Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stated that the Alliance of Civilizations is not a luxurious or elitist matter, but rather a human need that requires us to look courageously at the aspects of ills and gaps in order to address them. He considered that the warning signs of global conflict today are signs of civilizational tendencies more than evidence of conflicting economic interests and competition over natural resources, noting that civilizational alliance is an integrated system composed of the values of all people.

This came in his address at the 9th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which kicked off on November 22, 2022, in the city of Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, under the theme: “Towards an Alliance of Peace: Living Together as One Humanity.” The Forum, which began with the royal message of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, saw the participation of high-caliber international officials, mainly Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, as well as several Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Culture, from different countries to promote dialogue and build bridges of peace between peoples.

In his address, ICESCO Director-General pointed out that the main challenge facing the Alliance of Civilizations today lies in the ability to address a human community open to understanding and alliance, highlighting that humanity is facing a historic human challenge, which requires paving the way for justice, fraternity and equality, and combating hunger, ignorance and disease.

He pointed out that it is necessary to pay attention to the development of the virtual world in terms of illegal trafficking of cultural property and the dissemination of hate speech, calling for action to harness this development in an ideal legal manner. He noted that youth are essential for the future civilizational alliance; if we succeed in giving them the keys to the future, we will succeed in ensuring the sustainability and renewal of the Alliance of Civilizations.

Dr. AlMalik called for raising future generations on the values of the Alliance of Civilizations and tolerance, and for including the meanings of civilizational communication and human fraternity in school curricula, stressing that ICESCO cherishes these values in its vision and action strategy, as it established the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, the Center for Strategic Foresight and incubators to stimulate youth creativity.

He concluded his address by inviting the participants in the Forum to visit the Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat.

ICESCO is participating in the activities and sessions of the Global Forum for the Alliance of Civilizations in Fez, with a high-level delegation headed by Dr. AlMalik, and including Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, and several Heads of Sectors and Directors of Departments and Centers of the Organization.