TEHRAN An international congress on the great Islamic philosopher Molla-Sadra and his role in shaping contemporary philosophy will be held in Kish Island in southern Iran on March 15.

According to an AFP report, the three-day conference will kick off with a message from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Philosophers and scholars from Islamic countries will discuss the thoughts, ideology, personality and works of the great Islamic philosopher Molla-Sadra.

Guest participants from Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Morocco, Sudan, Iraq, Pakistan and Egypt, all experts in Islamic philosophy, will be in attendance.

Some 40 essays written by Iranian and foreign scholars will be presented to the congress.

Head of the Molla-Sadra Islamic Philosophy Foundation, Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad Khamenei, told reporters last Sunday that the upcoming gathering was arranged after an initial one held in 1999 and the first regional seminar on the same subject held in London in 2000 turned out highly successful.

He further said that offers to hold a joint seminar on the great Islamic philosopher has been made by Germany, Italy, France, the Philippines and China.

The congress is now a regular international event every five years and a regional one annually. The next congress is scheduled to convened in a southeast Asian country next year.