The second session of the “Intellectual Diplomacy” specialized committee in the RoostaAzad Governance and Technology Prize was held to evaluate the candidates for the award. According to the RoostaAzad Prize Secretariat, Reza Maleki, the head of the Cultural and International Studies Center at the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, highlighted that the award, which centers on innovation and governance, is being held for the first time in the country. He emphasized that this inaugural event could serve as a model and roadmap for future editions of the prize.

Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s former representative at the United Nations Office in Geneva, stressed the importance of clearly defining the boundaries of the award’s categories, ensuring they are distinct from one another. He further underscored that elite diplomacy should remain a focal point of the prize.

In the same session, Sheykh Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour, former head of the Islamic College in London, commented on the selection of the awardees. While some committee members emphasized the importance of choosing individuals who are based in Iran, Bahmanpour argued that recognizing those who are active abroad would be a valuable move for the RoostaAzad Prize.

Saeed Seyed-Agha Bani-Hashemi, a professor of international relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acknowledged the challenges of organizing the first edition of the prize and selecting the final candidates from each of its categories, describing it as a difficult and complex process.

Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Emamian, member of the RoostaAzad Prize Policy Council, noted that the first edition of any award is generally difficult to organize. He pointed out that historically, self-nominations in the inaugural round tend not to be very effective and that it is often better to select deserving individuals directly. In his view, a high-profile community of experts and leaders has been shaped around this initiative.

Majid Afshani, International Director at the GPTT, mentioned that the RoostaAzad Prize faces several challenges. For instance, there are active companies and organizations in the country that prefer to remain low-profile, avoiding public recognition.

The RoostaAzad Governance and Technology Prize is organized around four categories: “Governance Technology,” “Elite Diplomacy,” “Policy Innovation,” and “Governance Culture.” The awards for this edition include 40 gold coins, 100 billion rials in grants from the Innovation and Prosperity Fund and the National Science Foundation, medals, and certificates of appreciation.

Government and private organizations, cultural institutions, international relations institutes, and tech companies are encouraged to submit nominations by September 10, 2024 via the RoostaAzad Prize website at https://www.RoostaAzadprize.org and completing the nomination form.