Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and cultural organization (ICESCO), stressed that the preservation of cultural heritage has become an urgent priority in light of the mounting global climate crisis, noting that ICESCO has launched many programs and initiatives aimed at protecting world heritage and highlighting threatened heritage sites to support their resilience, adding that the Organization is open to cooperation with a view to mitigating the negative effects of climate change on heritage and culture.

This statement was part of Dr. Al-Malik’s address, delivered on Friday (15 November 2024) during the second High-level Ministerial Climate Action Dialogue, held by the Group of Friends of Culture-based Climate Action (GFCBCA), under the auspices of the respective ministries of culture of Azerbaijan, the UAE and Brazil, as part of COP29 in Baku, with the high-level presence of a number of ministers, officials and international experts in the field of climate action.

In his address, Dr. Al-Malik indicated that ICESCO has launched a strategy to enhance the role of culture and heritage in adapting to climate change, which focuses on striking a balance between cultural traditions and technological innovation by adopting adaptive approaches that combine traditional knowledge and technological solutions, raising public awareness and deepening understanding of the crucial role of heritage in building resilience.

Dr. Al-Malik explained that ICESCO’s strategy also seeks to contribute to building a sustainable path through which communities can thrive amid climate challenges, in addition to protecting heritage, pointing out that the Islamic World Heritage Center plays many roles in this regard, adding that the strategy includes the launch of ICESCO Climate Resilience Fund, which aims to mobilize resources to support projects aimed at protecting the heritage of the Islamic world. ‘It will also feature the launch of a research program to study the effects of climate change on cultural heritage in the Islamic world,’ he stated.

This high-level dialogue meeting witnessed the launch of the “Culture for Climate” Initiative by Mr. Adil Qabil Karimli, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, reviewing its mainlines and indicating that it aims to position culture as the main driver of positive climate action and promote sustainable practices.