ICESCO, Heydar Aliyev Foundation Forge New Partnership in Heritage, Artificial Intelligence, Capacity-Building, and Education
29 October 2026
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, to strengthen cooperation in safeguarding and protecting cultural heritage, developing the AI Index for the Islamic World, implementing educational projects in Africa, and delivering training and capacity-building programs for young people and women.
The Agreement was signed by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Both sides underscored the importance of the MoU in implementing joint projects in culture, science, education, and modern technologies.
The MoU provides for cooperation in developing the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award and projects to safeguard and protect tangible and intangible heritage across the Islamic world. It also covers the development of the ICESCO AI Index for the Islamic World and the convening of a ministerial meeting of ICESCO Member States. Other areas of cooperation include educational and social support for displaced girls and girls attending boarding schools in West Africa, as well as projects in education, culture, and peacebuilding. The Agreement also provides for training courses, workshops, and capacity-building programs for institutions, experts, young people, and women in various fields.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik held a bilateral meeting with Ms. Leyla Aliyeva to discuss the latest developments in cooperation between ICESCO and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in education and social welfare through the implementation of projects benefiting countries across the Islamic world.
The meeting also highlighted the Agreement signed by the two parties in 2025, which has resulted in projects and initiatives aimed at empowering women affected by conflict and enhancing their social integration in Burkina Faso and Niger.
