December 7, 2025
Dear Bill,
I hope you are well. I am also doing very well, busy with my work, planning, and preparing texts for speeches for various international conferences.
On Thanksgiving Day, I too thanked God for the many blessings He has given us—especially for creating the circumstances that allowed me to come to England and meet you, and within less than a minute, form the foundation of a remarkable friendship and affection with you on the path of research, science, and knowledge. I am grateful to you for this years-long friendship and kindness, and I must say that you opened the doors of the world outside our country for me so that we could take a significant step together—one as wide as the Mississippi River.
Yesterday, December 6th, was the founding day of Congress 60 and also the anniversary of my freedom from drugs—28 years have now passed since that day. Over these 28 years, I worked continuously, and perhaps during the first 20 years, without taking even a single day off, I devoted all my effort to strengthening the scientific and financial foundations of Congress 60. Thankfully, in recent years we have reached a very good place, and now we take holidays. Once at the beginning of spring and once in mid-summer, Congress 60 closes for 15 days, and members must take time off to spend joyful days with their families.
December 5th was World Soil Day, and about 850 members of Congress 60, led by my son Amin and in cooperation with the relevant governmental organization, planted 6000 capparis seedlings on a plot of land measuring 100000 square meters to combat desertification. Of course, this work takes place during the winter and is different from the tree-planting ceremonies we hold in Congress 60. The desertification-prevention effort is ongoing so that we can restore even more land. I am sending you some videos and photos of this work.
I hope your article on flourishing in addiction recovery will soon be completed and published. I am eagerly awaiting its release, because I am certain your article will be a light that, in the darkness of addiction, reveals the difference between shattered glass and a diamond. In the past, due to a lack of understanding of addiction, many incorrect ideas were presented as solid truths, and these false notions were like glow-worms shining brightly in the dark—yet when the light of the sun rises, the glow-worm realizes it is only a worm.
Today as well, in addiction treatment, in various NGOs, and in governmental and non-governmental organizations—even in UN-related agencies and large research centers like NIDA—the question remains: is the priority truly treating people with addiction or discovering effective solutions for prevention and recovery, or is the priority obtaining and spending budgets? When obtaining and spending budgets become the central concern, the core mission is gradually forgotten or at least diminished, and budget becomes the main focus. But ultimately, the organization that succeeds is the one that both secures funding and remains loyal to its mission. Then the world becomes a garden, and that organization will be able to continue its efforts effectively.
In closing, I hope our joint article will be published soon.
Your everlasting friend and brother on earth and in the heavens,
Hossein