The first International Cartoon Festival of the Mumtaz Haydari Library is underway in Erbil, bringing together cartoonists and artists from around the world in an initiative aimed at connecting art with knowledge and placing books and reading at the heart of a global artistic dialogue.

Held under the slogan “A Book Festival, A Life Festival,” the festival is taking place at the Mumtaz Haydari Library and is open to artists internationally.

Jabar Saber, the festival’s supervisor, told Kurdistan24 on Thursday that the event seeks to use cartoon art to promote the importance of books, reading and science, while honoring the cultural and intellectual legacy of Mumtaz Haydari, a prominent Kurdish writer, journalist and politician.

Saber said the festival also aims to bring books and reading closer to society through “an artistic and universal language” and to strengthen the connection between art and knowledge.

The competition features two main themes. The first focuses on books, their importance, the role of books in the age of technology, and the relationship between books and life. The second is dedicated to caricature portraits of Mumtaz Haydari.

According to Saber, Haydari himself attached particular importance to caricature, considering it an important component of culture, art and journalism. For this reason, a special section of the festival has been dedicated to caricatures portraying him.

The festival’s slogan, “A Book Festival, A Life Festival,” reflects its broader cultural message. Saber said the organizers want to emphasize that a book is more than a collection of pages, describing it as a source of knowledge, awareness and human development.

Under the festival’s participation rules, artists from around the world may enter the competition and submit up to two works for each theme. Entries may be produced in color or black and white and must be submitted in A3 format at 300 DPI in JPEG format.

The portrait category will award three prizes: $500 for first place, $300 for second place and $200 for third place.

The organizers have also prohibited the use of artificial intelligence in submitted works. “Works created using artificial intelligence will not be accepted into the competition,” Saber said. Participants are required to include their name and country with their submissions.

The organizing committee will have the right to use selected works for advertising, publication, exhibitions and promotion through social media. Artists whose works are selected for exhibition will receive a digital catalog and a digital certificate of participation.

Saber described the festival as an opportunity to open a new platform for Kurdish cartoon art and strengthen connections between Kurdish artists and cartoonists from around the world.

“This festival is an effort to open a new window for Kurdish cartoon art and connect Kurdish artists with cartoonists around the world, while at the same time making books, reading and culture the center of its artistic message,” he said.

The event also places the Mumtaz Haydari Library at the center of an international cultural initiative, linking its mission of promoting knowledge and reading with the universal language of cartoon art.

Mumtaz Haydari, born in 1938, was a well-known Kurdish cultural and journalistic figure. Throughout his life, he contributed to writing, journalism and cultural activities and devoted part of his resources and efforts to supporting libraries and promoting knowledge and culture.

The festival is currently being held at the Mumtaz Haydari Library in Erbil, with artists from around the world invited to participate.