Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a series of meetings with several heads of delegation taking part in the UN Transforming Education Pre-Summit, which kicked off on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The Director-General highlighted ICESCO’s strategic roadmap and explored with the heads of the delegation the prospects of cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture, as well as coordination regarding the Transforming Education Summit, to be held next September in New York during the 77th General Assembly.
During his meeting with the Iranian delegation, chaired by Mr. Mahdi Fayyazi, Secretary-General of the Iranian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, Director of the Center for International Affairs and Schools Abroad at the Iranian Ministry of Education, Dr. AlMalik and the ICESCO delegation explored the latest cooperation development between the Organization and Iran and discussed the major programs and activities of ICESCO’s Regional Center in Iran. The two parties also expressed their keenness to promote cooperation and partnership in implementing new programs within the framework of ICESCO’s strategic orientations.

The Iranian delegation renewed the invitation extended to the Director-General to visit Iran and stressed their country’s sustained support for ICESCO and its various initiatives, programs and activities.

Moreover, the Director-General met with Dr. Adel Al-Busaisi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Iraq, and together they explored cooperation prospects between the Organization and Iraq in the fields of education, science and culture by agreeing on the implementation of a number of joint programs and projects that meet the priorities of Iraq within ICESCO’s areas of competence and in line with the Organization’s strategic orientations as contained in its strategic roadmap 2022.

The two parties also discussed cooperation between ICESCO and the competent Iraqi authorities in organizing international conferences, seminars, workshops and specialized training sessions to contribute to building the capacities of women and young people in areas of education, science and culture.

In addition, Dr. AlMalik met with Mr. Salah Khaled, Director of UNESCO Doha Office for Gulf States and Yemen, UNESCO Representative to Gulf States and Yemen, and together discussed the prospects of building strong cooperation relations between the two parties in cooperation with the Gulf States. They also discussed cooperation in the fields of Arabic, heritage, education programs, statistics and other areas of common interests.

These meetings were attended by Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), and Ms. Somia Djakta, Director of ICESCO Office and Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.