Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at the prestigious Ez-Zitouna University, in Tunisia, delivered a scientific lecture, entitled “Verifying heritage masterpieces: Ad-Dīwān Al-Kabir of Ibn al-Arabi as a model”, which saw the attendance of a large number of professors, researchers and students. The university leaders then paid tribute to Dr. Benarfa for his scientific contributions and on the occasion of receiving the Arab World Heritage Book of the Year Award 2024.

The lecture, organized by the Department of Fundamentals of Religion at the Higher Institute of Islamic Civilization at Ez-Zitouna University, came at the invitation of its president, Dr. Abdellatif Bouazizi, and was presented by Dr. Abdeljalil Salem, who elaborated on the biography of Dr. Benarfa, his scientific achievements and the occasion of honoring him.

The lecture constituted an opportunity to enhance communication and enrich discussion with students and researchers, and share ideas, proposals and experiences in such a way as to contribute to developing the scientific and academic skills of university students given the importance of the topic in enriching scientific research in this field of studies.

Following the lecture, Dr. Benarfa met with Dr. Bouazizi, to discuss aspects of cooperation between ICESCO and Ez-Zitouna University. ICESCO Deputy DG also visited the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts “Beit al-Hikma”, met with its President, Dr. Mahmoud Ben Ramadan, and discussed holding a joint international symposium between ICESCO and the Academy.

The verification of the four-volume Dīwān, of Ibn al-’Arabi, issued by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, won the “2024 Arab World Heritage Book Award” from the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts and ALECSO. ICESCO Deputy DG was honored during the official celebration of the Arab Heritage Day, on April 19, 2024, in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco.