The Fifth session of the 87th round of Congress 60’s worldview workshops for travelers and companions, with Mr. Hossein Dezhakam serving as the Master and Guardian of the session and companion Shahin, as the secretary, began at 09.56 a.m. on Wednesday, Khordad 20 (June 10, 2026). The agenda was: “The Book Crossing the Zone of Minus 60 Degrees and Its Images.”
Hello friends, I’m Hossein, a traveler. I hope you are all doing well; thank God, I am doing well too. Today is Khordad 20, 1405. Soon the spring season will come to an end and summer will begin. The time is 10:00 a.m., and we are at the Academy building in Tehran.
Well, I have a few topics to discuss. I’ll begin with the points raised during the Assistants’ Coordination Meeting for the Family Group. We held this meeting on Saturday, 16/3/1405 (June 6, 2026). Every few weeks, I attend this meeting, where all the assistants are present. During the most recent meeting, several items were approved. Right now, the weight‑loss rule is being strictly enforced in Congress 60. Last Saturday, during the Family Group assistants’ meeting, I brought in a scale—one that also measures height—and weighed everyone one by one. I told them, “Anyone who is more than 15 kilos overweight will have their service suspended.” Fortunately, there were about 23 or 24 assistants present, and not a single one was above the allowed limit. The highest excess weight was 13 kilos, while the others were around 7 or 8 kilos overweight. They had not reached that limit. I was even hoping that a few of them would be over 15 kilos so I could make an example of them—but unfortunately, that didn’t happen! [since it was severally mentioned by Mr. Dezhakam that those Congress 60 members who are more than 15 overweight will be eliminated from their positions, he hoped the assistants would be overweight so that he could make an example of them]. I’m joking, of course. But it was truly encouraging to see that in the Family Group, people are actually following what they’ve been told. Now, the issue the members raised with me is this: for example, a Marzban might be overweight, so they join the Jones’ Legion (Healthy Nutrition Legion) and manage to reduce their weight to the 15‑kilo limit in order to become a Marzban, and then they simply let it go again. Many people are being inconsistent—they tighten up for a while and then loosen up again [they follow the principles to lose weight and as they reach the point of 15 kg overweight they do not follow the principles of weight loss and they stop their process, this is problematic and must be stopped, i.e. one must continue their weight loss travel untill they reach the ideal weight]. That was the situation discussed at Saturday’s meeting.
Then, on Monday, we had the Dideban Council meeting, and the same situation occurred again. They stepped on the scale, and we checked their weight. Two of the Didebans were overweight, and I told them, ‘You are not allowed to attend the Dideban Council meetings until your weight becomes normal.’ Even though some Didebans have lost 30 or 40 kilos, those who remain overweight will not be invited to the upcoming meetings until they reach their target weight. If they don’t fix it within a certain time, we will make further decisions. So, be alert and ‘watch your step’—this matter is very important.
So, as I stated: the first decision is this: all guides, Marzbans, and officials who are more than 15 kilos overweight must immediately suspend their service. For guides, that means their legion must be closed. This applies to every guide, Agent, and Marzban. An Agent who is not overweight, along with Marzbans who are also not overweight, will form a council. This council will be responsible for weighing all the guides—including those in the Family Group and others. Buy a scale—get the equipment—and measure everyone accurately. I have already been very lenient by setting the limit at 15 kilos. If a guide exceeds this 15-kilo limit, their legion will be closed. If a Marzban is overweight, they must leave their Marzban service. If an Agent is over the 15-kilo threshold, they must leave their position as Agent. The same applies to anyone serving in other areas—like the website, Opium Tincture (OT), or other services—they must step aside immediately. Even if this disrupts Congress 60 entirely, it must be done. We must be fully committed to carrying out these reforms so that everyone reaches a balanced weight; that is the foundation of our health. Well, sometimes kind words aren’t enough. But later, once you’ve forced the change and they see the results, they’ll be happy. They realize their illnesses have been cured. This was one of the key issues, and this law will be implemented
Second, regarding first‑travel pupils in the Family Group: after attending their main legion (which provides worldview education and technical training in addiction cure) for three months, they may participate in either the Jones’s Legion [the legion for healthy nutrition and weight loss] or the William’s Legion (the legion for Nicotine Consumption Cure). A companion entering Congress 60 cannot join the Jones’s or William’s Legion immediately; three months must pass. Once those three months have passed, they may choose only one—either the William’s Legion or the Jones’s Legion. Sometimes, a first‑travel pupil may wish to join both legions while also attending their main legion. Attending these legions would mean transcribing CDs for three separate legions and attending three different sessions, which would not be effective. They must choose only one legion to participate; either nicotine cure or healthy nutrition.
