The championship, arranged by a non-profit organization founded in 1999, serves as an illustration of the positive outcomes achievable through early engagement in abacus math and mental arithmetic education. Hosted in India, the competition occurred at the CIDCO Exhibition and Convention Center in Navi Mumbai. The primary goals of the event include showcasing mental arithmetic skills from diverse countries, advocating for abacus and mental arithmetic education, and fostering camaraderie among participants globally. In the current edition, around 450 students aged 7 to 15, representing 24 countries, actively participated in the competition.
The Iranian team secured the top position by clinching 2 'champion of champions' titles, and 19 'champion' titles, and producing two winners ranked first and second individually. Comprising 23 students from various provinces such as Ardabil, Bushehr, Tehran, Fars, Qom, Kermanshah, Golestan, Lorestan, and Hormozgan, the team competed across five levels in the championship. Additionally, Iran is set to host the 2024 edition of the competition. In 2022, exceptionally talented Iranian children achieved first place in the team category during the 20th Pan Pacific Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association's Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Championships, which were conducted in an online format.
Children across five distinct age categories, ranging from 5-7 in Group A, 8-9 in Group B, 10-11 in Group C, 12-14 in Group D, and 15 and older in Group E, participate annually in the competition, solving various mathematical equations, including division, multiplication, square root, cube root, fractions, and more. The event attracted the participation of 572 students from 21 member states. The Smart Kids Institute conducts a national competition every August to identify individuals for the Iranian team to partake in the PAMA global abacus championships. Participants, aged 7 to 13, engage in solving seven mathematical test sheets using abacuses during this competition.
