His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sport of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA), received Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), at the InterContinental Hotel in Taif, on the sidelines of the Association’s General Assembly meeting.

The meeting was attended by H.H. Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, Vice President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and President of the Saudi Camel Sports, and Dr. Nasser Majali, Secretary General of ISSA.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between ISSA and ICESCO in a manner that contributes to serving youth in the Islamic world and promoting the values of solidarity and peace. Dr. Nasser Majali, for his part, reviewed the key provisions of the cooperation agreement signed between the two sides during the General Assembly meeting, as well as the opportunities it offers for launching joint programs with a tangible impact.

Dr. Salim AlMalik highlighted ICESCO’s initiatives in the fields of youth and peacebuilding, noting the role of sport in bringing peoples closer together and promoting intercultural dialogue.

The meeting also addressed a proposal to launch the “Sport for Peace” initiative, aimed at preparing a select group of young athletes to serve as ambassadors for their countries in the fields of peace and dialogue. The proposal also included the establishment of a “Cultural Village” as a program accompanying the Islamic Solidarity Games, starting with the next edition of the Games in 2029. The Initiative aims to showcase the heritage of participating countries and add a cultural dimension to the Games.

The proposals also included the launch of the “ICESCO–ISSA Award for Sports Ethics” to recognize inspiring role models who embody the values of fair play and contribute to serving their communities, in addition to the ISSA’s participation in organizing ICESCO’s annual marathon and efforts to expand its scope across the countries of the Islamic world.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the ICESCO Director-General expressed his appreciation to H.H. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal for the warm reception and his support for institutional cooperation. His Highness affirmed ISSA’s readiness to strengthen joint action with ICESCO, directing the Secretary General to coordinate with ICESCO to translate the proposed initiatives into action within the framework of the bilateral cooperation agreement.