They are still living in those days

Interviewer: Sara Reshadizadeh
Translated by: Mitra Ghamarzadeh

2015-11-8

Note: In the twenty-first anniversary, the ‘Night of Memory’ session has hosted the narrators of war.  This program has been held on the first Thursday of every month and two and a half hours before the call to evening prayer, at Arts Center (Hozeh Honari). During these years it has found its audience and is considered as assembly for veterans. During an interview Mehdi Khanbanpour, executive secretary of the ‘Night of Memory’ program, described the history of the meeting.

Mr. Khanbanpour, how long is your contribution with this program?

I was Mr. Ghadami’s student in primary school and a classmate of his son, Amin. Many years later, during my studies at university, I became a colleague with of Amin Ghadami at school. On Those days he mentioned that his father had launched a program named the ‘Night of Memory’ at Arts Center. One day, I went to the Arts Center with him to see the program and became interested in the content. Then after two or three sessions, I got the responsibility for the program and after programs No. 77 or 78 I was added to the crew. Until now, it’s almost 15 years that I am in the office of the ‘Night of Memory’ and it’s about eight or nine years that I am the executive secretary of this program.

Surely, many guests have been invited to this program in these years. Do you have any special memory of them?

Generally, the concept of the Holy Defense (Iran-Iraq War 1980-88) is attractive itself; I am also active in the field of history and you should consider this fact that I was a teenager at that time and have sensed the conditions of that period. At that time, even children helped teachers making school shelters. I remember that there was a shelter which we had made it in our school and the photos of this shelter were published in a foreign newspaper by the help of one of student’s father who was bilingual newspaper reporter.

One of the characteristics of the ‘Night of Memory’ program is that there is not a speaker, but people explain the events exactly and add the certain sense to the program. You may read books and watch movies, but the truth is in hearing the event by the narrator and identical witness is more tangible. Because, one of the narrators say with all one’s heart and they don’t want any financial and spiritual profit, with the result that they attract the people and effect on the hearer. In these sessions there were several people, for example, commanders who were humble and they communicated with young people and frequently I saw that they were standing long time and meet young people. These are the people who still live in the atmosphere of those days.

How do you choose the guests?

There are several procedures for the choosing guests. They are being introduced by a number of people. Some of the guests introduce others. We meet them at different ceremonies. Sometimes, before saying reminiscence, we talk and make them ready.

What would you say to them before the meeting?

It depends on the subject of the session. For example, the 260th program of the ‘Night of Memory’ was

about divers, we should invite guests diving in wartime history. During Mr. Ghadami’s trips to Hamadan, we identified two divers. When we talked to them on the phone, we found that they have attractive memories. This triggered us to invite them to the TV show.

Did the ‘Night of Memory’ session always hold at the first Thursday of every month?

In the first years it did not hold. I could gather history of the ‘Night of Memory’ from Mr.Ghadami’s manuscripts. In the first year, it performed occasionally or biweekly, but after a year or two this procedure became routine.

When did the first program of the ‘Night of Memory’ session perform?

 The first program was performed on 24^th December 1992 with attendance of the late Abu Torabi.

Whether the program would be held during the war years?

No, it would not be held during the war years.

Would you name a number of famous guests in these years?

In the first program on 24^th December 1992 Sadegh Ahangaran, Fatemeh Nahidi and Abu Torabi were present. Ms. Masoumeh Abad, Mohammad Hussain Jafarian and Hussain Muzaffar, the former Minister of Education attended to the second program on 7^th January 1993.In the third program on 17^th February 1993 General Kothari and Mehdi Chamran explained their memories. It should be noted that in addition to the form of the sacred defense, we look at the subject of revolution in Bahman month. For example, people like Ahmad Ahmad, Abd Khodai and Hussain Muzaffar explained their memories of the revolution. In last May, a group of artists who had gone to Syria as pilgrims of peace, attended to the session and held a program with the same name.

Do you plan on the occasion of the current month or the last month in each program? For example, why did not you plan to 17^th Shahrivar (September 1978)?

We discussed about the subject of revolution in Bahman (Feb 1979). In Khordad (June), the focus is on the topic of Imam’s death and for example two servants who had memories with Imam, like  Haj Isa, Imam’s  servant and Mr. Zamani, Jamaran servant attended in this meeting and explained their memories.

Was there any suspension in the ‘Night of Memory’ in these years?

It's always been held in all the 15 years.

Do you think the program has been effective in these years?

We are in contact with the audience and each month inform via SMS about the sessions. The audience call us and criticize the program’s topics. The office phone number is written on leaflets.

What changes have been made to the process of program from the first day until today?

Previously, our program was basic and amateur one. But, now we have tried to have a director. In addition, we had not a conductor before. But, now we try to have some people in our reserve list for memory-tellers in order not to have disorders in our program. And at the same time to have a large amount of videos, pictures, songs and documents. The important thing is that this program is not for military information, but we are just looking for memories. We also have published two books of sessions and third one is going to be published.

Is the output of program only in book form?

No. Along with books, brochures about the ‘Night of Memory’ are published and distributed. Also we have produced CD program in a series of 10, 5 and double. Additionally, 52 episodes of the program were broadcasted in a 20-minute program in 2009 and early 2010 from Tehran TV Channel. Previously, we also had connections with radio and ‘Night of Memory’ was performed in a 10-minutes program named ‘Yādemān Bāshad (Let’s remember!)’.

Why your cooperation with radio and television did not continue?

One of the reasons was the change of the relevant authorities. Besides, all the centers that worked with us were offering the job themselves. Recently, some talks have been held about replaying this program on IRIB. Another reason to stop this broadcast was the necessity of producing a new and qualified program. Recently, we store programs with Avi format, but they have not broadcasting quality.  

In these years, you have certainly faced with some challenges. Please talk about them.

Delay of memory-teller is the stressful factor. Sometimes we know the guests and sometimes do not. For example, in the past program when Mr. Esfanany was our guest, we did not know his face. I called him and he was not available. In front of the door, no one had heard of his arrival. After inquiry at the last minute, we founded out that he was in the hall. Then I asked him to come on the stage. When he came on the stage, he said that he had been there in the program from the beginning.

Why this program was established and how it could survive all these years?

The ‘Night of Memory’ is one of the few or only program that deal with the issue of holy defense. In Leader’s speeches, the discussion of reminiscences and memory-telling has been proposed. We know if Zainab was not raised, Ashura was stayed in Ashura and we have not received it. It is the same about eight years of the holy defense. Sometimes, we are not able to tell memories well. Many of the new generations think that veterans were celestial and not real warriors. We have made myths about them and present them as unattainable people.

Martyrs and Holy Defense are the causes to move. Now the ‘Night of Memory’ has launched in Hamedan and Rey. Along with Provincial Art Center Productions Festival, it has been held in Sofeh Mountain in Esfahan. In addition, it is necessary for us to continue this kind of performances in Mashhad, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Khuzestan.