One of the most significant innovation of Tebyan Institute, for promoting and disseminating Islam, is the creation of the “Educative Theme Park.” An attractive foundation that provides sound and quality entertainment, as much as recreational games that reflect upon our religious teachings and our national culture. An improved method to convey and promote the religious and social values.
The Tebyan Institute relies on the capabilities and passions of its youth, as much as the experienced consultants’ viewpoints regarding the disseminating and entertaining fields. By observing and identifying recreational areas and theme parks around Iran just as much as around the world. “Educative Theme Park” can be an attractive and likable manner for satisfying entertainment and recreation and game which is proportional to our religious teachings and our national culture. Meanwhile, it is counted as a new and practical style to disseminate the religious teachings and social rituals.
Identity of “Educative Theme Park”:
Leisure time is the perfect opportunity to improve the cultural values and promote communist health growth, with the help of cultural and economic policy-makers, who would lead the production of wealth.
Ignoring the importance of improving leisure activities may lead to cultural and social catastrophes. This is why a new design for different age groups of different tastes will be able to fulfill and/or take a great advantage of their time.
The Islamic Republic of Iran depends on its Islamic teachings as a guide for their country. Islamic teachings exist for each and every field of our unique lives.
As a comprehensive religion, Islam emphasizes that we use our free time in correspondence to the Islamic culture. This is the duty of a decision maker, who must deliver the entertainment, based upon the religious values.
However, if it is ignored, surely it changes into a big threat for the society and causing social issues. What is here for the cultural activists, is a new design for leisure time in different ages and tastes, in a way, that either fills the free time or takes best advantage of the time.
Islamic Republic of Iran, that relies on the pure teachings of Islam, wants to lead the Islamic society. The religion itself seems to be a comprehensive one and has a particular and unique plan for every human being’s life. It emphasizes on leisure time by suggesting a special plan correspondent to the Islamic values. Therefore, decision makers who are going to draw an entertainment pattern from religious prospects have in their mind and pay a great amount of attention to this important matter.
There were customs as much as traditions for spending our free time, though, they have been neglected these days. Even when some traditions and programs still exist these days, we must find a more suitable approach to make them presentable to the public since disregarding the matter doesn’t seem logical.
The youngness of the Iranian society made it an urgent necessity for sound entertainment, since the youth are energetic and more passionate for new experiences, especially those that resemble games. Fake pleasure and excitement is the western entertainment style, that mostly goes against the teachings of Islam, and is greatly discouraged. This sort of “Fun” endangers the society and its flourishing culture. The Iranians care about their amusing attractions, recreations, and games based on classes which also associates itself with the religion.
The following pattern meets the requirement for teenagers and youth of our generation.
Apartment life has been growing from shrunken houses, for this reason in the recent years it led to the rise of recreational areas, including: amusement parks, forest parks, etc. Such places are more popular during the holidays since people tend to spend their holidays there.
Urban managers invest on improving and spreading activities to meet the cultural and social needs of the country and its people. Research shows that fulfilling the cultural and social needs of a citizen leads to religion-based development and a more divine society.
Alas, amusement parks nowadays only wish to distract people with their attractions, having little to no educational or religious relations whatsoever. The potential capabilities under these fields are totally ignored, or paid little attention to. By having a deep look into the basis of entertainment and the new generation of children and youth, it’s not hard to notice that you can teach them easily through games; education via games is more efficient.
The Western culture’s method for bringing excitement became an admiration to some people, even though such things hold no meaning or education purpose, and serve its purpose only for fun. Such a use of time became a threat to Iran, Islam’s culture, and the Iranian lifestyle.
Promotional citizenship, cultural, and religious beliefs are largely deepened to a large extent by the owed form the messages were transmitted from. Artistic tools are the most efficient and clearest way to disseminate religious and social teachings.
While fulfilling the leisure time of people in satisfying and useful ways, the disadvantages of negative things are prevented/reduced at the very least. As previously discussed, the recreational “Educative Theme Park” was created to provide games and enjoyment to people of all ages.
The Cultural and Recreational Project creators of the “Educative Theme Park” have the following goals and strategies:
۱- Providing a more relaxing, healthy, and efficient method to guide people by taking advantage of Quranic and Ethrat teachings.
