42nd Session of ICESCO Executive Council to kick off in Egypt, on December 6, 2021

Under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Arab Republic of Egypt will host the 14th Session of the General Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on December 8 and 9, 2021, with the participation of 49 delegations out of the 51 ICESCO Member States. Egypt will also host the 42nd Session of the Organization’s Executive Council on December 6, 2021.

As part of its new vision, ICESCO follows a new approach in holding the 14th Session of the General Conference, which is completely different from the previous sessions and aims to yield practical outcomes with field impact.  

Held every three years, ICESCO General Conference is the Organization’s highest legislative authority entrusted with the mission of setting ICESCO’s general policies and overseeing its activities. the General Conference is composed of ministers and presidents of National Commissions for education, science and culture, who are appointed by their respective Member States. As for the Organization’s Executive Council, it consists of the Secretaries-General of Member States’ National Commissions. During its annual sessions, the Council examines and adopts reports and draft action plans of the Organization, and its budgets and submits them to the General Conference for approval.

The agenda of ICESCO’s 14th Session of General Conference in Cairo includes an opening ceremony, in conjunction with the organization of the Global Forum on Higher Education and Scientific Research, held by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Arab Republic of Egypt, under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Afterward, the General Conference will hold its opening session, followed by a procedural session to examine the credentials and the list of delegations, the Conference Draft Agenda and Draft Programme, and compose the General Conference Bureau.

The first working session revolves around ICESCO’s achievements and prospects, including the Organization’s report on its activities between 2019-2021 and the Organization’s revised vision. This session, like all the others, will include statements of the Heads of Delegations who will highlight the activities of the respective countries in the fields of education, science and culture. The second working session will address educational challenges, featuring a lecture by Mr. Kailash Satyarthi, founder of Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and Nobel Peace Laureate, 2014. 

The third working session, which will be held on the second day of the Conference, will focus on space science and its role in sustainable development and will be marked with a lecture by Ms. Kathryn Thornton, Chairwoman of the US Space Foundation. The General Conference will conclude its proceedings with a plenary session, followed by a closing session to approve Members of ICESCO’s 43rd Executive Council, announce the date and venue of the 15th Session of the General Conference and adopt the Conference resolutions.

Concurrently with the General Conference’s working sessions, several committees will hold meetings to examine the Organization’s reports and plans and discuss them with the Delegations taking part in the Conference. These committees include the Strategies and Action Plans Committee and the Administrative, Financial and Legal Affairs Committee.

The 42nd Session of ICESCO’s Executive Council will kick off on December 6, 2021, and will examine a number of key documents including ICESCO’s Activity Reports for 2021, the Organization’s Financial Reports for 2020, the Draft Strategic Orientations by 2025, the Draft of the Two-Year Action Plan and Budget for 2022-2023, in addition to many administrative and legal documents and proposals.