Dr. Salim. M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called for providing adolescents with ample opportunities for faith education, creating creative programs targeting young people, and designing TV shows that leverage AI applications to link science to faith and steer away from and combat atheist ideas. Dr. AlMalik also highlighted the need to celebrate the voices of faith from numerous major countries, stressing the importance of promoting faith-related issues as the topic of the hour and adopting the model of the Global Faith Alliance, which is based on the pillars of monotheism and morality.

Dr. AlMalik made this statement on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the opening of the International Conference on Faith in a Changing World. The two-day conference is held in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, by the Muslim World League and the Mohammadia League of Scholars, under the high-patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, and brought together a host of scholars, researchers and religious leaderships.

At the outset, Dr. AlMalik highlighted the importance of faith as a constant and truth that reflect the meaning and purpose of life and guide our deeds as an infinite source of wisdom. He added that recognizing the pivotal role of faith can reveal its power of influence on individuals and societies.

The DG also stated that there are a number of reasons that explain the decline of faith at various levels, especially issues relating to conflicts, and the waves of depression and frustration that are taking our societies by storm. He further explained that fear has become the prevalent sentiment, a situation exacerbated by social media and AI, taking away the last shreds of tranquility and the safety lines of faith, and becoming hotbeds for campaigns questioning the oneness of the Great Creator and the manifestations of His glory.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik commended the proposal of Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Chairman of the International Body of Muslim Scholars, to create an international observatory for faith manifestations and combat against misconceptions, expressing the readiness of ICESCO and its Federation of Universities in the Islamic World to cooperate in the implementation of this initiative.

At the close of his remarks, the DG stated that ICESCO firmly believes in the centrality of faith in education, science and culture, the major areas of its work, noting that the Organization works towards anchoring the foundations of faith in an ever-changing world.