Events | Number 5, June 2004

Towards a Great Future

Editor-in-Chief
Khodadad Movaghar

The 6^th Iran Petrochemical Forum was held on the 1^st and 2^nd of May with the participation of over 1600 people from 46 countries. EVENTS has attempted to give a full though brief account of the major parts of the event, specially the opening day. We have also included in this issue two of the speeches delivered at the Forum by outstanding men, and shall provide more of these papers in future issues. If readers feel that EVENTS gives a great deal of attention to the Iranian petrochemical industry and all that is related to it, they would be quite right! We do consider the petrochemical industry to be of the highest importance to our nation as the most effective tool for our future economic development. This is why, in addition to the article about the Forum, and immediately following it, we have included an interview with Mr M Ehtiati, the Chairman and anaging
Director of Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company which handles all of the country’s petrochemical exports.

There is great hope in the future of our petrochemical industry, but we must also develop downstream industries that use petrochemical products to produce even higher added values. We must soon become free of our reliance on export of crude oil!

Standardization – that is writing up standards and seeing to it that they are observed in the industry, in management… in all economic and social aspects of the nation – is crucial for sustainable development. Our
Institute of Standardization and Industrial Research has many qualified people: experts, scientists and managers. It also has up-to-date facilities such as fully equipped laboratories. But it cannot perform all aspects of standardization because of legal impediments. This is a significant issue that is dealt with in the
article titled, “Standardization: a critical factor in development”.

In its efforts towards privatization, or economic liberalization, Iran must give great attention to the banking and insurance sectors. Today, Iranian banks and insurance companies seem to be seriously competing for business and clients. Yet, both sectors are still not completely private owned, but rather owned by bodies which lie in the public domain such as the Pensions Fund, the Social Security Organization etc.

Also included in this issue, besides the foregoing articles, are articles on art, culture, history… of an old nation
which seems to be once again awakening!