The statements of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, delivered during a meeting with the organisers of the Alborz Province 5,580 Martyrs’ Commemoration Congress, were released this evening in Karaj, where the event was held.
In this meeting, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei noted that an important task under the present circumstances is transmitting the motivations and values of the period of the Sacred Defence to the younger generation. He said, “Our youth today are fine young people. Despite the advanced means available for implanting various kinds of subject matters and concepts in their minds, they have nevertheless managed to preserve their religious identity, and this very capacity should be used to artistically explain and transmit those values to them.”
Among the many values and motivations of the period of the Sacred Defence, the Leader of the Revolution cited the longing for the encounter with God (liqāʾ Allāh) and the sense of religious duty that had prevailed among the fighters. He emphasised that these motivations must not be allowed to fade and added, “The attitude one sees in certain cultural bodies and some responsible agencies does not show any serious resolve or effort to transmit the values of the Sacred Defence.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei emphasised that the transmission of the values and motivations of the period of the Sacred Defence to the new generation requires artistic work and relentless follow-up. He said, “Despite all the hardships, constraints, and difficulties, there are many positive aspects and a great deal of readiness in the country to advance in the direction of Islam and the Revolution, and these must be strengthened.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei paid tribute to the people of Alborz Province, especially the families of its martyrs, and expressed appreciation for the organisers of the Alborz Province Martyrs’ Commemoration Congress. He noted that the presence of individuals from various parts of Iran in Karaj had been a significant advantage. He said, “If the commemoration of the martyrs, and the transmission of their message and values are carried out properly, it can, by virtue of this very advantage, be conveyed to other parts of the country as well.”