The Report on the Farewell and Introduction Ceremony of the President of the IHCS and the Opening Ceremony of the Hall of Civilization in the Presence of the Minister of Science, Research and Technology

According to the report of the Public Relations office at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), the farewell and appreciation ceremony of Prof. Dr. Hossein Ali Ghobadi, the former president of IHCS, and the introduction and honoring of the new president of the institute, Prof. Dr. Musa Najafi, at the presence of Prof. Dr. MohammadAli Zolfigol,the Minister of Science, Research and Technology,on Wednesday, was held on January 26, 2022,in the Hall of Civilization atIHCS.

After inaugurating the Hall of Civilization, Prof. Dr. Zolfigol awarded Prof. Dr. Najafi the President title. The Minister of Science, Research and Technologyalso praised the efforts of Prof. Dr. Ghobadi. In this ceremony, the message of Prof. Dr. Reza Davari Ardakani (the philosopher of culture and also the president of the Academy of Sciences) and the message of Prof. Dr. Karim Mojtaheddi (the professor of Western philosophy) were read by Dr. Malek Shojaei Jashoughani, the faculty member of IHCS.

In this ceremony Prof. Dr. Zolfigol, Hujjatul Islam and Muslims Dr. Mostafa Rostami (Head of the Representative of the Supreme Leader at Universities), Prof. Dr. Najafi and Prof. Dr. Ghobadi shared their speeches with the researchers and faculty members ofIHCS. The summary of the speeches is provided below:

First, Prof. Dr. Zolfigol said:“We thank God that we are witnessing that due to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the dear Islamic Iran, is ranked first in the region in terms of science.We thank God for the forgiveness and sacrifice of the dear veterans and martyrs; today we are witnessing security in our country that you, dear scientists and researchers, can do scientific work in a complete security.There are more than 20 million university graduates in the country and we have been very successful in the field of scientific localization.Science production in Iran is a double of rival countries, and we have had valuable successes in the field of knowledge and science promotion.

The first question that IHCS has to answer is why the humanities are important and what we need to do to strengthen it," he said."scholars think and rulers execute".Give solutions,we will be responsible for implementing your solutions.” He was added.

Prof. Dr. Zolfigol then discussed the reason and necessity of conducting research and said: "Research is important and necessary, because through research, both prediction and divination can be made.If the research is done correctly, it can show the achievements and results of navigating each route.So, research institutes are important because they give managers and rulers of the society the power to predict the near future’s need.This is a very high capability that with the power of foresight and prediction, society can be guided according to its desire.

At the end of his speech, Prof. Dr. Zolfigol emphasized: “it is through the fields of humanities that the slogan of our Islamic Revolution is realized,independence, freedom and Islamic Republic.So, from any point of view, if we want to have a society that has a good platform for progress, that platform must be held on the shoulders of humanities scientists.”

At the beginning of his speech, Hujjatul Islam and Muslims Dr. Rostamisaid: according to Prof. Dr. Najafi's definition for the research institute, he pursues the same main role of the research institutes at IHCS.Generaly, this mission is a great, andwhat needs to be done is hard workingand the horizon, insha'Allah, should be the horizon of pride.

Hujjatul Islam and Muslims Rostami continued his speech on the discussion of Islamic civilization: “The basis of the islamic civilization is science and culture.The other foundations of civilization, including lifestyle, technology and others, are based on science and culture, and there is no doubt that science is based on the principles in the field of humanities, in particular, philosophy.Philosophy determines the humanities and the humanities determine the view of the natural sciences and then other technical, experimental sciences and their elements.”

Prof. Dr. Najafi, presented. His speech and said:"Iranians are apparently shining in the 3 historical periods in civilization, two periods of which have passed, the first period of the fourth and fifth centuries, which was the golden period of the Islamic civilization, was mostly known with the same experimental sciences and medicine. The second period was related to the Safavid period in the tenth and eleventh centuries, mostly known for their rational, mystical, philosophical and architectural foundations; and the third period seems to be the period in which we are proud to be present. But we have to admit that we are facing a big problem called "modernity hegemony" and next to it "Western colonialism" that do not allow us to reach the great Islamic civilization as it deserves; therefore, in the discussion of modern Islamic civilization, the Islamic Revolution have played a role and Islam civilization must abandon Western colonialism and present itself step by step in the world to be seen as a competitor.

The president of IHCS pointed out that the position of IHCS among other research centers is similar to the position of the University of Tehran to other universities, and said: "It means thatour institute has a pivotal role and this issue doubles our responsibility and we are all aware of this issue."

Prof. Dr. Ghobadi also said: “I thank the Minister, Prof. Dr. Zolfigol, to whom I have been devoted for a long time, and I wish Prof.  Dr. Najafi success, and I appreciate his efforts in expanding and improving this hall, and congratulations on this valuable effort. I wish all of you, good health, success and pride.I would like to thank the members of the research institute, who all helped me with their sympathy and sincere cooperation in all matters.”