Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a series of meetings with several ministers and cultural affairs officials participating in the 13th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World. The conference, organized by ICESCO in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, took place in Jeddah on 12-13 February 2025.

Dr. AlMalik first met with Mr. Amadou Abdramane, Minister of Youth, Culture, Arts, and Sports of the Republic of Niger. Their discussions emphasized the role of cultural industries in preserving national identity and reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to supporting Niger in inscribing its historical sites and cultural elements on the Islamic World Heritage List. They also explored collaboration on historical documentation to reinforce national identity and the development of cultural professionals’ skills through specialized training workshops.

Next, Dr. AlMalik met with Mr. Timur Suleymanov, Aide to the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, and Ms. Irada Ayupova, Minister of Culture of Tatarstan. Their discussions covered key topics, including the designation of Kazan as the Islamic World Cultural Capital for 2026 and mechanisms to ensure the success of this celebration. They also explored joint programs, participation in conferences organized by both parties, and future initiatives to showcase Kazan’s cultural diversity and its role as a center of cultural influence in the Islamic world.

Dr. AlMalik then met with Ms. Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Their discussions highlighted Nigeria’s vibrant cultural sector, particularly its film industry, and the importance of collaboration with ICESCO to promote the unique identity of Islamic world communities, preserve their history, and share their untold stories. They also addressed cooperation in inscribing Nigeria’s heritage on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List.

Subsequently, Dr. AlMalik engaged with Ms. Armande Longo Moulengui, Minister of Culture and Arts of the Gabonese Republic, congratulating her on her appointment and wishing her success in her new role. He reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to assisting Gabon in key areas such as intellectual property, the restitution of cultural property, and cultural rights. Additionally, they discussed the possibility of a delegation from the Gabonese Ministry visiting ICESCO’s headquarters to gain insight into the Organization’s processes for inscribing heritage sites in the Islamic world.

Dr. AlMalik also met with Sheikh Moeenul Hack, the representative of the Republic of Guyana at the conference. Sheikh Hack commended ICESCO’s efforts across its fields of action and emphasized the importance of strengthening the partnership between ICESCO and Guyana. Their discussions explored opportunities for deeper bilateral relations through mutual participation in conferences and activities, as well as knowledge exchange between officials from both sides.

In his meeting with Mr. Akram Karimi, Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. AlMalik discussed prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Tajikistan in the fields of culture, thought, and literature. They explored ways to promote the values of Islamic world civilization through specialized intellectual conferences and proposed a visit by a Tajikistani youth delegation to ICESCO to learn about the Organization’s youth capacity-building initiatives and skills development programs.

Dr. AlMalik also met with Mr. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Adviser on Cultural Affairs to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, to discuss the role of films in cultural development. They explored the establishment of a fund to support emerging talent and proposed future projects to advance film development and enhance directors’ skills in storytelling. Additionally, they discussed organizing the ICESCO Prize for Films in the Islamic World to support young creative talents.

Finally, Dr. AlMalik held a meeting with Dr. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, Minister of Education, Culture, and Higher Education of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Their discussions focused on the deployment of an ICESCO delegation to conduct specialized Arabic training workshops in Somalia. They also explored strengthening collaboration in teacher professional development in Islamic studies, integrating Quranic schools into the national education system, supporting the publication of educational materials, and building the capacities of heritage and culture specialists. Furthermore, they examined joint initiatives to enhance Somalia’s educational and cultural policies.