Winners of the “Holosaide” event announced

The closing ceremony of the third edition of the international event “Holosaide” was held on Thursday, June 12, and marked the announcement of the winners.

According to the press office of the House of Art of the Islamic Revolution, the national and international judges were announced, as well as the winners of the cartoon, caricature and poster categories:

Poster Category
Dimitri Mirilenko (Russia) and Pouya Sarabi (Iran) received honorable mentions.
The third prize went to Ahmad Vojdannejad, second place to Arzu Aqababayan, and Wahab Ramzi won the first prize.

At the ceremony, the executive secretary of the event, Seyed Masoud Shojaei Tabatabai, stated that the main reason for holding the event was the brutal genocide that has affected Gaza and the Palestinian people for more than 20 months. He recalled terrifying statistics, stating that “every 20 minutes, a child dies from hunger or bombing.”

Recognition of international collaboration
Shojaei Tabatabai highlighted the partnership between the House of Revolutionary Art, Culture in Qom, Tehran City Hall, Qom University and the artistic team to organize the event. He also mentioned participants from the US, who submitted works “not in search of awards, but in support of the Palestinian people” — a promising sign. Some European artists faced restrictions that could prevent them from returning to their home country for 5 years, but Vasco Gargalo and António Santos were still present.

He stressed that the Zionist regime tries to censor protests and world events, but fails. The choice of the name “Holosaide” — a fusion of “holocaust” and “genocide” — was precisely to break this information blockade and transform threats into opportunities. “Fortunately, this event has become a stage to amplify the voices of oppressed Palestinians.”

Yemeni Genbhiya Category
The winners of this category were Hasan Einish (Lebanon), Sajad Hasan (Iraq), Seyed Mohammad-Saber Sheikh Rezaei (Iran) and Mazyar Bijani (Iran).

“Your art speaks the truth”
A message was read from Yemeni artist Kamal Sharaf, who was unable to attend the event due to Israeli strikes on Sana’a airport. In the text, he stated:

“Your art is a universal language that speaks the truth and can simplify complex issues into an image or work. Your art is a jihad for the cause of God and a force that promotes the culture of resistance.”

Caricature Category
Moḥsen Faraji (Iran), Ivan Mata (Spain) and Dedi Rongo (Indonesia) were awarded honorable mentions. The third prize went to Vasco Gargalo (Portugal), the second to António Santos (Portugal) and the first place went to Jalil Saberi (Iran).

Launch of the book “Holosaide”
The event also included the launch of the official book of the third edition, with the presence of ambassadors from Cuba, Indonesia, Bolivia and Nicaragua.

Cartoon Category
The cartoonists Silvia Melo (Brazil), Izabella Kowalska (Poland) and Mahmoud Nazari (Iran) received honorable mentions. The cartoon awards were: third place for Ars (Cuba), second for Amir Dehghan (Iran), and first for Mohammad Ari (Turkey).

Mohammad Ari said he was honored to participate in the event and, among so many incredible works, his was the chosen one. He stated:

“We live in times marked by great injustices, and few people are aware of this. Today, I feel honored to be among those who are moved and outraged by such crimes. When I was young, I made art to bring smiles to people’s faces; now, as I mature, I make art to awaken remorse in oppressors. I hope that young people will continue on this path and overcome these challenges.”