Statements of His Excellency in Meeting with Selected Global and National Olympiad Participants and Outstanding Individuals of National Exams 80 and 81

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

This session, where a group of our intelligent and elite youth have gathered in a warm atmosphere, and perhaps the most important topics they feel should be raised in this meeting are being expressed, is a very sweet session for me.

In my view, the formation of this session is based on a symbolic goal. We want to respect science and the intellectuals and elites of society so that a higher IQ thought and mind is considered an outstanding indicator in the country, and in fact, a sense of competition, enthusiasm, public movement, and on the other hand, reverence and respect for this phenomenon and this truth is created. You are examples of those whom we want to announce in society that the Islamic system and the officials and the overall movement of the country respect these individuals. This is the cultural development that was in the language and mind of some of you dear ones. Of course, this session has had and continues to have great benefits for me, just as I benefit from most sessions I have with the youth.

I listened carefully to your words. You are now paying attention to issues that are also my main concerns. You referred to the importance of basic sciences, pure sciences, research, providing a suitable environment for scientific and intellectual growth, utilizing knowledge everywhere in the world, and not mixing the benefits of others' knowledge with the benefits of all their cultural products. These are the very concerns that constitute my main worries when engaging with the youth, students, and the knowledgeable and intelligent segments of society. I thank God that I see the very things that have existed in my mind and that I have raised with university communities and academic officials and with the youth with the intention of spreading in minds and turning into public demands have been fruitful. That is, you intellectuals want the very things that we wanted you to want.

Regarding the actions that should be taken for the elites of society, I would like to mention one point. Of course, in all social groups, planning is done for the middle and general class, and there is no alternative. General planning cannot be done by calculating the elites; however, this educational and occupational movement gradually reaches a point where special accounts must be opened for the elites.

In planning for the elites, what should our goal be? Of course, the goal should not in any way be the humiliation of non-elites; because non-elites may perform tasks that are very prominent and outstanding and noble; this is obvious. However, a society without strong mental frameworks will not be able to navigate the difficult uphill challenges and sharp turns in the global movement. Therefore, just as society needs a strong intellectual body, it also needs an outstanding intellectual point. Thus, if there are intellectuals in society who are elite in terms of mind, they can contribute to the advancement of science, culture, art, work, and any progress that society needs. Therefore, aside from the fact that we do not want to neglect the non-elite, we must open an account for the elites. It may seem that this is discrimination; however, discrimination is not always unjust; sometimes, discrimination is the essence of justice. Opening an account for the elites is the essence of justice; because we must allow the elite and intelligent to grow to the extent that they can.

Another goal regarding planning for the elites is that they should feel they can utilize their talents; they should not feel a dead end. The issue of brain drain arises. Brain drain has various dimensions. One very ugly and bad dimension is that foreigners want to come and exploit the human national wealth of a country. A country nurtures individuals and talents - with all the factors that create brilliant talents - and, as our friend said, puts this on a plate of sincerity and gives it to others; others come and, with spending money - which often they do not exert any effort for - take this wealth at a cheap price from this nation and deprive it; this is a very bad and painful aspect of the issue.

There is another dimension that, although not as bad, is still not good in itself. This is that a talented young person feels that life outside the country is easier and more pleasant for him, and he has fewer concerns; he finds a better job and has better educational opportunities. Therefore, he leaves this place and goes. This is also one aspect of the undesirable consequences of this action.

Another dimension in this matter is the love of knowledge. A year or two ago, I told a group of young people who were here about the emigration of elites abroad: this can be called the emigration of elites for self-completion and utilizing the existing opportunities in the world; however, with the intention that this completion is for their country and the people who nurtured them and served them.

Some friends said that Islam encourages individuals to seek knowledge and that knowledge should be sought. Wherever in the world there is knowledge and it can be utilized, and there is no obstacle for us to go, we should go and acquire knowledge for the nation and country to which we belong. Therefore, the effort for the elites should have one goal: that those who feel they cannot make scientific strides here should spread their scientific wings and see if they can. Actions should be taken for these individuals, and - as one of you said - planning should be done. With organized planning, they should go learn knowledge and return. These are actions that should be taken; we have asked our friends in the government for this; they themselves have expressed that they are interested in these actions, both in the field of research and in supporting and backing the elites.

You who possess talent and let us assume that, God willing, the facilities for your scientific and intellectual growth are provided and you can work scientifically in the fields you are interested in, what should your efforts be directed towards? What seems to me to be the most important is that the efforts of our scientific community should be directed towards producing knowledge. We should not suffice to translating and acquiring the knowledge of others. Not that we should not learn; no one says we should not learn from others; yes, we should learn; however, knowledge must be produced.