Third, all first‑travel pupils in the Family Group—whether in their main, Jones’s, or William’s Legion—will be removed from their legion if they are absent for more than two months. If a pupil accumulates two months of absence within their first three months after joining Congress 60, they will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee and removed from their legion. They will be informed: “You must remain away from Congress 60 for six months.” Whenever they wish to return, they must report to the Marzban Office to register a re‑entry date. From that date, a mandatory six‑month absence period will begin. In essence, these regulations, which already apply to male travelers, will from now on be fully enforced for female companions as well.
Newcomers’ (Pistachio‑Shawl) guides and DST (Orange‑Shawl) guides must explain this rule to their pupils so that everyone is fully aware of it. They must inform their pupils as soon as they enter the legion: “Dear Madam or Sir, if you accumulate two months of absence after your first three months, you will no longer be permitted to attend Congress 60. The ruling is that you must stay away for six months.” Ever since we implemented this six‑month rule, Congress 60 has truly achieved a higher level of order. Previously, things were chaotic; anyone could come whenever they wished, then leave, stop their journey, and return again. It is the same with the Jones’ Legion now. A member attends for six months, the guide works hard and puts in a great deal of effort, and they achieve results. Then the member says, “I am not coming anymore.” The guide asks, “Why not?” They reply, “My husband says I am thin enough and do not need to lose any more weight.” Well, that is not acceptable. These are the issues we have discussed and implemented regarding the companions.
Now, there is another matter. The building we are currently in—we have been here for about 25, 26, or 27 years—originally belonged to the Anti‑Narcotics Headquarters. We have gone through many ups and downs here, but we grew and thrived within these walls. We never paid a single rial in rent; the building was entirely at our disposal. Because we were working on addiction recovery and the building belonged to the government—the Anti‑Narcotics Headquarters—many things were much easier for us. People viewed us as operating under the Headquarters. If the municipal authorities ever came to cause trouble, we would simply say, “The building belongs to the Headquarters,” and that worked very well. The officials at the Headquarters have worked very closely and cooperatively with us throughout these 27 or 28 years. In fact, Congress 60 has consistently received certificates of appreciation from every Secretary‑General of the Anti‑Narcotics Headquarters, recognizing us as the best‑performing NGO in operation.
Now we find ourselves in a situation where they need their building back, and they are in urgent need of it. When they raised the issue, I told them, “We will gladly hand the building back to you.” But the important point is that we should all be grateful to God. I, for one, was truly thankful. Because of the experience we have gained over the years, we now own multiple buildings, so relocating will not be a problem for us. It is possible that in the coming days—Mr. Majid is currently in negotiations—we will purchase a building at the Taleghani Intersection, just below the Simorgh Building [from now on, and because of Congress 60’s relocation, Simorgh building is called Academy Branch]. God willing, this will be finalized, and it is highly likely that the entire Academy Branch will simply relocate there, with its structure remaining completely intact. Therefore, there is no cause for concern about us leaving this place.
As I mentioned, we have several branches in Tehran; therefore, leaving this building is not a cause for sorrow. Some have remarked, “But we have memories here; it is our history.” I replied, “Look, we have a vast history on this planet, yet we must eventually leave it all behind and move on. Who is here to stay? Nothing is permanent.” This is precisely the lesson we teach: nothing is permanent, and nothing truly belongs to anyone. Anyone who imagines they own something is deeply, deeply mistaken! Whether it is a position, a desk, money, or anything else—no one is the owner of anything. Everything is placed at our disposal for only a short time. It is up to us, as human beings, to decide how we navigate this life. Do we turn every moment into misery, or do we turn it into something sweet? Now that we are leaving this building, should we sit and cry, mourn, moan, and wail? Or should we simply, in a relaxed manner, say: “Very well, it belongs to the public. They placed it at our disposal for free for 25 years, and now, after 25 years, they need it back.” And indeed, they truly do need it, especially given recent circumstances arising from the war, as many buildings have been destroyed and there is a great need for space. Therefore, we will hand it over to the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, and it does not faze us in the slightest.
