Speech [The need to complement education with training and cultural independence]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Education alone is not effective. Training must be placed beside education. This means that when the youth go to the universities and centers of learning for education, if it is purely education, then sometimes it can perhaps also be harmful for the country. Many of the losses that have been inflicted on our country are from these same educated people. Many of the plans that are incompatible with our country have been designed by this same educated class- the educated that had the knowledge but did not have the training; the educated that had only their own personal interests in mind.

An individual who does not have the right training, even if we assume he has the right education; he is educated at the highest level, he is more harmful for the country than the ordinary people. The ordinary people cannot inflict harm upon the country the way he can. It is these educated ones that can design plans for the utility of others. Those who were around this father and son «1» were from the educated class who were educated in Europe and America; but it was only education. They did not have Islamic training and human development. Therefore, the harm that was inflicted upon our country by the educated ones of this country was not inflicted by others. Even the SAVAK did not inflict as much harm as they did. They corrupted the minds. They corrupted our youth.

For this reason, cultural training must be imparted alongside education. It should not be only in the name" education and training". It should be real- it should be both education at the highest level and be complemented with training. Our youth should be trained in human development; an Islamic training that is the same human development. If they are trained in human development our youth shall no longer betray their country; they shall no longer put together plans to hand over the interests of our country to others.

What is important is that the culture be transformed; a culture in which Westernization is driven out from it. All our things should be in this fashion. It should have independence of thought, inner independence. In addition to having independence- and no one should interfere in culture- it must have independence of thought; it should be independent and free and stand on its own two feet. It should not be such that it focuses on what the West is doing and we too should follow suit; what they say, we too should say likewise.

This great affliction has befallen absolutely on Iran and the countries of the East such that they are all ears to what they do and what they say in the West and what they practice while they have totally forsaken themselves. They have lost their independence of thought; their inner values. This is a loss that is greater than that of crude oil and the likes of it. This must be recompensed by culture so that our culture is such that after, God willing, a few years, the individuals that are born from the culture are individuals that have self-confidence and view their own selves and not follow others; not imitate others and think that whatever they are doing in the West, we too should follow them. They must see their own country and their own selves as being independent and to govern their country on their own. With their independent thinking they should pursue the affairs of the country and look after its interests.

I hope that God willing, all of you are successful and all of us succeed in molding human beings in this country. The country should train human beings as the agenda of Islam is development of human beings. God willing, the culture should be one that develops human beings. May God endorse all of you, God willing.