The 5th symposium of the World Federation of the Neurosurgical Societies chaired by world-renowned neurologist Prof. Majid Samii, opened on Sunday at Tehran’s Milad Tower.
“I’m grateful to be selected to chair this important event and to all my colleagues who have participated from nearly 90 countries from across the world,” said Samii in his opening speech, Khabaronline reported.
More than 720 top neurosurgeons from various regions are attending the WFNS symposium organized in cooperation with the Neurosurgical Society of Iran.
A wax statue of Samii, 78, who was declared a “symbol of scientific diplomacy for the nation” by Vice President for Science and Technology Sourena Sattari was also unveiled during the ceremony.
“The Rouhani government is determined to focus more on neurology and related sciences, and the Neurological Research Center of Tehran University will open within the next two months,” said Sattari his speech.
“The world knows Iran as progressing in nuclear science alone, but there are also five million among the 32 million youth in the country who are studying in various university fields. Iran ranks fourth in the world with respect to the number of graduate engineers, on par with the US,” he pointed out.
“We believe that our national capital is not hidden in our mines but lie in the hands of our potent human resources, and we will prove that Iran’s major assets are not its reserves of oil and gas.”
He also announced the establishment of another research center in cognitive sciences in Tehran in the near future. Referring to the Iran International Neuroscience Institute founded by Samii to be inaugurated this year, the vice president said, “Projects that will be conducted at the institute will lay the foundation for important research in the field.”
Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, and his wife who was among the attendees, also delivered a speech.
Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Farhadi, Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf were present.
Previous editions of the symposium were held in Taipei, Taiwan; Lisbon, Portugal; Yunnan (Lijiang), China; and Malaga, Spain.
The Tehran symposium concludes on April 23.
