UT President's Message to the ceremony of awarding Knowledge Excellence Medal

In the name of the God of life and wisdom

Greetings

The big family of University of Tehran, the esteemed community of academicians and the honorable nation of Iran

Today, the 29^th  of May 2023, the eighty-ninth anniversary of the approval of the Law  of the Establishing the University of Tehran, is not only the birthday of a university, but also the beginning of the efforts of a great historical nation to learn new sciences in a systematic and modern way and to participate in the international arena of science production.

A nation that was once the leader of science among nations with  al-Farabi and al-Biruni, Avicenna, Khayyam and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, has once again tried to be a flag bearer in the world of science.

This time, this nation wants to nurture the immortals of the history of science through the institution of the university. Of course, this was not a novel effort for a nation that had Jundishapur University in the past.

People whose heavenly verse is "Only those fear Allāh, from among His servants, who have knowledge" and their merciful prophet is the city of knowledge and their Imam is the gate of knowledge.

Yes, this has been the long-standing effort of an old nation to learn and research, which was manifested in the last century in University of Tehran  which is entering its 90th year today.

But the University of Tehran, this 89-year-old fruitful tree that blooms and flourishes for centuries, is the result of the efforts of faithful and compassionate gardeners who have spent years of their lives on it.

So if today this house is a house; If it is still the leader of higher education in the country, and if the glorious resonance of the name " University of Tehran" has passed beyond the borders, it is nothing but the fruit of the efforts of patriotic, noble and knowledge-loving people who, during 9 decades, in classrooms, libraries, offices, laboratories, workshops and all places of the university has been working enthusiastically.

Now, on the 89th anniversary of its birth, and on the verge of entering its 10th decade, University of Tehran, together with Tehran University of Medical Sciences, which were members of the unit many years ago, has initiated the country's first national university medal named " Knowledge Excellence Medal".  A medal that is awarded annually to scientists and intellectuals with scientific authority in six fields of science.

The initial idea of this medal was proposed in the spring of last year and luckily it became a reality this spring.

Indeed, if today's intellectuals and scholars of Iran are to be praised and receive a medal and an offering to the credit of the country's academic system, what better place than University of Tehran, which is the oldest and most comprehensive university in Iran and a national symbol of higher education.

And what better day to award such a medal than the auspicious day of May 29th, which is the birthday of the University of Tehran, with the hope that this medal will be a blessing every year for the scholars who have kept the lamp of knowledge lit and raised the flag of the country. Thinkers who have not stopped exploring the path of science in the rise and downs of the times and have stood by their people.

Now that the first period of awarding the " Knowledge Excellence Medal " will be held at the same time as the anniversary of the approval of the law establishing the University of Tehran, I wish that this initiative will be a source of lasting prestige and ritual for the university and join the old heritage of the university.

You know well that the Iranian society has always faced many ups and downs in the process of its social capital; However, the turning point in the social capital phenomenon of Iranian society can be seen in the biggest event of the century, i.e. the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Finally, I pray to Almighty God, the creator of civilization, science and culture, to grant us all success in serving our beloved country and connect our drop of knowledge to the sea of knowledge of God, as Hazrat Rumi said.

Seyed Mohammad Moghimi

President,

 University of Tehran