Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received, at ICESCO headquarters, Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hano, Minister of Culture of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and together they explored prospects of cooperation between the Organization and Egypt in the fields of creative culture and innovation promotion.

During the meeting, held on Thursday, January 16, 2025, the two parties discussed the cultural indexes launched by ICESCO with the aim of offering a better understanding of the cultural scene in the Islamic world, and highlighting the need to capitalize on modern technologies to develop cultural work to keep up with the global rapid advancements. The two parties also discussed the prospect of launching joint programs in the fields of Arabic calligraphy and heritage promotion.

Moreover, the Director-General highlighted ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations which embrace creativity and innovation, include women and young people, and attract great profiles across all specialties from different parts of the world. The Director-General also noted that 40% of ICESCO staff members are younger than 35, while women hold 50% of leadership positions at ICESCO.

Talks also focused on the importance of promoting creative culture and supporting cultural industries and knowledge economy, and highlighted ICESCO’s efforts over the past years to invigorate the cultural field in the Islamic world, through its innovative and creative activities, programs, initiatives. The two parties also discussed the Organization’s steadfast view of culture as a soft power, stemming from its belief in the significance of safeguarding the plurality and diversity of the civilizational heritage of the Member States spanning various historical eras.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hano commended ICESCO’s impactful roles in promoting cultural creativity in the Islamic world, stressing the importance of promoting collective intelligence to foster creativity and ensure the representation of an identity of plurality and diversity in cultural action, within the civilizational and historical contexts of nations.

Following the meeting, Dr. AlMalik took Minister Hano and his accompanying delegation on a tour to The International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO headquarters.