We have this historical problem, and unfortunately, this problem is rooted in the previous dependent and corrupt governments of this country and is a calamity that has befallen us for one hundred and fifty years, and we must gradually free ourselves from this calamity. This is that from the moment the light of new knowledge fell in this country, the elites of that day thought of translation. Not only translating scientific works but even the thought and ideas were translated; everything was in the form of translation of what others did and putting themselves in the frameworks of others. This group absolutely did not dare to create a new scientific space. They not only said to take knowledge from them, but they believed that culture, ethics, and political and social thoughts should also be taken from them!

The worst problem of a country is to forget its civilization and identity. We must today seek to build our own civilization and believe that this is possible. In the past propaganda of this country regarding the incapacity of Iranians and the capability of Westerners has been so exaggerated that today if someone says we should do something so that Westerners need our knowledge, you see that a state of disbelief arises in hearts: is such a thing possible? Yes; I say it is possible. You strive so that in fifty years this happens. Of course, these things do not happen in the short term; however, if you take the right steps today, there is no harm in fifty years that the highway of knowledge - which today is one-way and from one side to the other - may become two-way or one-way from this side to that side; what is the obstacle? Wasn't it once this way? Once, Westerners took knowledge from the East and from this very Iran. Many of the sciences that are prevalent in the world today were founded by Iranians. In mathematics, physics, medicine, astronomy, and many other sciences, Iranians were the founders. The European Renaissance occurred based on translations that were done in Islamic countries and regions. We can imagine that one day Iran becomes a creative producer of knowledge.

Today, all our efforts are that not only should we learn knowledge but also scientific products and technology and micro-technology from them and imitate it here. This is not something that a nation should strive for. Of course, these things must be done, and there is no alternative. When a person does not have something, he takes it from someone who has it. When he does not know how to make it, he learns from someone who knows how to make it - there is no doubt about this - but he must place the new path and new thinking and breaking through dead ends as his goal.

A couple of years ago, I said in a student gathering at one of the universities: today we need a software movement. A movement, an effort, and a general endeavor are necessary. This general effort is not only dependent on management; do not suddenly think that if management does not do it, then how can it be done; it is not all related to management. Your will and desire - one of you dear children said love; yes, love - working passionately and pursuing knowledge and research with love and desire, these play a role. These scientific peaks that you observe in the world have not always been accompanied by comfort. Of course, knowledge brings with it comfort and political superiority and military superiority; it creates influence in all economic and political sectors; it strengthens a country's currency and boosts its economy. All these are the arts of knowledge; however, when knowledge itself wants to come into existence, it does not necessarily arise in a context of comfort and ease and the pleasures and sweetness of the world.

One of the friends mentioned Japan. Do you know in what conditions Japan pursued knowledge and in what difficult conditions Japanese scientists and industrialists worked? Today, Japan is at the scientific peak in the world. Now, many of the actions you see the United States doing in this region - the issue of Iraq and the like - which appears to be one hundred percent political, has a deeper essence in competition with the likes of Japan and China, which are emerging like a giant; in fact, the conflict is a fundamental and principled conflict; however, the arenas of conflict change according to the circumstances of time. Presence in an oil-rich region and seizing the oil of a wealthy oil country - like Iraq - and controlling oil affairs in the future, which is very influential in the world industry, are things that can lead to acquiring wealth. Americans have always used war to gain money. War and a state of war in the world have always been profitable and money-making for them; so that they can compensate for their relative scientific backwardness against potential and fresh competitors!

When knowledge is to grow in society, of course, officials must provide the facilities. The words I am saying to you, I tell to Mr. Dr. Mo'in and the friends in the government and ministry, I say something else to them; I tell them they must help; we have talked about this many times. But to you dear ones, who are like my children, I say: pursue the production of knowledge, depth perception, and depth exploration in knowledge. Now that you have intelligence and talent and mental readiness, direct your efforts towards this work. Do not think about learning ordinary frameworks or getting grades in certain subjects - as you say - think about knowledge. Of course, this requires a culture of supporting knowledge and research and managerial efforts. However, another factor that may even surpass the previous factors is your desire, interest, and will. Strive to build the country scientifically.

