The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance's Research Vice-Chancellor has been implementing the project "Selecting Iran's Best Cultural Researches" as part of its cultural activities since 1996. Since 2001, the Research Institute of Culture, Art, and Communication (RICAC), affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, has followed up on this plan.

"International Award on Cultural Research" is the only festival in Iran that exclusively examines and evaluates research conducted in Iranian culture and art, not necessarily cultural and artistic works. In addition, assessing the works of non-Iranian researchers in the field of "Culture and Art of Iran" is one of its primary goals. Outside Iran, there are more than a dozen research and research centers in Iranian studies. IACR can identify and monitor these studies. In the area of cultural diplomacy, which is one of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance programs to expand international communication and exchange of culture and art, holding this festival can be used to develop cultural relations and diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Fifteen rounds of Award on Cultural Research have been held so far.

Some distinguishing features of the International Award on Cultural Research are:

1. It is one of the requirements for ranking cultural and artistic activities in Iran.

2. This event is a scientific support for the programs and activities of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

3. IACR can provide a basis for identifying the approach of non-Iranian researchers to Iranian culture and art.

The deadline for submitting works to the International Festival of Cultural  Research has been extended.

The secretary of the 16th International Award on Cultural Research (IACR) announced that the deadline for sending research works to the festival in the international section has been extended until November 21, 2023.

Qasim Zaeri said: The secretariat of the 16th IACR has extended the deadline for submitting works to the festival until November 21, 2023, due to the request of international researchers.

He added that the deadline for sending research works, previously October 7, 2023, has been extended for 45 days. Therefore, the last time to send the research works to the secretariat through the festival's official website at https://www.ifcr.ir will be November 21, 2023.

The 16th IACR focuses on studies in Iranian culture and cultural issues. Researchers can submit their studies in the form of a research project, master's thesis, doctoral dissertation, book, paper (highly cited), or policy reports.

Culture, media and communication, new technologies and cultural future research, art, religion, and Islamic studies are the principal topics of the 16th IACR research festival.

In this period of the festival, there is no limit on the number of submissions for researchers.

The closing will be held at the same time as the Research Week in Iran in December 2023, and the winners will be announced and honored.