Dr. Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, made the remarks at a ceremony honoring top-ranked candidates in Iran’s nationwide university entrance examination and medalists of international scientific Olympiads. The event was held at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in the presence of Ayatollah Ahmad Marvi, Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi.

Congratulating the scientific talents and their families on their achievements, Haddad-Adel described the accomplishments of young Iranians in scientific and sporting competitions as a source of joy and hope for the public and stressed the importance of supporting the country’s scientific talent.

He noted the difference between the public attention received by successful athletes and that given to scientific Olympiad medalists. While the efforts of athletes on the field are visible to the public, the intellectual work of a student struggling to solve a difficult scientific problem is not as readily seen. Nevertheless, university professors, scientists, and those familiar with the challenges of this path recognize the value of these students’ efforts and look to their abilities with hope for a brighter future.

Haddad-Adel recounts the beginnings of Iran’s scientific Olympiads

The president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature recalled his role in the development of the country’s scientific Olympiads. He said that about 40 years ago, in 1986, when he was serving as minister of education, he sent two mathematics specialists abroad to attend a conference on mathematics education. After returning, they introduced him to international mathematics Olympiads and provided him with copies of the competition questions.

Haddad-Adel added that he had already been concerned about declining student interest in mathematics and had launched a national mathematics competition to encourage students to pursue the subject. After learning about the international Olympiad, he decided to send six winners of the domestic competition to Cuba to participate in the global event.

Recalling the limited time available to prepare Iran’s first team, he said he asked Dr. Najafi, a former student of his at Sharif University of Technology who had a successful background in mathematics competitions, to lead the team. The students had only one week to prepare for the competition.

Haddad-Adel continued that Iran was then in the midst of the imposed war and facing difficult circumstances. Despite those challenges, arrangements were made for the students to meet the then president, whom he referred to as the martyred president, before their departure. Recalling the president’s support and encouragement, Haddad-Adel said the students went on to win medals for Iran at the international competition. Their success encouraged the continuation of the initiative, helped expand Olympiads into other disciplines, and contributed to the establishment of the Young Scholars Club.

Iranian students’ scientific abilities in international competitions

Drawing on years of experience with scientific Olympiads, Haddad-Adel praised the remarkable abilities of Iranian students and recounted an experience from an international mathematics Olympiad in China.

He said that, in one edition of the competition, a difficult geometry problem had been presented that none of the Chinese team members could solve, while all six members of the Iranian team succeeded. Even more notably, each student arrived at a different solution.

Haddad-Adel added that Dr. Karam-Pour, who was leading the team at the time, compiled the six Iranian students’ solutions and published them in an academic paper. He said experiences such as this had further demonstrated to him the scientific ability and creativity of young Iranians throughout his years of working with Olympiad students.

Haddad-Adel: The enemy seeks to take away the Iranian nation’s faith and knowledge

In another part of his speech, Haddad-Adel referred to efforts by foreign scientific institutions and universities to attract Iranian talents and stressed the importance of preserving the country’s human capital. He said Iran’s adversaries have their eyes on the abilities of its young people, and recruiting these talents can deprive Iran of their scientific contributions while allowing other countries to benefit from them.

Referring to a statement by the martyred Leader that the enemy seeks to take away the Iranian nation’s faith and knowledge, Haddad-Adel discussed attacks on scientific centers and the assassination of scientists in this context.

He stated that no revolution can achieve its goals without developing capable human resources and establishing a scientific and educational movement after its victory. Therefore, he said, the country’s progress and long-term stability require investing the necessary resources and capabilities in educating the younger generation so that they can govern the country and address its challenges.

Advice to scientific talents: Combine knowledge with faith and ethics

The president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature then drew on his experience in education and university teaching to address the young participants, saying he wished to speak to them from the perspective of a teacher and grandfather. His first recommendation was that they preserve their religious faith alongside their pursuit of knowledge.

Citing a verse by the Persian poet Sanai Ghaznavi conveying the idea that the pursuit of knowledge driven by greed and worldly ambition can be dangerous, he explained that knowledge without ethics, spirituality, and reverence for God could become a tool for harming others. Knowledge alone, he said, does not guarantee ethical conduct, while belief in God can support a person’s commitment to moral values.

Haddad-Adel urged young people to keep their hearts open to God and cherish the innocence of youth. He emphasized that scientific progress achieves its proper purpose when moral and spiritual values are preserved alongside it.

“Devote yourselves to your country and to serving others”

In his second recommendation, Haddad-Adel called on scientific talents to dedicate their abilities to their country and to serving the public. Referring to the role of families and society in young people’s success, he said that while academic achievement results from individuals’ efforts and their parents’ care, the contribution of society and public investment in developing their talents must not be overlooked.

He stressed that public resources and taxpayers’ money are spent on education and the development of scientific talent, and argued that turning one’s back on the country after benefiting from these resources is incompatible with social responsibility.

To illustrate his point, Haddad-Adel recounted a story about a man who had lost his key inside a dark house but searched for it under a streetlight outside. When asked why he was not looking where he had lost it, the man replied that the place was dark and the light made searching easier.

Haddad-Adel compared the story to people who, rather than trying to solve their own country’s problems, seek opportunities abroad simply because better facilities are available there. He stressed that scientific talents should use their knowledge and abilities to address Iran’s challenges and improve conditions in their homeland.

Recalling his studies under Dr. Mahmoud Hesabi and the importance of serving Iran through science

In another part of his remarks, Haddad-Adel recalled his university studies in 1964 and 1965, saying that he had studied optics under Dr. Mahmoud Hesabi at the University of Tehran during those years.

He referred to Hesabi’s education in France and the possibility he had of pursuing a scientific career in Europe, before highlighting the professor’s decision to return to Iran. Despite the difficulties of the time, Hesabi remained in the country and helped train generations of physicists.

Referring to Iran’s scientific advances in fields such as space technology, Haddad-Adel stressed that today’s achievements are the result of the scientific efforts and investments of generations of professors and researchers who chose to work and train students in Iran despite the challenges. He described their experience as a reminder of the responsibility scientific talents bear for the country’s future.

Proposal to establish a university staffed by scientific Olympiad achievers

At the conclusion of his speech, Haddad-Adel spoke of his long-standing interest in the needs of Olympiad students and described his aspiration to establish a university specifically for these talents, with faculty members selected from among the top achievers of scientific Olympiads in various disciplines.

He explained that the university’s charter could establish a clear pathway for successful Olympiad students to continue their studies and eventually return to the university as faculty members. Bringing such scholars together in one academic institution, he said, could create a distinctive capacity for the country’s scientific and technological advancement.

Referring to the capabilities of Astan Quds Razavi, the president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature expressed hope that, with the attention and support of the Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, the proposal could be examined and potentially implemented as a step toward a major scientific and technological leap in the country.