۲- Introducing a novel, creative, and an efficient pattern that disseminates the religion strategies.
Firstly, the games are meant to convey religious teachings to the new audience, especially teenagers and children, this way, they would be able to familiarize themselves with their religion in a more attractive and popular form.
Secondly, the participants that fall under a certain criterion, must meet the recreational needs, and have fun at the same time, while being within a religious framework.
By identifying and observing an area’s strengths and weaknesses, games are created under a religious infrastructure that’s proportionate to the audience’ requirements. Promotion of designing and creating games that can help spread Holy teachings are greatly encouraged. All these games and entertainments created, should have a religious infrastructure proportionate to the needs of today’s audience so that each age group can find a fit entertainment and game on the basis of their taste according to their needs mental and physical capabilities and necessity of Educative Theme park.
The Importance and the Necessity of “Educative Theme Park”:
Importance of “Educative Theme park” can be viewed from two perspectives:
۱- Presenting a healthy and efficient pattern of entertainment: We live in a world where entertainment became an industry. Though the westerner’s pleasure-based culture is being promoted as the most attractive and exciting kind of enjoyment. The glamor of that kind of leisure on the one hand is exotic, while on the other, it is causing a growing thirst among human beings.
The standard of entertainment is not only approved by Islam, but is also compatible with human nature. However, there should be a better and effective arrangement for entertainment to be used by different people. By using the presented matter as well as enjoying funny moments, they should have a suitable behavior according to the religious teachings. In addition to the following items, this kind of entertainment can be suitable method for growth and development.
Obviously, if the true life-style of entertainment, as mentioned above, is not advised by clerics and religious consultants, the westerner’s style is going to be spread in the Islamic societies. Amusement parks are among the most important recreational areas for attracting all kind of people. Thus, we claim that our “Educative Theme park” can be proved as a healthy and efficient manner for entertainment, in accordance to the religious teachings.
۲- Introducing a novel and creative method to spread the religion while deepening the thoughts and culture in the mind of the people fundamentally depends on its presented form. Thus, Islam’s rich culture and pure teachings should be presented to the people through the most effective methods so they would establish them.
The supreme leader (Ayatollah Khamenei) repeatedly emphasized on the use of artistic tools and promotional methods such as entertainment to disseminate Islam.
The all-out attack of the Western culture, against the Islamic society, are trying to overthrow our beloved national values. In order to overcome them, we must figure out a better and more persuasive forms to enlighten our religion and its ideals.
One of the efficient and up-to-date forms of dissemination and promotion of religion is entertainment. Although it is used more widely among children, scientific research shows that games are also attractive to older ages. Therefore, through games and entertainment, religious and scientific concepts can be taught to the different ages. That’s why the Educative Theme Park can be used as a suitable tool to spread religious culture in society, especially among the children and teenagers.
The importance for spreading recreational areas across the country should be greatly encouraged, since it has its benefits. The urgent necessity for the creation of the Educative Theme Park only grows furthermore each day.
The hypothesis of “Educative Theme Park”
The hypothesis for developing his project is based on 5 principles and 1 conclusion:
۱) Human needs have been satisfied by the religious culture, and approaching it only helps for self-development and self-perfection.
۲) Religious teachings, special rituals, and life skills are mostly abstract subjects. Although, some of these can be simulated objectively.
۳) An approachable and viewable presentation of teachings, social rituals, and life skills are more effective for education.
۴) Simulation of religious teachings, social rituals, and life skills in a tangible and objective way in the form of entertainment and game is a very good method to help spread the religion.
۵) The people’s need for entertainment and their tendency to reach recreational areas has the potential to spread the religious culture.
Conclusion: In order to respond to the recreational needs of people, some specific amusement parks can be created to stimulate religious teachings, social rituals, and life skills by using the right entertainment and games.
By using such methods, a set of educational and teachings in the form of entertainment can be presented to the target groups.
The positive points of operational project of Educative Theme Park:
– Indigenization, the design and production of games in the amusement park.
– Preventing cultural damage of imported equipment from abroad.
– Foreign currency drain
– Establishing the production line for educative games.
– Creating sustainable employment in the field of research, design, production, and running the games for 100 people.
