TEHRAN (IRNA) -- The 41st Conference in a series titled Promotion of the National-Islamic Identity, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, was held in Tehran in the presence of the nation’s top cultural experts and social researchers.

The national event was held at the Ministry’s Audio-Visual Media Center’s auditorium. The Cultural Affairs Deputy of the Supreme Leader’s Representative in the Universities, Hojjatoleslam Saber Akbari Jeddei, said in the opening address of the conference, "The global community has throughout the past few decades played significant attention to the cultural identity of different nations, and discussions in that regard have been pursued almost parallel with the issues on globalization." He added, "This proves the great importance the world nations attach to culture-generation and indigenous cultures nowadays." Saber Akbari said, "Since Iran claimed to be the standard bearer of the Iranian-Islamic culture following the glorious victory of the Islamic Revolution, it is of significant importance to define an appropriate status for the national-Islamic identity of the Iranians."

Akbari, who is meanwhile a member of the country’s General Culture Council listed four great turning points in the course of Iran's cultural developments, that have each played crucial roles in shaping the identity of the Iranians. He added, "Introduction of Islam to the Iranians was the first of such developments, which led to wiping out the polytheist and dualist beliefs from the Iranian culture." He referred to the emergence of the Safavid Era as the second effective development in Iran’s cultural life, arguing, "during that era, the Shi’a school took roots and the Infallible Household of the Prophet (PBUT) were thoroughly introduced to the masses in Iran." Considering the Constitutional Revolution as the "first foundation" for the religious intellectualism in Iran, he said, "in that revolution, the first sparks of difference between tradition and modernism were kindled, and for the first time, the time-bound approach towards culture and religion was introduced to the Iranian society." Akbari added, "The Islamic Revolution, too, initiated the idea of democracy in Iran." He referred to "sub-cultures" and "aboriginal cultures" in Iran as "cultural gaps in Iran", adding, "In order to fill such cultural gaps we need to create bonds between them."