TEHRAN – President Ebrahim Raisi has said science and technology are the cornerstones of national development.

The chain of knowledge, research, innovation, and technology ensures sustainable development in the country, he added.

The president made the remarks at the ending ceremony of the 36th Khwarizmi International Festival, the 24th Khwarizmi Youth Award, and the 1st Khwarizmi Innovation and Technology Award, which was held in Tehran on Tuesday, IRNA reported.

“Our religious leaders benefited from the knowledge and advised the society to learn science and wisdom.

They gave a privileged position to wise men, scientists, and researchers and always encouraged someone who was a person of wisdom and thoughtfulness.”

“Our interaction with all nations and governments in the world should be for the transfer of knowledge and technology, and our interaction with all neighboring countries, in the region and globally, should be based on this criterion,” Raisi highlighted.

The ending ceremony of the festival also honored exemplary participants.

Contestants participated in the fields of aerospace, civil engineering, materials, metallurgy and new energies, agriculture, natural resources, animal sciences and veterinary medicine, electrical and computer, mechanics, basic sciences, green technology, mechatronics, biotechnology, and basic medical sciences, industry and technology management, medical sciences, chemical technologies, information technology, and nanotechnology.

The selected plans of the 36th Khwarizmi International Award included development projects in the specialized group of electrical and computer engineering, aerospace, and biotechnology.

The 24th Khwarizmi Youth Award also has four winners who are in the specialized groups of mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and new energies.

The First Khwarizmi Innovation and Technology festival also has four winners in the specialized groups of electrical and computer engineering, new technologies, and mechanical engineering.

Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology proposed the creation of the Khwarizmi Award in memory of Abu Jafar Mohammad Ibn Mousa Khwarizmi, the great Iranian Mathematician, and Astronomer (770-840 C.E).

The first session of the Khwarizmi Award, in 1987, called for Iranian nationals to present their outstanding contribution, invention, or innovation.

Innovation, technology ecosystem

The country’s progressing process of development has accelerated with the emphasis on the formation of the technology and innovation ecosystem and the approval of laws for supporting knowledge-based companies and boosting Iran-made products.

Today, we are witnessing the positive effects of adopting the approach in the economy, culture, and daily life of people.

the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy has reported that the sales of knowledge-based companies in the fiscal year 1400 (March 2021-March 2022) hit 4,000 trillion rials (about $10 billion) compared to the fiscal year 1399, an increase of 86 percent year on year.

Improving the scientific level of society, achieving high global rankings in the number of scientific articles, references, and patenting, reducing the illiteracy rate, and increasing the number of university courses and students are only a part of the achievements after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

According to the latest statistics, a total of 8,046 knowledge-based companies are operating in the country.

The number of knowledge-based companies in biotechnology, agriculture, and food industries is 362, in advanced pharmaceuticals is 480, in advanced materials (chemistry and polymer) is 1130, and in advanced machinery and equipment is 1721.

Moreover, 326 companies are operating in the field of medical equipment, 1821 companies in electricity and electronics, 1778 companies in information technology, 397 companies in commercialization, and 31 companies in creative industries and humanities.

MG