The same logic applies to other matters. All this talk of, “No, we won’t give up the building; we must fight tooth and nail to hold onto it”—that is complete nonsense. They have requested the building, so we will hand it over promptly and move to another location. I am confident that this will turn out to be entirely in our favor. We have multiple locations, and we already own several other buildings in this area; therefore, we have no concerns, and there is no reason for sadness. However, regarding the members, we will strive to maintain our cohesion. We will try, as much as possible, to keep everyone together—rather than splitting a single legion across different branches—so that our structure remains intact.
Decisions made in the Dideban Council meeting were as follows:
1. Since we are handing over the Academy building to the Headquarters, some legions will move to the Simorgh branch, while the rest will transfer to nearby branches. We approved this plan, but it is subject to change. If we cannot secure the new building in time, we will split the groups between Simorgh and other nearby branches to keep the load manageable. We cannot overload Simorgh because traffic is already very heavy there. I am sharing this with the members, but the important thing is that we may be able to move directly to our new building and carry this out there, give or take a couple of days. God willing, we will be able to do it.
2. Until further notice, Academy Family Group classes will be held on Tuesdays at the Simorgh branch. We are hoping to move them to the new building, which would be ideal, but until then, the group will continue to meet at Simorgh on Tuesdays.
3. Until further notice, the Academy’s male companion classes will be held on Thursdays at the Simorgh branch. This could change; we might assign them to a different branch or find another location for them.
4. Elias, Mehrdad, and Behrad from the male companion group were proposed by Mr. Amin as candidates for Dideban Assistants. Although I initially mistook the latter two as one, they are three distinct individuals. Following the Dideban Council’s review, two have been approved for this role, and the third candidate will be presented for consideration at our next meeting, God willing.
5. Upon the nomination of Mr. Majid Salami and the approval of the Dideban Council, Mr. Mohammad Rezaei from the Shahrekord branch has been appointed as a Dideban Assistant to Mr. Majid Salami.
6. Congress 60 is structured into four main branches: Male Travelers, Female Travelers, Male Companions, and Female Companions (also called Family Group). Under the new organizational framework, a Guardian has been appointed for each group to ensure clear leadership. While these sections were previously managed by the relevant Dideban, designating a specific Guardian for each branch establishes clearer accountability. Accordingly, I serve as the General Guardian, the Base, and the Guardian of the Male Travelers; Mrs. Haji Mir is the Guardian of the Female Travelers; Amin is the Guardian of the Male Companions; and Ani is the Guardian of the Female Companions. This measure ensures stronger and more robust leadership, particularly in branches where multiple Didebans serve, by designating one primary person responsible for the group’s operations.
7. This year, the summer holidays will be observed from Thursday, Mordad 1st (July 23, 2026), through Thursday, Mordad 15th (August 6, 2026). This 15-day recess will conclude with the resumption of sports activities at the parks on Friday, Mordad 16th (August 7, 2026).
The Didebans present were Ani Kamandar, Haji Mir, Shohreh Azarpour, Ali Ashkzari, Babak, Majdian, Reza, Mehdi Sedighi, Mohammad Sadegh, Alireza, Asghar, Ahmad, Majid, Javad, Abdollah, and Ali. Regarding Mr. Mohammad Sadegh, his term as a Dideban is coming to an end, and he will be stepping down. That concludes this matter.
Regarding the Jones’s journey forms, guides must be very diligent and thorough in questioning their pupils. For instance, a pupil might complete the journey and say, “My digestion has improved and my blood pressure has normalized.” On their liberation from obesity day, I then ask, “Did you use to snore?” The person says: “yes.” I reply, “Then why didn’t you record that?” You might not believe it, but the first part of the body to gain weight is the tongue—even before the stomach or midsection. It is not the tip of the tongue which gains weight, but the base of the tongue in the throat that gains weight first, though it is not visible. As weight increases, the airway narrows, causing snoring. The only solution is weight loss; as the tongue thins and returns to its natural state, the airway opens, and the snoring stops. You can see how toxic obesity is! It is very systematic. It is quite rare for an obese person not to snore; most have this issue. Guides must be very careful to inquire about all health conditions: blood pressure, blood sugar, urea levels, digestion, constipation, and hormonal problems. We collect this data to be summarized and published in our books. We must be able to prove that in obese individuals, thyroid function becomes deregulated. People often claim, “I am overweight because I have a hypothyroidism,” but the reality is the opposite. We observe that when our pupils lose weight, their thyroid function improves. With these statistics, we can provide scientific proof of this fact.