– Training the work force in the different fields of industry such as: Mechanics, Fiber glass, electronics, welding, etc.
– Relying on the internal capabilities (internal work force) and step towards the resistance economy.
– Trusting the youth and relying on their endless motivation and effort. (Youthfulness)
The positive points of objective project of “Educative Theme Park”
– Making a fun and healthy place for religious audience who avoid being in harmful recreational areas.
– Introducing a new tool in the field of entertainment and dissemination of cultural activists.
– Having a positive impact on the audience (in)directly.
– Reinforcing self-esteem among the cultural members of Islamic revolution.
– Self-sufficiency by making money out of ticket sales. (Cultural economy)
– Dissemination of religious culture and promotion and level of social rituals among the audience.
– Responding the recreational needs of people using satisfying methods.
Anticipation of the favorable cultural attachment with “Educative Theme Park”:
– Islamic Iranian Stationary.
– Intellectual games and toys.
– Childish books or softwares.
– Cultural products.
– Iranian clothing and apparel.
– Healthy food and organic products.
– Child Care advice center.
– Religious advice center
– Festivities Hall
– Training and recreational camp
– Sporting goods.
۱) Observation and identification
– Analysis of recreational areas inside and outside of country and patterning of them.
– Holding consulting meetings by religious and entertainment.
– Gathering worthwhile data and adding content to the games.
۳) Idea planning / Projecting planning
– Designing exciting and attractive games correspondent to the religious concepts.
– Designing and manufacturing the games by establishing different committees cultural justification of “Educative Theme park.”
Regardless of the economic justification of the project, supporting this creative idea has cultural justification from different perspectives one of the important functions of Islamic establishment is to develop the Islamic culture.
In fact, the effort to promote the level of Islamic culture is a kind of investment for training and educating faithful people. These people are those who guarantee the development and continuity of the Islamic Establishment. If it is neglected, the society will undergo cultural deviation.
Accordingly, many actions and investments by the different parts of the government’s organizations is not justified economically.
Planning about the leisure time and satisfying the entertainment is one of the functions and duties of an Islamic Establishment. Western cultures are viewing the world materialistically, and they are promoting endless pleasure, excitement. So the entertainment in the west is pleasure-based and not educational based. This may lead to the destruction of the Islamic culture and replacing it with the Western culture.
Islam has a particular plan for all parts of a human being’s life, including their free time. The result of all these plans are prefect and evolved. In Islam’s perspective, even your free time and entertainment must not neglect evolution.
All aspects of human life should be with God’s remembrance. The total direction of this Theme park is to create an attractive recreational area which is at the same time with remembrance and education. This is exactly the opposite side of Western theme parks.
By creating this theme park, religious families also have a recreational area accordance with their Islamic regulations and customs, without any worry about the disadvantages of today’s theme parks.
۱ – According to the results of the survey which is done recently about “Educative theme park” in the Rizavi Holy Shrine, 100% of the children and teenagers stated that due to the presence in this sacred place, they are interested in re-attendance.
۹۲% of parents believed that their children have more interest and tendency to re-attend in Holy Shrine and their durability has increased.
۲ – According to the survey, 96% of the parents have expressed their interests about the existence of this theme park in the Holy Shrine. 100% of the children as an answer to this question, “Whether you are interested for having this theme park in the Holy Shrine?” Their response is a “Yes”.
۳ – ۹۶% of the parents stated that their agreement on the stability of this theme park in the Holy Shrine.
۴ – ۸۰% of the children and 83% of the teenagers, who used other cultural programs of the Holy Shrine, believe that this theme park is better than the others.
It is worth mentioning that according to the survey done out of the Executive staffs, they believed that this theme park should be established all the year in the Holy Shrine, and not just for a temporarily.
۱) Strengthening the spirit of fighting the enemy and the oppressors.
۲) Introducing the true face of the world’s greatest oppressors.
۳) Strengthening the spirit of philanthropy and helping others.
۴) Explaining the fact that helping the oppressed and hatred towards the oppressors does not deal with their nationality, race, color, etc. but their actions.
۵) Paying respects towards martyrs and honoring their sacrifices.
۱) Introducing the concept and importance of recycling.
۲) Making the children familiar with the advantages of recycling waste.
