Iran proposes naming BRICS Literary Award after national poets
Iran has proposed that the annual BRICS Literary Award be named after a national poet from each member country, an initiative unveiled during the 2025 shortlist announcement in Jakarta. The suggestion came from Hamid Nazarkhah Alisaraei, poet, writer and Iran’s national coordinator for the BRICS Literary Network.
The move underscores Tehran’s aim to link literature with “cultural diplomacy” and strengthen Iran’s presence in international literary circles. For Iran, the prize could honor classical figures such as Hafez, Sa’adi or Rumi, reinforcing Persian cultural heritage while fostering cross-border dialogue, IRNA reported.
“The BRICS Literary Award is the first international prize focused on cultural, human and indigenous values, independent of politics,” Alisaraei told delegates. “We propose that each year the award bear the name of a national poet from a member country.”
He added that translating shortlisted works into all official BRICS languages would “widen dialogue” among the bloc’s writers.
This year’s shortlist features ten authors from BRICS members and partner nations, including Mansour Alimoradi for Iran, alongside nominees from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Egypt. Iran’s other entrants for the first edition were Reza Amirkhani and Majid Gheisari, showing the country’s strong literary footprint. The final winner will be announced on November 27 in Khabarovsk, Russia.
Founded in November 2024 at Moscow’s inaugural Forum of Traditional Values, the BRICS Literary Award honors works reflecting the spiritual and cultural identity of member nations. Each country may nominate up to three writers, with shortlisted works translated to support cross-cultural readership.
Russian Union of Writers co-chair Vadim Terekhin said the award provides “a forum for mutual understanding and cultural empathy” among contemporary authors. “It strengthens connections and deepens respect for each nation’s literary heritage,” he added.