Category: Director General

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received yesterday at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat, Mr. Mohamed Mahmoud Ben Labat, Ambassador of Mali to Morocco.  The two parties explored the ways to develop and promote the cooperation prospects between ICESCO and Mali.

The goal is to contribute to national capacity-building in Mali in the sector of education, science, culture, communication, and human and social sciences. The Ambassador presented his credentials to the DG as a Permanent Delegate of Mali to ICESCO.

The meeting saw the participation of the heads of sectors and the advisors of ICESCO DG. Dr. AlMalik reviewed ICESCO’s new vision, which has been translated into major programs and initiatives for the benefit of several Member States, including Mali, to counter the negative repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic in the fields of education, science, and culture.

Dr. AlMalik reiterated ICESCO’s constant willingness to support the competent parties in Mali to develop Arabic language courses and the Islamic school program. ICESCO also supports Mali’s efforts to ensure the conservation of manuscripts and the protection of heritage in Timbuktu, in particular, and Mali, in general.

The Organization assists Mali in implementing programs of social support and education on peace. The activities are likely to entrench the values of coexistence, social cohesion, and the rejection of violence and extremism in the country, expressed the DG.

Mr. Ben Labat commended the outstanding work of ICESCO, which generously supported Mali. He also expressed his country’s desire to benefit from ICESCO’s expertise in Arabic language courses and the conservation of manuscripts and the protection of heritage.

The Ambassador stressed Mali’s keenness to sustain and promote constructive cooperation with ICESCO through the specialized national institutions, including Ahmed Baba Institute of Higher Learning and Islamic Research, which is the biggest center for the conservation of manuscripts in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, stressed the need to build peaceful and harmonious societies, following the upsurge of violence and hatred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DG also called for establishing common mechanisms of action, based on values promoting religion, culture, human rights, and sustainable development, and coordinating among the different bodies and organizations of the international community to bring the voice of children, youth, and women and guarantee their rights.

The statement was part of the DG’s address at the “Religion, Human Rights and Sustainable Development Goals” webinar. “Religions for Peace” Foundation held yesterday, the videoconference, in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Free University of Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), with the participation of representatives of specialized international organizations.
Dr. AlMalik added that acts of fanaticism and hatred contribute to the disintegration of societies and undermine the sacredness of religions. He also stressed that cultural and religious discourse is constantly used to justify the oppression perpetrated against women, girls, the elderly, people with special needs, and minorities.

Dr. AlMalik also indicated that supporting the empowerment of women and girls is a priority for ICESCO, which has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of Women. He also underscored the need to fight gender-based discrimination to enable women to play their full role in society. He then explained that humanity cannot reach its potential by leaving half of society marginalized.

On the occasion of the World Children’s Day on November 20, the DG said that it is necessary to guarantee the rights of all children, by providing them with quality education and health services and protecting them against all forms of violence and abuse, as they are the cornerstone for a brighter future.

Dr. AlMalik added that the Organization, at the time the webinar was being held, is celebrating “ICESCO Day for Africa” as part of its considerable interest in the African Member States. “The world continues to discover the wealth that the continent enjoys, despite the increasing rates of poverty, recorded particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he continued.

The DG called on all components of the society as well as officials to work together to combat violence and fanaticism, by sensitizing and educating those who perpetrate crimes in the name of religion and establishing a discourse based on human values.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received on Friday, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, Mr. Abdellatif Bensfia, Director of the Higher Institute for Information and Communication (ISIC). The two parties explored cooperation prospects.

Dr. AlMalik reviewed ICESCO’s new vision, which promotes an open-door policy towards all universities and develops mechanisms of communication and scientific and academic cooperation in Muslim countries.

