The International Symposium on “Circular, Green and Blue Economy: Promoting Youth and Women Entrepreneurship in the Islamic World,” kicked off Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Tunis. The symposium is held by the Sector of Science and Technology at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Tunisian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture and the Tunis International Center for Environmental Technologies (CITET).

At the beginning of the two-day symposium, Ms. Kmaira Ben Jannet Mzali, CITET Director-General, gave an address where she commended the partnership relations between the Center and ICESCO, noting that the symposium discusses a key topic and provides an opportunity for women and young people to exchange knowledge and expertise about their projects and listen to other people’s experiences. For his part, Dr. Kamel Hajjam, Secretary-General of the Tunisian National Commission, stated that the Commission is keen to cooperate with ICESCO in implementing its strategic goals and work together with other National Commissions to achieve its new vision.
In his address via videoconference, Dr. Ismailla Diallo, Expert at the Sector of Science and Technology, highlighted the key importance ICESCO accords to supporting the transition towards environmentally friendly, integrated and sustainable production and consumption systems. He also stressed the need for more work to encourage the countries of the Islamic world to protect the environment, preserve their ecosystems, and promote circular, green and blue economies to provide greater employment opportunities for women and young people.

Moreover, the ICESCO official reaffirmed the importance of building the capacities of young people and women to address the environmental challenges facing humanity and achieve sustainable development. The ICESCO official added that this key issue is included in ICESCO’s Action Plan for 2022-2023, which aims to develop green and smart cities and capitalize on modern technology to protect the environment and preserve biological diversity for present and future generations.