Category: Director General

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, and Mr. Ulvi Mehdiyev, Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan (ASAN Xidmet), explored cooperation between ICESCO and the Agency in technological areas and the sharing of Azerbaijan’s in e-services expertise with ICESCO Member States.

Dr. AlMalik and his accompanying delegation of the heads of sectors conducted on Thursday, January 14, a tour to the main center of the Agency in Baku. During the tour, Mr. Mehdiyev reviewed the history and objectives of the Agency, pointing out that it provides 300 electronic government services to citizens and residents in just one office and that the main center receives more than 3000 citizens daily.

Following the tour, the two parties discussed several proposals of partnership, especially in bolstering the capacities of youth, promoting innovation, and sharing successful experiences in the advancement of digital education and culture.

The two parties also agreed to transfer the expertise of the Agency to ICESCO Member States. ICESCO DG stated that the Organization’s new vision adopts the sharing of expertise, especially in technological development of the Organization’s areas of action, between Member States and non-Member States.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik explored with Mr. Ramin Guluzade, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan, cooperation possibilities between ICESCO and the Azerbaijani Ministry in the fields of technology use in education and culture and in building the capacities of young innovators in the Islamic world.

The discussions were part of the meeting held on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies in the capital Baku. The delegation of ICESCO’s heads of sectors, accompanying Dr. AlMalik in his current official visit to Azerbaijan, attended the meeting. Mr. Vasif Eyvazzade, Secretary-General of the Azerbaijan National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture and several Ministry officials also took part in the meeting.

After exchanging expressions of gratitude, the two parties expressed their willingness to build practical cooperation and partnership between them. They then explored the suggested fields of cooperation including the use of modern technology in education as a way to address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that caused the lockdown of educational institutions for long periods and triggered a rush to adopt distance learning. They also discussed the possibility of sharing Azerbaijan’s expertise in the program of building smart cities with ICESCO Member States.

Both parties designated a joint committee to prepare for a conference on cyber security that ICESCO and the Azerbaijani Ministry will co-organize. The topic is a key element in the digitization that all sectors have undertaken. The joint committee will also follow up on the design and implementation of cooperation programs in the fields of education, sciences, and culture.

Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, received Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and his accompanying delegation of Heads of ICESCO Sectors. The reception took place today, Wednesday, January 13, at the Presidential Palace in Baku, in the presence of Mr. Anar Karimov, Minister of Culture, President of the Azerbaijani National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.

At the outset, President Aliyev welcomed the DG, expressing his appreciation for the visit and the tours Dr. AlMalik and his delegation made yesterday to the historic and cultural sites in the Districts of Fuzuli and Aghdam bordering the Nagorno-Karabakh Province to take ocular verification of the extent of damage that affected the region.

The Azerbaijani President also reaffirmed his country’s appreciation of ICESCO’s sustained support and its clear stance on the importance of considering cultural and historical rights. He also commended the importance the Organization accords to safeguarding and inscribing heritage, stressing that Azerbaijan will always support ICESCO in the implementation of its vision and action strategy.

President Aliyev reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s intent on rebuilding all historic sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, hailing ICESCO’s announcement to provide assistance and technical support to the major project. The President also suggested opening a regional office for ICESCO in Baku soon.

The DG expressed his thanks to the President for inviting him and ICESCO’s delegation to make the official visit. He highlighted ICESCO’s support for all its Member States to safeguard their cultural and civilizational heritage and reviewed ICESCO’s efforts in the field.

The DG also welcomed the proposal to open a regional office for ICESCO in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, and suggested relocating the office to the city of Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh once it is rebuilt. President Aliyev welcomed and commended the proposal, he also noted that he proclaimed Shusha as Azerbaijan’s Capital of National Culture.

Dr. AlMalik also stressed building institutional relations between ICESCO and Azerbaijan. The Organization will specifically send a technical team including international experts to examine the heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and assess the extent of the damage. The technical team will also work closely with the Azerbaijani side to lay down a plan for restoring or rebuilding the sites.