My audience is not just a small group of you. There are elites in the country who are either before you or will come after you. Scientific elites in every field must strive to strengthen and produce knowledge domestically. This country, thanks be to God, has these facilities. Today, thanks to the revolution, the path of thinking has opened up; however, there was a time when such permission was not granted at all. You see that before the revolution, in the very academic environment of the country, this thought did not exist that an Iranian might be able to move independently in building the science of his country. Some of you friends said, and it was correct, that the scientific, educational, and training programs in our country were designed by others for a country that should always be used and exploited, and that was what was done. There was also a culture alongside it; a culture of scientific and practical dependency on the West and magnifying the West; to the extent that it was impossible to reach its shadow, let alone reach it and leave it behind. The revolution came and disrupted all this.

Today, in this country, we see the nurturing of elites and access to global Olympiads. Of course, this also has its drawbacks, which our friend pointed out: introducing faces and facilitating the work of money-making organizations and companies that seek efficient minds and brains to abduct them; however, this movement was in itself a knowledge-nurturing movement in our society; it demonstrated the courage and audacity of our country and our youth class; so that they can show themselves in scientific fields and prove that they can.

The last point is that scientific advancement and scientific appropriation - which I believe in appropriation; however, I do not believe in mere translation and sufficing to translation - is a necessary task, and Islam also commands us to this. In any case, acquiring knowledge from others should not be confused with acquiring their culture. This is a great fallacy that someone says the knowledge of Westerners is good, so their culture and way of life and ethics are also good; no, these do not necessarily correlate. Their knowledge is good; however, this knowledge is not nurtured and created by this culture; even this culture harms this knowledge. Knowledge has its own specific generators and elements; they must be identified. The culture of immorality, irreligiosity, self-centeredness, inclination towards money, and materialism, and considering material values as noble are wrong cultures that the West is afflicted with today. If those people were pious, righteous, good-doers, and indifferent to worldly adornments, this knowledge would have been beneficial to the world; just as in the flourishing Islamic period in the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries AH, prominent scientific figures emerged and brought knowledge to its peak of that day, and the culture that is prevalent in the West today - the culture of immorality and irreligiosity and the like - was not dominant over them; like Ibn Sina, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, al-Khwarizmi, and others. These did not grow up in a culture like Western culture; just as the great Western scholars and those who founded Western knowledge never grew up in such a culture. Therefore, do not consider the scientific advancement and superiority of the West as a sign of the superiority of Western culture.

Islamic culture is a valuable culture that has the highest values for a society and a human community and can truly make a society proud, happy, dear, and progressive; however, we have not acted according to our Islamic culture for centuries. We have propagated a handful of individual operations from Islam - some of which were mixed with wrong and sometimes superstitious things. The officials and managers of the country during that time were pleasure-seeking, debauched, corrupt, and thoughtless individuals; if they did any offering, it was to keep their governmental belt tight; however, they did nothing. We have been afflicted with this problem for several centuries. In the last one or two centuries, our situation has been bad from all aspects; because a powerful rival like the West and colonial Europe emerged that did not just sit back and watch; it invaded, and its invasion faced no obstacle; a situation arose that we all witness.

I hope, God willing, that God grants you success. Seek help from the Almighty. The problems you mentioned regarding welfare issues and educational and research assistance will be addressed. The suggestions that were raised are good suggestions. I saw Mr. Dr. Mo'in taking notes. Mr. Dr. Mo'in and the ministry and government should seriously consider these. The point that one of the friends raised about military service seems to me to be a good idea. You write this suggestion down and give it to me so that I can say to work on it; perhaps it can be done that way. In summary, the suggestion is that elites who are to go for military service should engage in research activities in the research sections of the armed forces - whether the army or the IRGC - and work on research tasks. Of course, similar suggestions have been made to me before. I heard that suggestions were also raised in your camp. In any case, I am ready to provide the necessary assistance in this regard to students - which of course pertains to male students. The other things you raised must be entrusted to diligence and follow-up so that, God willing, these actions can be carried out. You did not actually provide constructive suggestions in the field of research and the like. Of course, you had good discussions; however, regarding what can be done, only one of the friends suggested that a consultative group be formed. Of course, this consultative group is good. I also seek advice from qualified individuals in various fields, especially regarding university issues and the scientific matters of the country. Of course, consultation does not work miracles; you must come and think for yourselves. For this reason, the software movement that I mentioned, sit down and draft suggestions. We are not in a hurry - that is, we do not say give us suggestions within a month or two - sit down and think, and in a year or two, set a date and come back to us and say our suggestions are these; that is, truly reach practical solutions. We fully welcome what is provided as suggestions arising from the actual realities, and we strive that, God willing, whatever is possible, will be realized.

We hope that God helps you so that you can be beneficial for the future of your country and be among those who advance the wheel of knowledge in the country and bring it to its desired point. God willing, the officials can also provide more opportunities for your advancement.