H.E. President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, decorated Dr. Salim. M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) with the Title of Commander of the National Order of the Lion, the highest decoration offered by the Senegalese President to international figures.

The decoration came in recognition of Dr. AlMalik’s efforts to develop the fields of education, science and culture in the countries of the Islamic world, promote peace, anchor the values of coexistence and civilizational dialogue, and lead ICESCO to become a beacon of global outreach.

The decoration ceremony took place during the reception of the Director-General by H.E. The Senegalese President in the Presidential Palace in Dakar, on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. The reception was attended by Mr. Cheikh Oumar Anne, Minister of National Education, Special Advisor to the President, Secretary-General of the Senegalese National Commission, and the ICESCO delegation.

During this audience, Dr. AlMalik expressed his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to H.E. President Sall for his sustained support of ICESCO, stressing his keenness to maintain the great partnership relations between ICESCO and Senegal in the fields of education, science and culture.

For his part, H.E. the Senegalese president commended ICESCO’s efforts to support its Member States within its areas of competence, reaffirming his support for ICESCO and keenness to further develop cooperation relations with the Organization.

At the close of the audience, President Sall gifted the ICESCO Director-General a handmade rug made by Senegalese craftsmen, which reflects an aspect of the creative abundance of the heritage crafts in the Republic of Senegal. Dr. AlMalik presented the President with ICESCO’s Honorary Shield and Kaaba Door miniature.