His Excellency Mr. Erlan Karin, Vice President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, received Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on Friday, 6 November 2026, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to discuss ways and mechanisms for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two sides in education, science and culture. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Second International Conference, “Al-Farabi and His Contributions Throughout Human History”, organized by ICESCO in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

At the outset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Mr. Karin on his appointment as Vice President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and wished him every success in his new role. He also expressed his appreciation for the bilateral cooperation and Kazakhstan’s support for several of ICESCO programs and projects.

For his part, Mr. Karin conveyed the Kazakh President’s gratitude to the ICESCO Director-General for his efforts to introduce the legacy of Abu Nasr Al-Farabi and celebrate Turkistan as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2027. He affirmed that, under its new Constitution, Kazakhstan considers the development of human capital, education, science and innovation to be a strategic priority.

The two sides discussed the addition of ten new Kazakh sites to ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List, as well as cooperation in implementing joint scientific and educational programs and projects relating to the scholarly study of, and awareness-raising about, the legacies of Al-Farabi and Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. They also discussed Kazakhstan’s hosting of the Conference of the Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World as part of the celebrations marking Turkistan as Capital of Culture.

Dr. AlMalik commended Kazakhstan’s progress in higher education and science, describing its experience as a model for the exchange of expertise among countries of the Islamic world. He proposed convening a conference of ministers of higher education to discuss the future of the sector and its challenges, and explore ways to develop higher education institutions in the 21st century.

Mr. Karin, in turn, outlined the priorities for cooperation within the framework of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, including strengthening President Tokayev’s initiative to establish a global movement for peace. The discussions also addressed ICESCO’s support for preparations for the 25th meeting of the Secretariat in 2027, and the 9th Congress in 2028.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to leveraging its expertise and capabilities to ensure the success of the “Turkistan: Capital of Culture in the Islamic World” celebration, underscoring the city’s civilizational significance on the international stage.