The Saudi Society for Opinion Writers hosted, at its diwaniya in Riyadh on Sunday, 24 August 2025, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), where he reviewed the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, as well as its most prominent initiatives, programs, and activities for its Member States. He also highlighted the updates made to its organizational structure over the past five years in order to keep pace with global developments and the aspirations of the Islamic world.

During the intellectual evening, which was attended by a large number of the Kingdom’s leading opinion writers, Dr. AlMalik praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s continuous support for the Organization, extending his highest thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The ICESCO Director-General also commended the distinguished partnership between the Organization and several institutions in the Kingdom, in coordination with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, which resulted in the implementation of a set of pioneering programs and activities for the benefit of the Islamic world, including the launch of the Riyadh Charter for AI in the Islamic World.

Dr. AlMalik affirmed that ICESCO has made wide strides in its pursuit to become a beacon of international civilizational and knowledge-based enlightenment, noting that the Organization has adopted an approach of openness to all. This is embodied in its programs and initiatives, which are designed and implemented to serve humanity without discrimination, as well as in the accession of countries from outside the Islamic world to ICESCO’s membership as observer states.

The ICESCO Director-General stated that the Organization communicates directly with its Member States through national commissions in order to design programs and initiatives that meet these countries’ needs and aspirations. He also pointed out that ICESCO has established several new specialized centers to serve the Islamic world in the fields of foresight and artificial intelligence, Arabic language, translation and publishing, preservation and valorization of heritage, civilizational dialogue, calligraphy and manuscripts, and poetry and literature.

Dr. AlMalik explained that the development witnessed by ICESCO is the result of attracting outstanding competencies in all fields from across the globe and succeeding in making it an organization of young professionals, as more than 45% of ICESCO’s staff are under the age of 35. Moreover, women hold 50% of leadership positions in the Organization. He also shed light on the prestigious international certifications the Organization has received in innovation, creativity, governance, and knowledge, stressing that these constitute international recognition of ICESCO’s achievements.

The meeting featured rich discussions between Dr. AlMalik and the opinion writers, during which he answered the audience’s questions about ICESCO’s efforts to contribute to the development of its areas of competence.

From ICESCO, the meeting was attended by Osama Heikal, Head of the Media and Communication Sector, Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of the Translation and Publishing Center, and Dr. Abdulhakim Alsenan, Director of ICESCO’s Regional Office in Baku.
It is worth noting that the Saudi Society for Opinion Writers regularly hosts in its diwaniya a group of the Kingdom’s most prominent officials and decision-makers, in addition to distinguished Saudi figures at the international level, where it features direct and insightful dialogues with leading Saudi media professionals.