The Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution should undergo a fundamental change in order to exert optimal influence on the country's development and culture, said Secretary of the SCCR, Dr. Saeed Reza Ameli, while reflecting views of the President and members of the Supreme Council at its 845th session, chaired by Ayatollah Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi on Tuesday evening, September 21.
Pointing to a Steering Council resolution at the closing hour of the session, Dr. Ameli said: "This resolution is about reforming and completing the goals and policies of the Committee on Culture and Civilization of Islam and Iran that boosts the capacity of the Committee in planning for general and higher education sectors in the country.”
The Secretary of SCCR added: "Iran enjoys the capital and heritage of millennial civilization in the field of science. In basic sciences such as mathematics, physics and chemistry, there are many records in our civilization that have not been seriously used and not properly reflected in the history of Iranian scientific and cultural civilization. Therefore, this resolution creates more capacity for the Committee. Although the Committee’s influence can be seen in 1000 textbooks by introducing scientists and scientific achievements in various fields, this resolution has created a better capacity.”
He referred to a report by Dr. Mavalizadeh, the Secretary of the Public Culture Council, expressing his thanks to the President and members of the Supreme Council for their valuable efforts and services. “Prominent master Dr. Emami was unanimously elected as the new Secretary of the Public Culture Council of the country by the members of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.”
Referring to the two meetings held in the new term and to the transformational approach of the SCCR, Dr. Ameli said: "Members and chairman of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution believe that the Supreme Council needs a shake-up in the sense that Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader had always recommended, but the current situation is far from the desired situation. First of all, this is because the resolutions of the Supreme Council have not been instrumentalized. Major approvals such as the country's Cultural Engineering Document, Document on Fundamental Transformation of Education, Document on Transformation of Humanities, etc. should be implemented in the country's five-year planning system, provincial level of programs and the country's budgeting system. This capacity is yet to be systematically realized.”
Ameli, also a professor of the University of Tehran, added: "On the other hand, the esteemed members are of the opinion that the orders of the Supreme Council should include current issues of the country in areas of culture, science and technology."
Dr. Ameli attributed a major part of success of the Supreme Council to approving comprehensive documents, saying: "For example, the "Cultural Engineering Document" contains about 304 programs, but the view of members is that we should be able to address issues that threaten Iranian culture today. Issues expanding the scope of culture today, such as paying attention to the priorities for establishment of social justice, among them providing jobs, housing, expanding the scope of measures related to health and treatment, providing healthy air and environmental protection, and of course enjoying values of Islamic society, is a cultural and religious matter that strengthens the culture of justice based on Islam.”
The issue is systematic implementation of resolutions of the Supreme Council, whereas it has so far achieved great success both in strategic policy-making and in the approval of national documents, as well as in important institutionalizations that have paved the ground for scientific and cultural management.
Stating that 12 members of the Supreme Council had commented on the need for fundamental change, he continued: "The atmosphere of the meeting is geared at moving towards updating and we hope that after a few in-depth and effective discussions, we will see promotion of the position and systematic influence of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution." Obviously, the position of the Supreme Council is documented by Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader’s measures. The scope of SCCR’s work is documented by the duties and powers specified in the decrees and statements of the Supreme Leader.”
In the end, Dr. Ameli said: "The scope of influence of the Supreme Council will be more outstanding if we pay attention to the same few resolutions notified a year ago, such as the approval on the National Organization for Child Education, which added a three-year period to the educational mission, official notification of the National Document on Child and Family Rights, approval of the National Document on Science and Technology in the field of defense and establishment of the Science and Technology Headquarters in the field of defense.