۳) Institutionalizing the culture of recycling and separation of harmful products.
۴) Denial of Squander.
۵) Strengthening the sense of friendship with nature and protecting the wildlife.
۱) Teaching children about avoiding risks of hurting others and endangering their lives.
۲) Teaching the safety regulations and how to use the first aid kit.
۳) Teaching the number “125” to the children, and exactly when to use it.
۴) Introducing the different services of a fire station.
۱) Teaching the intact moral and social concepts in the form of anecdotes (story).
۲) Informing the children with anecdotes.
۱) Teaching important driving rules like speed limit and seat belt.
۲) Introducing traffic signs like: Red light, crossing, pedestrian lines, etc.
۳) Introducing risky behaviors and telling them to avoid them, example, running on the street.
۴) Teaching important social rituals and citizenship rights like helping the elderly cross the road.
۵) Institutionalizing the respect for citizenship rights and respecting the law to children as future citizens.
“The Path to Achievement”
۱) Teaching the most practical Islamic verdicts practically like, puberty, imitation, ablutions ( wudٓu ), Ghusl, etc.
۲) Explaining the importance of learning Islamic verdicts.
۳) Explaining the important of imitation.
۴) Answering the Islamic questions of the youth.
“The Right and Wrong Path”
۱) Informing teenagers of their “relations” and “strangers.”
۲) Informing the extent of relationship with “related” and “strangers.”
۳) Teaching the ways of relativity and kinship to the teenagers.
۴) Explaining the effects of the thought of sin and its effect on the mind.
۵) Explaining the importance of decency and hijab in our society, and its effects on the stability of the family.
“The Pilgrimage Caravan”
۱) Explaining the “Ghadir” event and its importance by illustrations and storytelling.
۲) Explaining the importance of the leadership of Imam Ali ( P.B.U.H ).
۱) Teaching children Quranic anecdotes regarding the story of Noah and the destiny of his people.
۲) Introducing the Ul-ul-Azm Prophets.
۳) Showing the destiny of disobeying God’s commands.
“City of Science”
۱) Teaching practical issues like helping parents, studying, etc.
۲) Teaching some Islamic verdicts like praying and ablution.
۳) Increasing the motivation of children towards studying lessons, doing the right things and avoiding from doing the wrong.
۱) Informing the advantages of eating healthy food.
۲) Informing the disadvantages of unhealthy food.
۳) Introducing the alternatives to unhealthy food.
۴) Informing about mental illness and their negative impact on the body
۵) Teaching the ways to prevent and treat mental illness.
The goal to design and performing this game is to create an attractive area for teenagers to test their physical fitness firstly, and in the second place, is to change their taste from computer games to physical games.
The Future Prospects
۱) Building, equipping, and running a factory to make educative games. ( The production line of the game )
۲) Selection and training the technical forces among the revolutionary members with the priority of the members of the Tebyan Institute.
۳) Establishing an “Educative Theme Park” to at least 8 metropolises.
۴) Establishing the “After Sales” Services section to repair the games.
۵) Writing educational headings and performing the training course for executive forces.
۶) Researching and designing new “Educative Games” and upgrading the previous games.
۷) Designing the indigenous models of “Educative games”.
۸) Presence in the domestic market and trying to enter the international markets.
۹) Special investment on designing and production of educational games particularly for girls.
۱۰) Making the Educational Theme Park as Knowledge enterprise in the field of the human sciences.
In 2003, a number of motivated clerics in a deprived region of Qom established a cultural institute known as “Tebyan”. They started their job by the revival of a mosque called “Mahmodieh” beside Imamzadeh Hamzeh, the son of Imam Kazim,. “Tebyan Cultural Institute” is a mosque-based cultural association, and its main goal is to train, and educate children and teenagers. In the mean time. There is an endless effort on the more attractions, and innovations in the educational, and promotional style.
The young, and passionate clerics have passed all the limitations through their tireless effort by the God’s help, and great determination in a way that a 40-meter space of the institute has changed into a 1000-meter space. In term of quality, is one of the best promotional groups, and cultural institutes across the country.
This institute is proud that from beginning up to now has registered more than 5000 people, and has educated them. Using the maximum capacity, there are 200 students in the institute, of which their educational and moral issues are handled. Today most of the educational issues of the institute is done by the trained member of the institute.
