As part of the visit of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), heading a high-level delegation to the Syrian Arab Republic, a special committee of experts from the Organization held several coordination meetings with representatives of the Ministries of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Culture.

The meetings focused on discussing cooperation priorities to support Syria’s recovery process, as well as outlining the specific needs and requirements of each ministry in the fields of education, science, and culture.

During the meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Education, priority was given to the restoration of schools and their provision with school supplies, pedagogical as well as educational technologies’ equipment, in order to accommodate the large number of students, with a focus on dropouts.

During the meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, emphasis was placed on supporting the Ministry’s digital transformation centers, through the provision of technological equipment and the engagement of international experts and speakers to conduct training courses and workshops in the fields of artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture identified its priorities as the nomination of Damascus as a Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2027, the registration of Syrian cultural heritage on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List, and the requirements for the restoration of the Waqf Library and the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo.

The ICESCO Special Committee for Syria is composed of Ms. Faizah Alaoui, expert at the Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence; Mr. Mohammad Al-Absi, expert at the Islamic World Heritage Center; and Dr. Adham Hamawiya, expert at the Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers.