Dr. AlMalik Calls for Initiative to Strengthen Teachers’ Capacity to Counter Extremist Ideology

In the presence of H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the 7th edition of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue opened in Baku and will run until 29 October 2026. The Forum is co-organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and UN Tourism under the theme “Dialogue for a Shared Future: Building Bridges in a Fractured World,” with the participation of heads of international organizations and institutions.

The Forum’s opening session began with an address by President Ilham Aliyev, who stated that it has evolved in recent years into an effective and inclusive platform that has contributed to advancing relations among civilizations. He noted that this edition would address urgent issues on the global agenda and highlighted Azerbaijan’s historical and cultural standing as a bridge between Asia and Europe.

In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to the Baku Process and its vision of dialogue as a leadership responsibility and a fundamental pillar of peace. He stressed the world’s urgent need for this Process amid the spread of conflicts, reviewing statistics on conflicts worldwide and their adverse effects on global security, peace, and prosperity, and calling for early, preventive action to protect lives and human dignity.

In this respect, the ICESCO Director-General highlighted the Organization’s 360° Peace Initiative and its innovative concept of “civilizational diplomacy,” both of which underscore the pivotal roles of culture, education, and mutual understanding in building the societies we seek. He also spotlighted the ICESCO Young Peace Ambassadors Network, which brings together nearly 300 young leaders from more than 80 countries working for peace.

Furthermore, Dr. AlMalik emphasized that the strategic partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan offers a successful model for translating commitment to the Baku Process into projects, programs, and initiatives with tangible impact. This cooperation is reflected in efforts to rehabilitate more than 100 schools in Syria, implementing projects to support girls’ education in Burkina Faso and Niger, and launching the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award, with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

The ICESCO Director-General concluded his address by calling for investment in community-based prevention through support for youth-led projects, the empowerment of teachers, and the strengthening of their capacity to counter extremist ideology. To this end, Dr. AlMalik proposed launching a one-year pilot project for teaching staff in three Member States. He also called for mobilizing sustained support for education and heritage in communities affected by conflicts.