The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Sultanate of Oman, inaugurated the Sultan Qaboos Library at its headquarters in Rabat during a high-level ceremony held on Thursday, 16 April 2026, attended by a large number of ambassadors, officials from cultural organizations and institutions, and a group of prominent thinkers, researchers, and writers.

The inauguration ceremony opened with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by an address by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, in which he emphasized that libraries are civilizational landmarks and repositories of humanity’s intellectual wealth. He noted that the Islamic world is a civilization of the book, whose first revealed word was “Read,” and the civilization of the House of Wisdom Library in Baghdad, which served as a center for research, translation, and publishing.

Dr. AlMalik added that ICESCO is inaugurating today a library bearing the name of an exceptional leader known for his devotion to knowledge and culture, the late Sultan Qaboos, may Allah rest his soul. He pointed out that the library represents ICESCO’s gift to the Islamic world at a time when the status of the book has declined, and concluded his remarks by expressing gratitude to the leadership and government of the Sultanate of Oman.

For his part, Ambassador Khalid Salim Bamakhalif, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Morocco, praised the inauguration of the Sultan Qaboos Library at ICESCO headquarters, considering it a message affirming that knowledge will remain the strongest bond among peoples, and that investment in culture is an investment in the future of humanity. He also stressed that the relationship between ICESCO and the Sultanate of Oman stands as a model of cooperation based on supporting cultural and scientific action in the Islamic world.

Introducing the ceremony, Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of the Translation and Publishing Center at ICESCO, highlighted the role of libraries throughout history, noting that they have consistently served as incubators of thought and platforms for civilizational interaction.

This was followed by the official opening of the library, during which Dr. AlMalik and Ambassador Bamakhalif unveiled the commemorative plaque and accompanied senior guests on a tour of the library’s facilities, with explanations provided on the knowledge edifice, including reading halls, multidisciplinary spaces, and a dedicated area for children.

The inauguration was followed by an intellectual symposium featuring three presentations. The first, titled “Libraries Between Preserving Heritage and Shaping Cultural Transformation,” was delivered by Dr. Albanyan. Dr. Salim Al Habsi, Director of the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences at ICESCO, presented a paper on Omani cultural diplomacy and the means and mechanisms for its deployment, highlighting elements of the history and heritage of the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the distinction between cultural diplomacy and political diplomacy. Dr. Mahmoud bin Abdullah Al Abri, Secretary-General of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, reviewed his country’s relations with international organizations concerned with cultural affairs, taking ICESCO as a model.

The library provides a reading and research space equipped with the latest technological media and interactive devices. In its first phase, it includes more than 6,000 print titles, alongside a digital extension offering nearly 200,000 works available through ICESCO’s digital platform. The library also houses a number of rare documentary treasures, including a copy of the Holy Quran transcribed in the hand of Ibn Al-Bawwab.