Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, met with Prof. Mahmut Erol Kılıç, Director-General of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), on Friday, 18 September 2026, to explore avenues and mechanisms for cooperation in organizing seminars and workshops on prominent figures of the Islamic world, heritage manuscripts and the art of calligraphy.

During the meeting, held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Benarafa reviewed the Organization’s efforts, programs and initiatives to highlight the deep-rooted history of the Islamic world and the richness of its heritage and cultures. He stressed the importance of developing a partnership between ICESCO and IRCICA that is grounded in sound scholarship and delivers tangible impact. He also called for concerted efforts to advance the cultural priorities of Islamic world societies through joint seminars, conferences and workshops in the coming period, foremost among them a symposium on the legacy of wisdom in conflict resolution and the consolidation of security and peace.

For his part, Mr. Karimov underscored the need to build bridges of civilizational dialogue and facilitate the exchange of expertise among organizations, institutions and centres across the Islamic world, with a view to disseminating knowledge and best practices in areas of common interest. He also highlighted the contributions of Islamic civilization to the enrichment of human civilization.

Prof. Kılıç expressed IRCICA’s readiness to cooperate with ICESCO in raising awareness of the various styles of Arabic calligraphy and organizing a series of specialized seminars and workshops on prominent figures of the Islamic world, in recognition of their scientific and intellectual contributions throughout history.

At the close of the meeting, which was attended by Mr. Murad Aliyev, Expert in ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, Prof. Kılıç visited the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, hosted at the Organization’s headquarters.