In a meeting with the representatives of Iranian university students, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei gave certain guidelines, which we will review in our column.

National and public self-belief was among the objectives the Leader asked the students to follow. Self-belief was among the goals the committed students who founded the Islamic Students Associations were following. No society can stand on its feet without self-belief.

Today, the world is a battlefield of cultures, ideas, doctrines and dictums. Although globalization has become a catchword in today's life, in many parts of the world, from Paris to Beijing to Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi to Havana, there are serious concerns about cultural inroads. Students have always been the vanguard of reform in almost all Third World countries. Hence, the Leader rightly addressed students to raise self-belief among them.

The leader alluded to "the loss of the self" vis--vis 0foreigners. With the most sophisticated information technology at the service of the West, the imposition of Western culture, the one-sided influx of information from cyberspace, that is, cultural inroads are the most serious menace threatening the independence of Third World countries.

Hence, students must work to strengthen their national culture. "the loss of the self" surfaces when one undervalues his or her indigenous culture under pressure of any other culture. Western culture has now entered every house through the Internet, satellite television and other means of communication rolling in cyberspace.

Despite its invading nature, Western culture represents an ideology that has virtually failed in the domain of morality. Family foundation is weak; extramarital sex is threatening not only the foundation of the family, but the health of the people; AIDS is spreading at an alarming rate.

A comparison between the number of people infected with HIV in religious and non-religious societies clearly indicates that the best remedy to this social problem is the establishment of a religious society.

As the Leader mentioned to students, not only is democracy not incompatible with religion, it is inherent in it. In other words, a religious state cannot be established without observing the rules of democracy, while true democracy is not possible without religion.

Students must bear in mind the Imam's line and endeavor to institutionalize the foundations of religious democracy in our country. This goal can only be attained in a calm and tranquil atmosphere. However, by 'tranquillity' we do not mean apathy.

A politically active university environment is the most appropriate atmosphere for realizing the Leader's goals.