TEHRAN – Iran will be hosting the international congress of World Philosophy Day 2010, and is expecting 100 scholars from around the globe. Moscow hosted the event in 2009.

Director of the Institute of Wisdom and Philosophy of Iran Gholamreza Avani gave some details about the program in Iran, the Persian service of FARS reported on Monday.
“The congress with the central theme of ‘Philosophy, Theory, and Practice’ will open in Iran in mid-November,” he said.
“Many great scholars of Islamic philosophy were Iranians and we can help attract the world’s attention to Oriental philosophy through these types of programs.”
Avani said that the institute has been dedicating two days to philosophy over the past three years, adding, “On the first day, the issue of philosophy is discussed, and on the second day, a scholar of philosophy is honored. This year, tribute will be paid to Gholamhossein Ebrahimi-Dinani.”
He noted that the universities of Isfahan, Shiraz, Zanjan, and Tehran as well as the Qom Seminary will be collaborating with the institute for the congress.
Avani said that over 60 articles by clerics and 100 by university scholars have so far been compiled, and it is estimated that over 300 articles will be submitted to the congress this year.
Over 50 foreign scholars have so far announced their participation in the event. “We will have guests from different countries including the United States, Austria, Denmark, South Korea, Japan, Norway and India,” he said.
Avani also announced that the institute would be publishing the international periodical “Philosophia Islamica” in the near future.