Technology and Science12 September, 20262 min read
Hoda Jafarzadeh Says Italian Math Book Cover Image of Maryam Mirzakhani Is Real
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Hoda Jafarzadeh says the image on the book cover resembles Maryam Mirzakhani. ISNA says the book isn’t for all Italian students.
8 outlets told this the same way.
Mirzakhani image claim
An image circulating on social networks shows an Italian-language mathematics education book with a cover design featuring Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani beside mathematical formulas. Hoda Jafarzadeh said the book cover image is convincing at first glance and that the book visible in the picture is not fake, adding that I Mondi di GEA is a real educational series for fourth and fifth grade elementary classes in Italy.
“The book visible in the picture is not fake.”
She wrote that the question is only about the identity of the woman on the cover, noting that the edition is a 2025 print and that the cover reads "con SE SBAGLIO IMPARO di Maestra Federica." Ehheh Jaafarzadeh similarly said the book itself and its educational use are beyond doubt, but stated that there is no reference to Mirzakhani in the book details, the series introduction, or the school documents that recorded this book.
What the book is
Multiple reports describe the series as I Mondi di GEA, with a two-volume set that includes a textbook and a workbook published by Rizzoli Education. ISNA’s review, as quoted in the coverage, says the book is not defined as an educational resource for all Italian students and that Mirzakhani’s image is visible in both the fourth-grade and fifth-grade books.
The same reporting says Italy’s Ministry of Education sets the framework and scientific program but does not provide a single, uniform textbook for all schools, leaving the choice of educational book to schools. The reports also say the series is distributed by Fabbri Editori in the Rizzoli Education educational collection and in collaboration with Erickson, and that the phrase "con SE SBAGLIO IMPARO di Maestra Federica" is tied to teaching mathematics in that series.
Identity not confirmed
While some coverage frames the cover as a tribute, the fact-checking reports say no official publisher source, credible Italian source, or bibliographic document has been found that identifies the woman on the cover as Maryam Mirzakhani. Ehheh Jaafarzadeh wrote that "As of the time of writing this report, no official publisher source" has been found that identifies the image as "Maryam Mirzakhani" or states that the publisher used her image to honor her.
The same report adds that the resemblance likely prompted claims in Persian-language social networks, but it says that to turn “resemblance” into “identity,” a proof is needed. In parallel, the other fact-checking coverage says that although the visual design at first glance recalls the face of the late mathematician, "there is no valid document" confirming the identification.