Iran hosts Intl. philosophy conference

Philosophers from 42 countries have gathered in the Iranian capital to attend the three-day conference of the International Philosophy Day.

According to director of the event Gholamreza Avani, more than 95 acclaimed philosophers participate in the conference, IRNA reported on Sunday.

”The international participants of the congress include 37 Europeans, 28 Asians, 15 Americans, 12 Africans and 5 Australians,” Avani told IRNA.

Members of the International Society for Islamic Philosophy (ISIP) and the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS) have also attended the event.

“Iran is the first Asian country to host the conference of the International Philosophy Day,” he said, adding that all countries try to commemorate the occasion by holding similar gatherings.

“This year’s conference is held on the theme of Philosophy, Theory and Practice,” Avani said.

Assigned by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Philosophy Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of November, commemorating the birth anniversary of classical Greek philosopher Socrates.

UNESCO hosted the conference every November from 2002 to 2005, but since 2006 different countries mark the occasion by holding international events.

Iran is the sixth host of the event after Chile, Morocco, Turkey, Italy and Russia.

The 2010 edition of the conference of the International Philosophy Day will run until November 23 at the National Library of Iran.