The awarding ceremony, attended by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi, was held online on Sunday due to coronavirus restrictions.

The event was organized by the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry in an attempt to identify the cultural potentials of the cities all around the country in various categories, including literature, music, handicrafts, fashion, cinema, as well as visual and preforming arts, media, and the printing and packaging industry.

The cities of Gonbad Kavous, Quchan, Mianeh, Bandar Kong, Khash, Eslamabad Gharb, Izeh, Manoojan, and Bushehr were the winners in the music category, while Fuman, Borazjan, Soltanieh, Shabestar, and Neyshabur were among the cities whose literature works were recognized.

Piranshahr, Aq Qala, Noshahr, Jiroft, and Evaz were awarded for their efforts in the fashion field.

Bandar Abbas, Bandar Anzali, Qasr-e Shirin, Taft, Kashan, and Chabahar claimed the cinema category awards, with Ahar, Masjed Soleyman, Tafresh, Behbahan, and Minab honored in preforming arts.

In the visual arts category, Kerman, Shiraz, Yazd, Khoy, and Qom were among the winners.

Golmorti, Jolfa, Osku, and Bam were the printing and packaging winners, with Mashhad being the sole city to be awarded in media category.

Salehi praised the event, which was first introduced in 2018, as an opportunity to “activate the historical potentials of the cities, and create a sense of affection and belonging for the locals toward their hometowns.”

“A creative city is rooted in the old ages, which embodies its rich historic identity in a modern-day fashion,” he said.

Local artists from 367 cities presented their works at the event.