The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is participating in the 11th session of the International Festival Samaa Marrakech, which is organized, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammad V, may God assist him, by al Munyia Marrakech Association for the Revival and Preservation of Morocco’s Heritage, in partnership with ministerial sectors, local and regional councils, and scientific, cultural and artistic institutions in the Kingdom of Morocco, under the theme: The present and future of ancient cities: knowledge of the architectural and urban heritage and its memory in the Maghreb and the Arab East.

ICESCO is represented in the 5-day festival, which started on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, in Marrakesh, by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director General. In his address at the opening session, he emphasized that sustainable development indicators raise the classification of cities and improve their image at the global level, noting that one of the most important tasks of the ICESCO Islamic World Heritage Committee is to take care of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the Member States.

Dr. Benarafa added that within the List of World Heritage in Danger, there are 36 sites inside the Islamic world out of a total of 53 sites, which represents approximately 70% of the sites in danger. At the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT, 2022), which was held in Mexico in September, ICESCO submitted a proposal to add a new goal to the list of 17 UN goals for sustainable development, mainly those related to culture and heritage.

The festival aims to introduce the values ​​of identity and cultural and spiritual traditions in Morocco and to pay tribute to the pioneering role of civil society in raising awareness of the need to preserve tangible and intangible heritage through scientific symposia and specialized sessions with the participation of international experts, architects, and researchers specialized in the field of the architectural heritage of ancient cities, as well as several other cultural activities.