Najafi Translation Prize Honors Global Literary Voices

Date: 02 August 2025 - 22:41

News ID: ۱۴۲۱۱۹

TEHRAN -- The City Book Cultural Center will once again honor the art of literary translation with the ninth annual Abolhassan Najafi Translation Award in February.
Established to commemorate the legacy of Abolhassan Najafi—one of Iran’s most revered translators and linguists—the prize celebrates the finest Persian translations of novels and short story collections published during the Iranian calendar year 1403 (March 2024–March 2025).
The award is more than a mere accolade; it is a testament to the vital role translators play in enriching Persian literature, forging bridges between cultures, and expanding the horizons of Iranian readers.
Translators and publishers interested in participating are invited to submit two copies of their works by the end of September.
A distinguished jury, led by Ali-Asghar Muhammadkhani and comprising literary figures such as Mahasti Bahraini, Zia Movahed, Hussein Masoumi-Hamadani, Abdollah Kowsari, Mousa Asvar, Omid Tabibzadeh, Abtin Golkar, and Farzaneh Dousti, will review the submissions with meticulous care.
Past winners of this prestigious award have translated an impressive range of voices—from Ivan Turgenev’s A Nest of Nobles and Joseph Roth’s Radetzky March to Guzel Yakhina’s Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes and J.M. Coetzee’s Master of Petersburg. These works reveal the depth and diversity of literary expression made accessible to Persian readers, reaffirming the power of translation as an act of cultural dialogue.
As the award approaches its ninth iteration, it stands as a quiet but profound celebration of the often-invisible work behind the pages, honoring those who breathe new life into global stories and, in doing so, elevate the Persian language and its literary tradition.