On Thursday, 27 February 2025, Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), visited Kairouan, Tunisia, where he was welcomed at the governorate headquarters by Mr. Dhaker Bargaoui, Governor of Kairouan, along with several Tunisian cultural and heritage experts, including Mr. Tarek Baccouche, Director-General of the National Heritage Institute, and Ms. Rabiaa Belfguira, Director-General of the Agency for Heritage Revival and Cultural Development. The discussions centered on ICESCO’s ongoing efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of its Member States, inscribe archaeological sites on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List, and explore avenues for bilateral cooperation in cultural and heritage fields through joint programs and projects.

Following the meeting, Dr. AlMalik, accompanied by his hosts, embarked on a tour of Kairouan’s historical landmarks, starting with the Great Mosque of Uqba Ibn Nafi, the first mosque built in the city and one of the largest and most significant mosques in North Africa. Its origins date back over thirteen centuries, and houses the oldest pulpit in the Islamic world, crafted in the 3rd century AH (9th century CE), alongside its exquisite maqsurah, which dates to the 5th century AH (11th century CE).

During the visit, insights were shared about Kairouan’s historical role in the Islamic world, its intellectual and architectural legacy, and its lasting cultural influence.
The tour also included a visit to the National Museum of Islamic Arts in Raqqada, where Dr. AlMalik explored its exhibits of historical artifacts, rare coins, and unique manuscripts.

He praised the Museum’s manuscript restoration laboratory and the advanced scientific methods used in preserving and restoring manuscripts, emphasizing the importance of sharing expertise among ICESCO’s Mhember States.

He further ighlighted the need to protect Qur’anic and scientific manuscripts that document the region’s history and the golden age of Islam. Additionally, he reaffirmed ICESCO’s support for the initiative of the President of Tunisia, H.E. Kais Saied, to establish the International Center for Calligraphy Arts, “Iqraa,” which aligns with ICESCO’s growing focus on calligraphy and manuscripts, as demonstrated by its recently inaugurated specialized Center.

This visit followed the conclusion of ICESCO’s 45th Executive Council, held in Tunis on February 25–26, 2025.

It is worth noting that Kairouan, located 156 kilometers south of Tunis, holds a distinguished place in Islamic history as the first Islamic city established in North Africa. Founded by Uqba Ibn Nafi in 50 AH (670 CE), it served as a gateway for the spread of Islam into Algeria, Morocco, Spain, and Africa. The city is home to numerous mosques, shrines of Companions and saints, and significant archaeological sites, contributing to its rich tangible and intangible heritage. Furthermore, Kairouan boasts a profound scholarly legacy, being the first major center of learning in the Islamic metropolises in the western Mediterranean, preceding Córdoba and Fez. Recognizing its historical and cultural importance, ICESCO inscribed Kairouan on its Islamic World Heritage List in 2019, bringing the total number of inscribed sites and cultural elements to 724.