First Imam Khomeini Global Award to Announce Winners

TEHRAN -- More than ten years after its initial approval, the first Imam Khomeini Global Award is set to announce its inaugural winners this Wednesday. 

Mahmoud Vaezi, scientific secretary of the award, reported that over 6,000 submissions were received, with 1,800 works evaluated across ten specialized committees.
The award, originally approved by Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in 2013, experienced repeated delays before its implementation resumed in 2023. Updates to the statute and the formalization of the award’s structure allowed the process to move forward. 
The program is designed to recognize and honor outstanding contributions in the scientific, intellectual, and social fields related to the life and thought of Imam Khomeini.

The award evaluates works in ten thematic areas, ranging from Imam Khomeini’s philosophical and practical thought, the promotion of ethics and spirituality, and human rights advocacy, to the advancement of Islamic civilization, interfaith dialogue, social service, anti-imperialism, peacebuilding, religion-based lifestyles, and the promotion of women’s roles in society. Each thematic area is overseen by leading scholars and public figures, including university professors and former government officials.
Vaezi explained that submissions were received through a dedicated trilingual website, in English, Arabic, and Persian, and included books, academic articles, doctoral dissertations, and master’s theses. After an initial review, works that were irrelevant or misaligned with the award’s objectives—including some journalistic compilations—were excluded. The remaining 1,800 works were distributed among the ten committees for evaluation.
The award recognizes achievements across three categories: individuals producing scholarly work, those actively promoting Imam Khomeini’s thought in practical spheres, and institutions advancing his legacy globally. 
Among the practical laureates is Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, acknowledged for his leadership in movements aligned with Imam Khomeini’s vision. Academic institutions, such as the Imam Khomeini University in India, are also eligible for recognition.
Although the award is intended to be biennial, the first edition drew on several decades of accumulated work, spanning the last 30 to 40 years. Vaezi emphasized that future cycles will focus on contributions made in the preceding two years, ensuring a steady flow of new scholarship and initiatives.
Reflecting on the award’s significance, Vaezi highlighted its global impact: “The ideological line established by Imam Khomeini has divided the world into two camps—not based on religion, but on resistance to oppression. This intellectual legacy, articulated over fifty years ago, continues to inspire activists, students, and scholars from Washington to London, Paris to the Islamic world.”
The winners will be celebrated at an international ceremony this week, marking the long-awaited realization of a vision first conceived over a decade ago.