengthening the monotheistic attitude toward religions and emphasizing art's rich capabilities for the expression of the prophets' teachings. Organized in the year that has been named as the year of the Holy Prophet, entry calls for participation in the First International Poster Competition of the World Award were given out on April 16, 2006, the nativity of Prophet Mohammad (S).In late April, the secretariat of the World Award started surveying the backgrounds of hundreds of local and foreign artists and sent them invitations to participate in the event with the aim of encouraging them to use their arts for the expression of religious teachings (monotheism, prayer, peace and reconciliation).
As a result of their endeavors, 566 artists from 25 nations (Germany, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, United States of America , Ukraine, Iran, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Turkey, Japan, Russia, Czech Republic, China, Croatia, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Georgia, Poland, Lithuania, Singapore, Serbia, France, Mexico and India) have applied for participation in the competition with 917 works.
At the end of the deadline for receipt of applications for participation in the competition on September 30, the selection committee of the competition started the evaluation of the submitted works, and announced the 40 superior works for the competition on Eid-e Fitr at the end of month of Ramazan, on October 24. The present collection includes 93 top posters from among the submitted works picked for the competition.
The side programs will include seminar on the illumination of Divine books and illustration of the teaching of praophets , and the screening of films dealing with the themes of spirituality and the history of religions.
There will also be a specialized training workshop on drawing and graphics for 20 young art students . The workshop will be run by Wasilewski during the final days of the exhibitions.
I am thankful to the Merciful God for having granted me success in the implementation of the competition.
I am also grateful to the World Awards Secretary , Mr. Mohammad Mahdi Asgarpour for his trust and encouragement without which this art event would not taken place.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks for the prominent Iranian graphist Ebrahim Haghighi who modestly accepted to function as the artistic director of the World Award. Also deserving of my special thanks are honorable members of the selection committee and the jury . I pray to God that he may grant all these worthy members of the country's art community greater success and well being .