Painting from Iran wins silver medal at Japan’s contest
Marzieh Shafiei, a 15-year-old member of Iran’s Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults in Birjand Province, won a silver medal at the 32nd World Children’s Picture Contest in Japan, the institute said on Monday.
The annual contest, organized by Japan’s IE-NO-HIKARI Association, drew 11,479 entries from 68 countries this year. The 2025 edition invited children to capture “character, feelings, emotions, thoughts and beliefs” in their works, IRNA reported.
Shafiei stood out with what organizers described as an inventive approach. She was among a handful of young artists honored with a silver citation in the competition, which has become a platform for children worldwide to showcase creativity across cultures.
Iran submitted 46 works through the state-backed institute known locally as Kanoon. The presence of an Iranian teenager among the winners was hailed as proof of the “talent and capacity” of the country’s younger generation in visual arts.
Founded in the 1960s, the institute has long nurtured Iranian children in literature, cinema, and art. Its students have frequently taken part in international contests, with some breaking into professional artistic careers.
Shafiei’s recognition adds to a growing record of Iranian youth competing abroad. “Creativity knows no borders,” the institute said in a statement, praising her achievement as a source of pride for the community in Birjand.