The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab Publishers’ Association (APA) held a meeting to explore prospects for cooperation between the Organization and the Association to support the printing and publishing industry, as part of addressing challenges facing this industry’s pivotal role in preserving cultural identity.

The meeting, which took place on June 6, 2022, at ICESCO’s pavilion at the International Book and Publishing Fair in the Moroccan capital Rabat, was attended by Mr. Mohamed Rashad, APA President, members of the Association’s Board of Directors as well as several publishers participating in the Fair. On behalf of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), Dr. Mohamed Zinealabidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector, Mr. Najib Rhiati, Cultural Advisor to the DG, and Mr. Samy El Kamhawy, Head of the Department of Information and Institutional Communication attended the meeting.

At the outset of the meeting, the two parties reaffirmed their eagerness to build fruitful cooperation in services of culture and support the printing and publishing industry to achieve its enlightening goals. They mutually expressed their readiness and openness to discuss all proposals for a strong partnership between ICESCO and APA.

The meeting touched on discussing several cooperation proposals, whether in printing and publishing or in participating in book fairs in the ICESCO Member States, especially in the African continent. The Association looks forward to ICESCO’s participation in the 6th meeting of the APA Conference, to be hosted by the Emirate of Sharjah next November, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah, as well as cooperation between ICESCO and APA in organizing a conference in 2023, on the challenges facing the printing and publishing industry.

At the close of the meeting, the Organization and the Association agreed to sustain meetings and to set executive plans and practical programs for cooperation between ICESCO and APA.