During a solemn ceremony in Naples, Italy, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), was awarded the “Mediterranean Award Medal of Honour” for 2024. This prestigious award is annually presented by the Mediterranean and the United States of the World foundations, to kings, presidents, heads of governments, intellectuals, academics, and innovators who have contributed significantly through their remarkable works and diligent efforts to promoting values of coexistence and peace worldwide.

The Award was presented to Dr. AlMalik during the ceremony, which was attended by high-level dignitaries from various countries, by Dr. Michele Capasso, President of the Fondazione Mediterraneo and Secretary-General of the United States of the World. In his speech, Dr. Capasso affirmed that awarding this prestigious prize to the Director-General of ICESCO was in recognition of his outstanding work and significant efforts in leading the Organization to achieve remarkable accomplishments over the past five years. This has positioned ICESCO at the forefront of international organizations promoting civilizational dialogue and serving humanity without discrimination, in line with a creative foresighted vision.

In his address, Dr. AlMalik expressed his delight at receiving the award, which symbolizes lofty human values honored by all those who have been bestowed with it, placing their names among a distinguished list of global figures renowned for their wisdom, objectivism, and responsibility.

His Excellency added that the timing is of utmost significance, given the emerging global phenomena necessitating intensified efforts, an elevation of rationality, and the promotion of peace to instill hope worldwide that there is still a vision to confront the prevailing political, economic, environmental, health, and educational dispiritedness through the vision and action of institutions and their cooperation to anchor human values, which is their Raison d’être.

Dr. AlMalik emphasized that openness is a highly rewarding value, as ICESCO has demonstrated by navigating its seas and adopting it as its Modus Operandi. It has opened the door to observer membership for countries outside the Islamic world to ensure the consolidation of the global partnership pillar, seeing as without extending our hand in goodwill, we cannot guide the international community out of the instability that many of its components are currently experiencing.

The Director-General further pointed out that ICESCO has taken a step of deeper impact by celebrating societal segments that require stronger and more serious efforts, foremost among them being women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities. The Organization has consecutively celebrated a whole year dedicated to women and another to youth, and arrangements are underway for its celebration of a special year for the children of the world, believing that the paths of peace can be secured only by allocating more attention to these segments to reclaim their pivotal roles in human development.

Dr. AlMalik concluded his speech by expressing his gratitude to all members of the Organization, which he is honored to lead, as ICESCO represents a beehive which produces the finest honey, His Excellency added:” The motivations that prompted you to honor my person with this prize, they are driven by a continuous generosity by those who truly deserve gratitude.”
He concluded by thanking the United States of the World Foundation, affirming that they have planted, through this award, evergreen trees of hope and appreciation.

For his part, Dr. Abdelhak Azzouzi, member of the Board of Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean University in Fez, Morocco, praised ICESCO Director-General’s reception of this distinguished award, which many consider as the “Nobel of the Mediterranean region.” He reaffirmed that Dr. AlMalik has excelled in leading ICESCO, which includes 53 member states, to become a creative Organization that anchors values of peace, coexistence, love, and harmony across its Member States, and around the world.