‘Martyrs are identity of Iranian nation, should not be consigned into oblivion’

The leader made the comment on Dec. 6 as he received organizers of a congress commemorating 10,000 martyrs of East Azarbaijan Province. The text of Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech made during the meeting was published on Thursday as the congress kicked off in the provincial capital Tabriz.

In his speech, the leader hailed East Azarbaijan as a cradle of martyrs and those sacrificing their lives, stressing that martyrs should not be put into oblivion because they are the identity of the Iranian nation.

He said that commemorating martyrs is not merely aimed at recalling their memories, but it is a necessary measure which should be taken at short intervals.

The commemoration ceremonies should pave the way for highlighting and transferring to the youth the outstanding characteristics of martyrs, including faith, martyrdom-seeking, devotion and courage, Ayatollah Khamenei added.

He said that the spirit of the martyrs should also be introduced to the youth through poems, books and films, as they are the best role model for the young people.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the young people should also be informed about the reason behind actions taken by the martyrs before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as well as their sacrifices and courageous acts after the victory of the revolution. If this is done, the spirit of the martyrs will continue.

He, meanwhile, called on official media outlets to do more efforts to help the youth understand the main reasons behind the Islamic Revolution, key figures and what the martyrs have done. Unofficial media available to people should be used in that regard as well, the leader added.