The sixth and final stage of the “Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud International Program for Language Training: Arabic Language in Central Asia” commenced on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Program is implemented by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Charitable Foundation and in cooperation with ICESCO’s Regional Office in Baku and Baku Eurasian University.

The three-day program opened with remarks delivered by representatives of Baku Eurasian University, the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Foundation, and ICESCO, who emphasized the importance of cooperation among academic, charitable, and international institutions in supporting the global standing of the Arabic language and promoting its rich cultural heritage.

The Program includes five specialized workshops led by Dr. Adham Hamawiya, Head of the Language Development Section at ICESCO’s Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, for the benefit of faculty members from Azerbaijani universities involved in teaching Arabic. The workshops will present key contemporary trends in teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers and discuss the challenges facing Arabic language education in Azerbaijan.

Prior to the official opening, a coordination meeting was held between Dr. Magdy Hajj Ibrahim, Director of ICESCO’s Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers; Dr. Sayavush Gasimov, Rector of Baku Eurasian University; and Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Maqoushi, Assistant Director-General of the Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation. The meeting explored prospects for future cooperation aimed at serving the Arabic language and strengthening its presence in Azerbaijan by leveraging ICESCO’s expertise in this field.

It is worth noting that the “Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud International Language Training Program: Arabic Language in Central Asia” was launched in September 2025 and has covered five countries across the region: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Bashkortostan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan.