Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Imad Hamdan, Palestinian Minister of Culture, and together they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation relations in the fields of culture, heritage preservation and promotion of heritage, and training workshop organization for the benefit of heritage professionals.

At the beginning of the meeting, held on Monday, August 26, 2024 at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Mr. Jamal Shobaki, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Kingdom of Morocco, and his accompanying delegation, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s steadfast and long-standing position in support of the State of Palestine in the fields of education, science and culture, stressing that the Organization has spared no effort to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. He added that ICESCO’s endeavors especially focus on youth, women and children, through implementing programs, projects and initiatives, highlighting key relevant projects implemented over the past period.

Likewise, Dr. AlMalik expressed the Organization’s constant readiness to provide all necessary support to strengthen Palestinian cultural, heritage and educational institutions and other bearers of Palestinian identity, stressing ICESCO’s keenness to address the needs and expectations of the Palestinian relevant authorities in order to implement programs and projects and ensure optimal benefit for Palestinian communities.

For his part, Mr. Hamdan commended ICESCO’s efforts and role in supporting the education, science and culture sectors in Palestine, expressing his eagerness to strengthen cooperation relations in the coming period, especially in light of the celebration of Al-Khalil as the 2026 Culture Capital in the Islamic World.

The meeting discussed proposals for programs and projects to be implemented in the coming period, in the fields of preserving and promoting heritage, training professionals, inaugurating the ICESCO Research Chair in one of the Palestinian universities, and the possibility of sending an ICESCO delegation to prepare a detailed report on the extent of the destruction of Palestinian heritage and archaeological sites as a result of the brutal Israeli aggression.

At the close of the meeting, the Palestinian Minister offered ICESCO Director-General a commemorative shield, in recognition of his efforts to preserve and promote the heritage of the Islamic world.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, Amb. Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, and Dr. Nidal Abu Zuhri, Head of the Department of Administrative Operations.