The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched, on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, the “ICESCO’s Arabic Language Riwaq” initiative, aimed at strengthening the presence of the Arabic language in the international academic sphere and establishing a regular scientific tradition of knowledge-based dialogue on issues related to language, linguistics, and translation. This was marked by the inaugural linguistic session held at Sultan Qaboos Library at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, with the participation of a distinguished group of academics and researchers specializing in the Arabic language, its teaching, and its international dissemination.

The session opened with remarks by Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of ICESCO’s Translation and Publishing Center, who highlighted the importance of Riwaq as an institutional scientific platform for dialogue and the exchange of knowledge, as well as its role in documenting, publishing, and translating academic output. In his address, Dr. Majdi Hajj Ibrahim, Head of the Arabic Language Center for Non-Arabic Speakers, emphasized that Riwaq represents a qualitative addition to the Center’s programs and reflects the Organization’s commitment to promoting Arabic as an international language of thought, scientific research, and inter-civilizational dialogue.

The inaugural session, moderated by Dr. Youssef Ismaili, expert at ICESCO’s Arabic Language Center for Non-Arabic Speakers, featured a lecture entitled “Arabic Among African Languages,” delivered by Dr. Abdelali Oudrhiri, Professor of Arabic and Linguistics at Mohammed V University and winner of King Faisal Prize in Arabic Language and Literature for 2019. In his lecture, he addressed the historical and linguistic dimensions of interaction between Arabic and African languages, as well as the role of Arabic in shaping the cultural and intellectual landscape of the continent.