Tebyan’s seeding has become a huge tree nowadays, and God wiling can be an example of this divine words, as Quran says:
“Are you not aware how God sets forth the parable of a god word? It is like a good tree, firmly routed, [reaching out] its branches towards the sky”. (Ibrahim, 24)
The main mission of this cultural association is training the youth for the Islamic revolution’s goals. Therefore, the institute officials are trying to capable the mosque members to make them expert, and creating the sense of self-esteem as well as improving the level of their religious culture among them. These all factors led to the innovations in the dissemination, and promotion of Islam.
Some of most important products, and services of the institute:
۱- Holding more than 10 courses of learning Quran and Islamic enlightenment during 10 years. (2007-2017)
۲- Designing, and performing “Nowruz exhibition” as a welcome plan for the pilgrims during 5 years (2008-2012)
۳- Designing, and performing “Nowruz exhibition” in the “Hazrat-e-Masomeh Holy Shrine” in 2013.
۴- Designing, and performing the teenage section of the “International Quran exhibition” in 2013.
۵- Compilation of books: “30 signs and 1 path”, “ABC to God” for the education of the students circulated 30 thousands volumes.
۶- Compilation of 40 books, and pamphlets to be used in cultural association inside, and outside of the country.
۷- Creation of the idea “Educative Theme Park” (Teaching religious, and social rituals in the form of game, and entertainment) for the first time in Iran.
۸- Performing 1st “Educative Theme Park” in “Hazrat-e-Masomeh Holy Shrine by more than 150 thousands visitors. (2014)
۹- Performing 2nd “Educative Theme Park” in Bushehr province by more than 200 thousands visitors during 10 days. (2015)
۱۰- Performing 3rd “Educative Theme Park” in Imam Reza Holy Shrine in Mashhaad.
۱۱- Editing the study project of “Educative Theme Park” including: content research, upgrading the religious, cultural, and psychological infrastructures of the games, observing, and indentification of recreational areas in Iran, and foreign countries, studying more than 2000 sites in the field of game, and entertainment, consulting with experts in both entertainment and religion.
۱۲- Providing technical machinery to produce the equipment for “Educative Theme Park”.
Some of the honors
– The meeting of the Institute’s officials with supreme leader (Ayatollah Khamenei), and providing a report of the activities.
– Gaining top rank among cultural associations in Qom for several consecutive periods. (2005-2007)
– Gaining top rank among NGO of Qom. (2006-2008)
– Significant activity in the teenager’s section of “Hazrat-e-Masomeh exhibition” for several consecutive periods. (2008-2011)
– Gaining top rank in the exhibition “The Capabilities and achievements of Qom cultural associations. (2012)
– Gaining top rank in the exhibition “The Capabilities of Promotional Groups”. (۲۰۱۱)
– Gaining top rank in the 1st, and 2nd in the national “Etefaq” festival. (2009-2012)
– Gaining top rank in the “۲۱st International Quran Exhibition”. (۲۰۱۵)
– Gaining top “Entrepreneur” in Qom. (2017)
– Gaining top rank in “Idiran National Festival”. (۲۰۱۷)
The history of “The Educative Theme Park”
Tebyan Cultural Institute as the creator of “Educative Theme Park” after 10 years in holding different educational programs, and collecting their feedbacks concluded that practical sections, and booths observe more contacts, and they are more popular. Thus, entertainment, and game is considered as a suitable format to disseminate the Islamic teachings.
The supreme leader (Ayatollah Khamenei)’s emphasis was s good approval to produce, and promote the game, too.
Tebyan Institute providing all its researching, technical, and promotional capacity has succeeded to perform this project 3 times.
The 1st performance was done in “Hazrat-e-Masoomeh” Holy shrine in 2014. More than 150 thousands could use the project and this was counted as a great honor for Tebyan.
The 2nd “Educative Theme Park” was performed in the beautiful beach of Bushehr, and 120 thousands were welcomed. (2015)
The 3rd performance made by the invitation of “Astan Quds Razavi”, and “Imam Reza” Holy Shrine, and up to now, after 4 months, more than 600 thousands visitors came to the “Educative Theme Park”.