Art festival awards veteran artists peace medal

TEHRAN –(Iranart)- The 5th Art for Peace Festival awarded four veteran Iranian artists in different fields peace medals during a ceremony, which was held at the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran on Thursday.

The medals were presented to legendary vocalist Mohammadreza Shajarian, author Mahmud Dowlatabadi, painter Kurosh Shishegaran and filmmaker Nasser Taqvai.

Shajarian, Shishegaran, and Taqvai could not attend the ceremony and their representatives received their medals on their behalf.  

“The reconciliation of humankind is a great ambition as war is an imperialistic phenomenon, and if the people that have control of the world don’t wage wars they will lose their power,” said Dowlatabadi, the writer of the famous novel “The Colonel”, after accepting the medal.

“However, I advise on peace with an attitude to gain the power to defend ourselves,” he added.

He called artists and soldiers “the guardians of peace” and added, “I am sorry that we Muslims, with a prophet who is the messenger of peace, witness war and bloodshed in Yemen by Arabs. Buddha was also the messenger of peace and his school was based on peace and coexistence, but we see that his followers also massacre Muslim people in Myanmar.” 
 
Art for Peace Festival is showcasing a variety of artworks by over 200 international artists in categories of painting, photography, sculpture, graphic design, installation and video art to promote the culture of peace and a world without violence.

Organized by the IAF, the festival will run until September 21, which is the International Day of Peace.