The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) hosted the globally renowned Tunisian artist Lotfi Bouchnak on Monday, February 16, 2026, via videoconference, as part of the third session of its project “Artists of the World, Guests of ICESCO” within the framework of the forum “Culture for Rethinking the World,” which aims to contribute to the use of creativity to promote intercultural dialogue, enrich civilizational debate, and affirm the status of art as a universal language for peace and coexistence.

During the opening of the dialogue session, which was moderated by Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the Director General of ICESCO for the Federation of Universities of the Islamic World, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture Sector, praised Lotfi Bouchnak, emphasizing that his creativity emerged in Tunisia to shine all over the world. He added that the Tunisian artist is known for his steadfast positions on major issues, describing him as “the singular in the plural,” who learned from the great artists of the Arab world to establish a school of his own uniting the East and the West.

In his speech, Bouchnak reviewed his musical education and his memorization of the works of dozens of Arab and international musicians before beginning his artistic production, highlighting the need for the poet and musician to work in harmony for the text to complement the melody. Bouchnak also commended the intelligence of the Arab audience and its ability to distinguish between the good and the bad, calling for the promotion of culture in its broadest sense, given its importance to the economies of ICESCO Member States.

For his part, Dr. Omar Halli noted the great popularity enjoyed by Bouchnak, attributing this to his simplicity and closeness to the public. In the same context, Dr. Idham Mohamed Hanash, Director of ICESCO’s Calligraphy and Manuscript Center, pointed out that Bouchnak is one of the prominent figures who contributed to shaping Arab cultural identity in the modern era.

The panel discussion was attended by a number of the Organization’s leaders and experts, as well as the great Moroccan artist Samira El Kadri.