Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Igor Belyaev Alekseyevich, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Morocco. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen joint cooperation in youth capacity-building, provide scholarships for students from the Islamic world at Russian universities, and enhance the protection of heritage sites.

During the meeting, held on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik affirmed that the Organization and Russia share a strong partnership based on mutual respect for the specificities of both the countries of the Islamic world and Russia. He highlighted ICESCO’s role in building bridges of communication, coexistence and cultural exchange between its Member States and the rest of the world, given its in-depth knowledge of their needs and priorities in the fields of education, science and culture.

Furthermore, Dr. AlMalik noted the Organization’s celebration of the city of Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, as the 2026 Capital of Culture in the Islamic World, and Kazan’s hosting of the 15th session of ICESCO General Conference, with the attendance of His Excellency Rais Rustam Minnikhanov.

Dr. AlMalik underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in building the capacities of youth and women and preparing them for future professions, developing space sciences and their applications, and mainstreaming the use of modern technology in cultural and academic fields, in addition to supporting the protection of heritage sites in danger in the Islamic world.

For his part, Ambassador Belyaev commended ICESCO’s efforts to develop and implement activities with tangible impact, reaffirming his country’s readiness to cooperate in developing programs and projects in artificial intelligence, exchanging expertise in the areas of civilizational dialogue, and recruiting Russian talents to work at ICESCO.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to explore the launch of a joint program to provide scholarships at Russian universities for students from the Islamic world.

The meeting was attended from ICESCO by Dr. Sally Mabrouk, Head of the DG’s Office, Supervisor of the Strategy and Institutional Excellence Sector, Dr. Yergaliyev Kuanysh, Head of the Science and Environment Sector, and Mr. Murad Aliyev, expert at the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.