Furthermore, a person’s photo must be attached to the liberation from addiction forms. I will not sign forms without photos, even for pupils from branches outside Tehran. Forms filled for both Travelers and Companions should include the Marzban’s signature placed exactly where designated. For instance, someone just arrived from Hamedan; I pointed to the table at the bottom that explicitly requires the Marzban’s name, seal, and signature, and asked, “Why is this left blank?” They replied, “The Marzban stamped the top instead.” I asked, “Why stamp the top?” They claimed, “They said it was fine, it doesn’t make a difference.” I called and insisted: “Clarify that there is a specific spot in the table for the Marzban’s seal and signature; you cannot simply stamp the top of the page!” This mindset is incorrect. We must be meticulous about these matters, however minor they may seem. It is only by paying attention to such details that we can achieve results.
For instance, someone comes to see me—it doesn’t matter if it’s a gentleman or a lady—wearing pants that are completely ripped; they call them “ripped” or distressed jeans, right? I ask, “Why are your pants ripped?” They reply, “It’s the fashion.” I tell them: “Being unkempt is never, ever a virtue. Ripped pants are not a value. Whether it is ‘ripped’ or any other style, torn or patched-up pants are not a value. An unkempt appearance, worn-out shoes, or poor behavior and rudeness are never virtues.” These may seem like subtle points, but we must always keep them in mind and enforce them within Congress 60. Otherwise, we risk the ‘Broken Windows Theory’ effect: if one window is broken and left unrepaired, the damage spreads. If we don’t fix that window, the next pane, the next window, and the next door will inevitably break. That is why we are strict about these standards here.
Today is our final Wednesday Workshop in this building, and God willing, we must hand it over this Saturday. I have instructed everyone: do not remove the curtains, the water pump, or the water tank. It reminds me of the times we’ve rented properties for Congress 60—we arrive, and the previous tenants have stripped the place clean. They’ve taken AC units, curtain rods, light switches, sockets, and even cut the wires to the light fixtures and taken the faucets! They’ve made a multi-billion deal, yet they gut the place for a few light bulbs and switches? Why do that? We are leaving our curtains behind; they are old and won’t fit anywhere else. Why shoud we take them? It’s better to just leave them in this building. I have told the team that we will only take the essentials, like the expensive air conditioners—which cost 150 or 200 million tomans. But things like standard coolers or the light fixtures attached to the ceiling—we shouldn’t touch those. It’s simply not proper. We have had this building for free for 25 years. Can’t we afford to leave a few light bulbs behind? Think about it: for 25 years, we had this space for free. We built walls, we added doors, we put down roots here. When we first arrived, there was nothing. Now, let’s leave with grace and cheerfulness, and express our gratitude to them.
The next matter is the book Crossing the Zone of Minus 60 Degrees. It is the manifesto of Congress 60. I won’t explain it now, as it has reached its 72nd or 73rd printing—I believe nearly 500,000 copies have been published. It clarifies the reality of addiction for us; it shows us the path, reveals the blind spots of addiction cure, outlines the method, and defines our origin and destination. Everything is here in Congress 60. Back then, we had one book; now we have many diverse books that we use. I won’t speak at length about the book, because I want to give the members time to participate and share their views and experiences. But in any case, even though addiction is considered a major global issue today, 27 or 28 years ago—back in the year 1377 (1998)—this book established that addiction is fully curable and explained why it hadn’t been cured until then. It has been translated into Arabic, French, and English; we haven’t mass-produced the French and Arabic versions yet, but God willing, we will soon.
Well, I leave the rest of the session to you if you have any comments. Thank you for listening.
https://congress60.org/News/492998/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%E2%80%8C%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-60-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%87-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D9%86
Transcribed by Companion Maryam, Sheikhbahaee Branch of Congress 60, Isfahan, Iran
Translated by: Companion Samira, Legion 7, Sheikhbahaei branch of Congress 60, Isfahan, Iran
