TEHRAN – The grand “10-Kilometer Ghadir Celebration” will be held in Tehran on June 14, concurrent with Eid al-Ghadir, and more celebrations will be organized in 500 cities across Iran as well as 20 countries on this occasion, Sasan Zare, spokesperson for the People's Headquarters of the event, said at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday.

Zare emphasized that the Ghadir celebration is an inspiring and replicable model. He stated that on Eid al-Ghadir, from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square in Tehran, over 2,400 temporary stations will be set up to host the public from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Mehr reported.

The stations will offer food and drinks to attendees. Some of the stations will provide children with playgrounds. Flowers and cultural gifts will also be distributed among the people.

Zare also noted that the issue of Palestine, as the foremost concern of the Islamic world, will be highlighted during the event, with donation boxes set up along the entire celebration route to collect aid for the Palestinian people.

“Almost all stations in the 10-kilometer celebration are run by the people, but are organized by coordinating committees. Based on surveys, we anticipate over 20 million attendees,” he noted.

Zare mentioned that when the event was first launched, they did not expect it to spread to all provinces and more than 500 cities. “No systemic effort was made to expand it, but its grandeur led most cities to join. Countries from the Axis of Resistance, like Syria and Lebanon, have requested to host booths in Tehran, and facilities have been made available to them,” he added.

Eid al-Ghadir is a source of unity for the Islamic nation. The event is the day on which Imam Ali (AS), the first Imam of the Shia, was appointed as the successor to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

On the way back home from Hajj in 632, which is known as the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (PBUH) asked for a stop in a region called Ghadir Khumm, where in his sermon, he announced his cousin Ali (AS) as his successor and first Imam based on a revelation from God.

Afterward, two tents were pitched, in one of which Muslims congratulated the Prophet (PBUH) for his excellent choice and, in the other one, Muslims from all tribes gave their allegiance to Imam Ali (AS).

According to the Holy Qur'an, this is the day when God Almighty perfected Islam as the religion by introducing Imam Ali (AS) as the next leader. That is why it is celebrated in honor of the first Shia Imam. 

Imam Ali (AS) was the cousin of the Prophet (PBUH) and is known as the first man to embrace the Prophet's call for Islam. According to Islamic sources, the Imam rooted out poverty and promoted an unprecedented justice system across the Muslim world during his 5-year rule based in the Iraqi city of Kufa.

Eid al-Ghadir is celebrated annually by Shia Muslims around the world on the 18th of Dhul-Hijjah.

SS/