The meeting also touched upon fields of cooperation in the upcoming period, most notably the preparation of an agreement to set up the Chair of ICESCO and ISIC. The discussion also involved developing business incubators and providing scholarships for students as well as training opportunities. Mr. Bensfia commended ICESCO’s new vision and progress as well as its open-door policy towards universities and the academic community. He also expressed his desire to develop constructive cooperation to serve Muslim countries.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received on Friday, at the Organization’s headquarters, Ms. Golda El-Khoury, Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Rabat. The two parties explored fields and programs of cooperation between ICESCO and UNESCO in the spheres of education, science, and culture in 2021.

During the meeting, Dr. AlMAlik reviewed the major activities and programs that ICESCO launched and implemented to support Member States’ efforts to counter the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.  He also highlighted ICESCO’s progress as part of its new vision and action strategy, which promotes an open-door policy.

Ms. Golda El-Khoury expressed UNESCO’s willingness to sustain cooperation with ICESCO through programs in the area of common interest between Member States of ICESCO and UNESCO in 2021.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, yesterday, held a videoconference with Mr. Anar Karimov, Acting Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan, to discuss ways of promoting cooperation and partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan. Mr. Vasif Evaz Zadeh, Secretary-General of the Azerbaijani National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, also attended the videoconference.

During the meeting, Mr. Karimov briefed Dr. AlMalik on the destruction of some historic monuments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the attempted desecration of mosques and places of worship, in the wake of the conflict with Armenia. The two parties examined ways of joint action to restore those sites.

The Acting Minister invited ICESCO DG to visit Azerbaijan for a meeting with senior officials in the country to explore cooperation aspects and tour the heritage sites that have been destroyed or have endured serious vandalism in Nagorno-Karabakh Region.

Talks during the meeting centered on the arrangements for Baku Heritage Forum, to be held on May 5, 2021. ICESCO will actively participate in the forum as part of its new vision and working strategy.

ICESCO Heritage Center is a testament to the special attention the Organization’s vision and strategy pay to heritage. The Center trains professionals of the field within the Member States and inscribes historical sites on the Islamic World Heritage List (IWHL) following the adoption of the inscription files by the Islamic World Heritage Committee (ISWHC).

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received yesterday, at ICESCO’s headquarters, Dr. Yussra bint Hussain Al-Jazairi, the Saudi Cultural Attaché in Morocco. The two parties explored the fields of cooperation in the upcoming period, including the celebration of the World Arabic Language Day 2020.

The meeting, held in the presence of several staff members of the Saudi Cultural Mission, reviewed the arrangements for the celebration of the World Arabic Language Day, due to be held next December at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat. The Saudi Cultural Mission will organize one of the celebration’s sessions.

The meeting also touched upon cooperation between ICESCO and Saudi Arabia in the field of culture, under the new vision and strategy of ICESCO. The strategy promotes further communication with the Member States with the end view of inscribing and protecting tangible and intangible heritage in the Islamic world and raising awareness of and disseminating the Islamic civilizational heritage around the globe.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), expressed his condolences on the passing of Amadou Toumani Touré, Former President of Mali, may Allah rest his soul, at the headquarters of the Malian Embassy in Rabat.

Dr. AlMalik, on behalf of ICESCO’s staff members, expressed his condolences to the Malian people on the passing of the Late Amadou Touré, on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, in Turkey, while citing all his virtues and consoling his family.

In his statement on the Embassy’s book of condolences, Dr. AlMalik stressed that the Late Amadou Touré made great contributions to Mali and had excellent relationships in the political circles.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, extended his condolences on the death of the ex-president of the Republic of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, may Allah have mercy on him, at the Embassy of Ghana in Rabat.

Dr. AlMalik expressed, on ICESCO’s behalf, his profound sympathy and condolences to the people of Ghana on the loss of Jerry Rawlings who passed away on Thursday, November 12, 2020. The DG also praised the role the late ex-President had played in the history of Ghana as it led the country between 1979 and 2001.

In a message he wrote on the book of condolences of the Embassy, Dr. AlMalik stated that Mr. Rawlings was a figure that had enjoyed great respect and appreciation from fellow leaders and friends.