TEHRAN – A literary competition honoring the memory of the children martyred in the Minab school bombing by terrorist American forces has attracted thousands of writers from around the world, with 3,354 authors from 38 countries submitting 16,158 works to Iran’s first International Six-Word Story Award, titled “Minab School: 168 Unfinished Short Stories.”
Organized by the Office of Persian Literature and Language, the award was created around the idea of remembering the 168 children whose lives were cut short in the Minab school tragedy. The title “168 Unfinished Short Stories” symbolizes the unfinished lives and untold stories of those children, transforming remembrance into a literary expression.
The competition challenges writers to create complete yet open-ended narratives in only six words, one of the most demanding forms of minimalist fiction. Through extreme brevity, participants are encouraged to leave space for reflection, interpretation and imagination.
The award focuses on themes including children’s rights, peace, patriotism and hope, inviting writers to address universal human concerns through a highly condensed literary format.
According to the award secretariat, submissions were received from writers in 38 countries, including Iran, Argentina, Germany, the United States, Indonesia, Armenia, Australia, Spain, Afghanistan, Italy, China, Russia, Japan, France, South Korea, India and Yemen.
The organizers said eligible works were reviewed by a panel of domestic and international literary experts, and the names of writers whose entries met the competition requirements and advanced to the judging stage have been published.
Due to the large volume of submissions and the need for a careful evaluation process, the closing ceremony is expected to be held before the end of the current season. The date and further details will be announced later through the award’s official communication channels.
The winners will receive trophies, commemorative certificates and cash prizes at the closing ceremony, marking the conclusion of the first edition of a competition that combines literary minimalism with remembrance and tribute.