In recognition of the major efforts the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) exerts in the field of inscribing and preserving heritage, providing restoration and maintenance training to heritage professionals, and raising cultural awareness, the Association Espace les Oudayas gifted on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, the key to the Grand gates of the Kasbah of the Udayas to Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), during his visit.

The DG headed the ICESCO delegation that paid a visit to the Kasbah to take stock of the restoration and development works carried out in this heritage site, one of the major historical landmarks in Rabat, Morocco.

A host of the Association officials, along with the representatives of several heritage protection institutions in Morocco received the ICESCO delegation. These included Mr. Abdelrahman Al-Badraoui, President of the Association Espace les Oudayas; Mr. Fikri Benabdellah, President of the Association Rabat Salé Mémoire; and Mr. Abdelati Lehlou, President of the Moroccan Committee of the International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

The delegation toured the Kasbah and listened to an overview about the site’s heritage and historical significance for Morocco, the development it has witnessed throughout history, and the attention it currently receives in light the Kingdom’s interest in protecting and restoring heritage.

Upon receiving the Key to the Kasbah, the DG reaffirmed that the Organization accords special attention to tangible and intangible heritage of the Islamic civilization. He noted that ICESCO’s new vision adopted an action strategy on promoting this heritage, which reflects the cultural and civilizational richness of the Islamic world as well as other world countries. Dr. AlMalik added that ICESCO created the Center of Heritage in the Islamic world and inscribed more than 300 heritage sites and cultural element on the Islamic World Heritage Lists. 

The DG stated that ICESCO is working closely with its Member States to incorporate heritage preservation in school curricula at different school levels, in a bid to establish this culture among the new generations, reaffirming the Organization’s readiness to cooperate with the competent parties in the Islamic world and other world countries featuring traces of the Islamic civilization to inscribe and preserve these sites.

ICESCO delegation during the visit to the Kasbah included Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG; Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector; Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Supervisor of the Sector of Partnerships and Cooperation; and Dr. Ahmed Said Bah; Advisor to ICESCO DG for Partnerships and Cooperation.