From Readers to Judges: The History of Teen-Led Literary Awards in Iran

The idea of a book award for teenagers, judged by teenagers themselves, is rooted in a long-standing and valuable tradition: recognizing the “voice of youth” and actively engaging them in the literary field. This approach is an effort to reflect the perspectives, tastes, and concerns of this age group in a genuine and effective way. The first steps on this path were taken by creating platforms for teenagers to publish their own works, which gradually evolved into specialized awards centered on their judgment. This article reviews the pioneering experiences that have paved the way for the creation of the Sand Fox Award.

Chapter 1: From Publishing Works to a New Generation’s Independent Voice

Before teenagers took their seats on judging panels, spaces were created for their voices to be heard through the publication of their own writings. Over three decades, this movement established a foundation for nurturing talent and expressing the viewpoints of young people in Iran.

The 1980s and the Soreh Books: The first sparks were ignited in the 1980s with the publication of the Soreh Bachehaye Masjed (Soreh Children of the Mosque) books by the Hozeh Honari (the Art Bureau, a major cultural institution). In these collections, stories, poems, book introductions, and critiques written by teenagers were published after being reviewed by an editorial board.
Teen Publications: This idea reached its peak in specialized teen publications:
- Soroush-e Nojavan (Teen Soroush): This popular magazine provided a completely independent space for teenagers by dedicating a 16-page section called “Magazine within the Magazine.” This section, making up a quarter of the magazine’s volume, was managed by a three-person editorial board of teenagers themselves and was dedicated to publishing their critiques, poems, and stories.
- Aftabgardan and Docharkheh: The Aftabgardan (Sunflower) newspaper dedicated a page called “The Stars” to teen works, while the Docharkheh (Bicycle) supplement of the national Hamshahri newspaper established the trend by dedicating its editorial and front page to selected works by teenagers.
The Hodhod-e Sefid (White Hoopoe) Book-Magazine: This process matured in 2016-2017 with the publication of the periodical “White Hoopoe” by the Iran Public Libraries Foundation. This series, of which about 18 issues were published, was entirely dedicated to the works of child and teen members of libraries across the country. Due to its high quality, it became a professional and engaging cultural product that was widely embraced by young library members.

Chapter 2: Book Awards Judged by Teenagers—Pioneering Experiences

The successful experiences in publishing teen works paved the way for the next major step: entrusting the act of judging to teenagers themselves. Four awards in this field stand out as key pioneering experiments.

The Soroush-e Nojavan Book of the Year Award (1988)

This award, which began in 1988, was the first example of direct audience participation in selecting the book of the year.

Method: The magazine’s editorial board would compile a list of 20 to 30 books published in the last five years. Teen readers across the country would rate these books and write reviews. Finally, the five or six books with the highest scores were reviewed by an adult jury (comprising writers and experts) who would announce the final winning book. This award continued until the late 1990s.

The Aftabgardan-e Talayi (Golden Sunflower) Award (1993)

This award, launched in 1993 by the Aftabgardan newspaper, had two fundamental differences from the Soroush-e Nojavan model and was a step forward in handing responsibility to teenagers.

Method:
- Public Call for Jurors: For the first time, teenagers interested in judging were invited to participate, drawing an enthusiastic response from about 7,000 applicants across Iran.
- Elimination of Adult Jurors: The entire selection process, from the first round to the final decision, was carried out by teenagers. After collecting the votes of teen jurors in the first round, a panel of 10 to 15 selected jurors from among the same group would choose the final winners in various categories (fiction, poetry, and translation). The award was active until the newspaper ceased publication around 1997.

The Docharkheh-ye Talayi (Golden Bicycle) Award (2003)

This award, founded in 2003 alongside the launch of the Docharkheh publication, continued the successful “Golden Sunflower” model with a focus on holding a grand and formal ceremony.

Method: The judging process was identical to the Golden Sunflower Award, conducted in two stages with the exclusive participation of teen jurors. The distinguishing feature of this award was its highly formal awards ceremony, held in prestigious venues such as Tehran’s Vahdat Hall and attended by national cultural and artistic officials. However, this award was also discontinued after two or three editions.

The Hodhod-e Sefid (White Hoopoe) Award (2017)

This award, initiated in 2017 through a proposal to the Iran Public Libraries Foundation, can be considered the most robust and structured model for a teen-judged award in Iran for several reasons.

Method:
- Initial Screening Without Adult Intervention: The initial longlist of books was compiled based on statistics of the “most borrowed books” by children and teenagers from libraries nationwide. This method directly tied the initial selection to the real tastes and choices of the audience. To cover potential gaps in library resources, books that had won other prestigious awards were also added to this list.
- Two-Stage Teen Jury: In the first stage, about 15,000 to 20,000 teen jurors voted for the books. Then, for the final stage, around 1,000 active and capable jurors were selected by librarians based on specific criteria, such as their reading volume and participation in reading activities, to determine the final winners.
Role of the Scientific Committee: A scientific committee composed of prominent authors only supervised the process and the quality of the judging tools, such as worksheets, and had no involvement in the selections. This award also ceased after three editions.

Chapter 3: Expanding the Idea Beyond Books—Judging in Cinema

The idea of teen participation in judging was not limited to the literary world; it also found its way into the Isfahan International Film Festival for Children and Youth. In 1989, at the suggestion of Soroush-e Nojavan magazine, a children and youth jury section was added to the festival.

The Children’s Jury: A group of one hundred children from the city of Isfahan judged films in the children’s section, awarding them points based on the festival’s symbol (a butterfly).
The Youth Jury: A group of 7 to 9 teenagers selected from across Iran was responsible for judging films in the youth section.

This initiative, which began with Soroush-e Nojavan and was later managed by Aftabgardan, demonstrated that the model of youth participation in critique and selection could be successfully implemented in other cultural fields as well.

The “Sand Fox”: The Evolution of an Idea and a Step Toward the Future

Entrusting selection and judgment to teenagers is a tested and successful idea in Iran’s contemporary cultural history, founded with the primary goal of “genuinely reflecting the voice of a new generation.” Each of the preceding experiences, from Soroush-e Nojavan to Hodhod-e Sefid, has left behind valuable lessons while paving the way forward.

Today, the “Sand Fox” Award emerges on this rich foundation, not merely as a continuation but as an evolution of this idea. By bringing together key supporters such as the Iran Public Libraries Foundation, the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the award has established a solid structure. Simultaneously, by leveraging modern tools like the “Behkhaan” mobile app, it has created a dynamic and inclusive platform for the participation of teenagers aged 11 to 18 from all over the country.

The award’s process is a clever combination of past models: it ensures quality by presenting an initial list of works that have won other prestigious awards, while also opening the door for the direct influence of its audience by allowing teenagers and publishers to nominate additional books. Furthermore, the collaboration with UNICEF and the presentation of a special insignia to a work that upholds the values of children’s rights adds a valuable dimension of social commitment to this cultural event.

The organizing body, BookCity, views the “Sand Fox” as more than just a new award. It is the culmination of decades of experience, striving to place the selection of literary heroes into the hands of Iran’s new generation of readers by creating an interactive, transparent, and technologically advanced space. It carries this long-standing tradition forward with the energy and tools of today.