On the sidelines of the unveiling ceremony for the poster of the 3rd International Arbaeen Narrative Festival, Hojat-ol-Islam Dr. Ali Khadivi, the representative of the Supreme Leader at the university, answered reporters’ questions.
He stated that the goal of holding this festival is to record and document the experiences of students’ presence and their narratives of the Arbaeen pilgrimage, saying: “In the second year, we witnessed a significant leap and extraordinary welcome from students to this program, with nearly 1,500 works received in the second year. This indicates the special welcome and attention of students to playing a role in the path of the Arbaeen pilgrimage of Imam Hussein.”
Active and Aware Presence of Students as Arbaeen Narrators
The head of the Leader’s office at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences said: “In previous editions, media campaigns to publicize the International Arbaeen Narrative Festival have covered the news of this event extensively and professionally. This media coverage has played a vital role in conveying the political and cultural messages of Arbaeen.”
He added: “The artistic and media reflection of this event, especially through media productions and increased digital interactions and the use of social platforms, has created a special position for narrating Arbaeen, in which the active and aware presence of students as Arbaeen narrators has not only helped to raise public awareness but has also strengthened and effectively republished the message of this global gathering at the international level.”
Special Features of the Arbaeen Narrative Festival
Ali Khadivi, referring to the blessings of the Arbaeen Narrative Festival, stated: “Students learn lessons such as sacrifice, resistance, service, empathy, and unity among the Islamic world in this path. He added: With the help of students, we can record a small corner of the great event of Arbaeen. The narratives that reach us from Arbaeen are live narratives, and this is an important feature that adds to the value of these documents.”
Students Should Pay Attention to Innovation and Creativity in Arbaeen Festival Works
Hojat-ol-Islam Khadivi advised students volunteering to participate in the Arbaeen Festival: “In submitting works, students should pay special attention to innovation and creativity and create unique works using artificial intelligence and artistic creativity. Our goal is not only to produce strong technical works, but we are also looking for works with rich and impactful content.”
Invitation to Students and the General Public to Inform About the Arbaeen Narrative Festival
Hojat-ol-Islam Khadivi, while inviting students and the general public to inform about the Arbaeen Narrative Festival, stated: Each student, as a media, plays a role in explaining the massive movement of Arbaeen and reflects a different narrative of its realities. He continued: One of the features we are looking for in the festival is special attention to the issue of Palestine and Gaza. This issue will be examined in detail in the received works.
Gaza and the Resistance Front, the First Issue of the Islamic World
The head of the university institution, emphasizing the importance of the issue of Gaza and the resistance front as the first issue of the Islamic world, stated: In the Arbaeen pilgrimage, we must pay special attention to the crimes of the Zionist regime and the martyrdom of more than 40,000 innocent and resistant people of Palestine. He added: The jihad and resistance of the Palestinian people against the unprecedented volume of crimes of the Zionist regime and the support of Western countries for this genocide should not be forgotten by the world’s free people. On the path of the Arbaeen pilgrimage, which is the front of Hussein (AS), this issue should be addressed because the issue of Karbala is the way to al-Quds. The culture of resistance, sacrifice, and martyrdom exists in the hearts of young people and students of the Islamic world and will soon lead them to victory.
