“Message from Dr. Mehrdad Rakhshandeh, Acting President and Executive Director of the ECO Cultural Institute, on the occasion of the Commemoration Day of Abu Nasr Farabi and the Day of Wisdom and Philosophy.”
Coinciding with the anniversary of Abu Nasr Farabi, the great philosopher of the East and one of the founders of philosophical thought in Islamic civilization, and also the Day of Wisdom and Philosophy, I deem it necessary to extend my blessings and congratulations on this occasion to all researchers, professors, students, thinkers, lovers of culture and wisdom, and the dear people of the ECO region.
Farabi, who is known as the Second Master (Knowledgeable Teacher), opened a new and fresh path through his unparalleled depth of thought in linking reason, ethics, politics, and art. He showed that a human society attains prosperity only when thought and virtue accompany and support one another. His intellectual legacy, though many centuries have passed, still inspires our scientific and cultural endeavors; for philosophy is not merely a theoretical discipline, but a torch that lights the path of tomorrow and a means for the elevation of human beings.
The ECO Cultural Institute has always emphasized, and continues to emphasize, the continuation of the path of wisdom, the expansion of philosophy education, the strengthening of critical thinking, and the promotion of dialogue among human beings. For philosophy is a mirror that invites the human soul to behold the truth, and whoever gazes into this mirror, draws closer to the awareness and inner clarity within. A society that values thought and knowledge can stand firm above its hardships and, in the light of wisdom and understanding, take steps toward enlightened thinking.
I am grateful to all companions of culture and thought, and I hope that our joint efforts will lead to the further flourishing of culture and knowledge in this region.
Dr. Mehrdad Rakhshandeh
Acting President and Executive Director of ECI