The meeting also addressed the special cooperation and partnership ties between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in civilizational dialogue and other fields. Mr. Aliyev then mentioned Baku Forum, which became a key platform for dialogue between Europe and the Islamic world. The DG stated that ICESCO is in the process of creating ICESCO Center for Civilizational Dialogue, which will provide ample opportunity for cooperation with the Baku Forum.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, on the first day of his visit to Azerbaijan, met with Mr. Emin Amrullayev, Azerbaijani Minister of Education, to explore ways of fostering cooperation and partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in education.

In a meeting held today at the Ministry of Education in Baku, the two parties touched on the challenges that faced education last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the imperative need for solutions to countering such crises. The goal is to ensure the continuity of education and reduce educational loss that the longtime closure of education institutions has caused.

The two parties examined cooperation proposals in education, namely those relevant to scholarships for students in ICESCO Member States and exchange between Azerbaijani universities and the Member Universities of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW). The officials also explored cooperation in the teaching of Arabic to non-Arabic speakers between ICESCO Center of Arabic for non-Arabic speakers and the Arabic-teaching Azerbaijani schools and the development and implementation of the programs of the training, qualification, and capacity-building for teachers.

The meeting discussed cooperation in scientific research between research centers in Azerbaijan and their counterparts in ICESCO Member States. The measure includes conducting research that meets the true needs of Member States and yields practical and economically viable outcomes to achieve development. The parties also considered establishing ICESCO chair in an Azerbaijani university, under ICESCO Chair Program.

The participants in the meeting from the Azerbaijani side included Mr. Oktay Sudef Ogly Gurbanov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Morocco; Mr. VasifEyvazzade, Secretary-General of the Azerbaijan National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, and several officials from the Ministry of Higher Education.

In attendance from ICESCO were Amb. Kahlid Fathalrahman, Supervisor of the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperation, Head of the Department of Dialogue and Cultural Diversity; Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Sector of Culture and Communication; Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of the Sector of Science and Technology; and Mr. Samy El Kamhawy, Supervisor of the Department of Information and Institutional Communication.

At the start of his official visit to Azerbaijan on Monday, January 11, 2021, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met Mr. Anar Karimov, Azerbaijan Minister of Culture. The meeting explored the promotion of the outstanding relations between ICESCO and Azerbaijan.

At the onset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik and his delegation congratulated Mr. Karimov on his appointment as Minister of Culture and President of Azerbaijan National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture while wishing him every success.

Mr. Karimov welcomed Dr. AlMalik and his delegation stating that the political leadership in Azerbaijan highly appreciates the historic and timely visit. He also praised ICESCO as the first international Organization to conduct such visit, which includes many tours of historic sites in Azerbaijan.

Dr. AlMalik reviewed the salient developments in ICESCO in terms of the organizational structure, the working mechanisms, and the strategic vision, which promotes further communication with Member States. The goal is to develop programs and projects based on Member States’ needs and priorities and hold partnerships with non-Member States for the benefit of all Muslim communities worldwide.

The meeting also touched upon the areas of cooperation and partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in the field of culture, particularly preserving and inscribing historical sites and cultural elements on the Islamic world Heritage List, as well as promoting the civilizational dialogue and accurately presenting Islamic culture to the world.

At the end of the meeting, the two parties agreed to sustain joint action to strengthen the partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan through practical programs likely to make major achievements.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) begins on Monday, 11 January 2021, an official visit to Azerbaijan, during which he will meet with several senior officials in the country, to discuss ways to promote cooperation and partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in the fields of education, science, and culture.

The agenda for the visit of Dr. AlMalik and his accompanying delegation of ICESCO’s sector managers includes a field tour of multiple historical and cultural sites.

Dr. AlMalik affirmed that the visit is part of the distinct relations between ICESCO and Azerbaijan, and the two sides’ keenness to develop them in light of ICESCO’s new vision. The visit also comes amid the special attention ICESCO attaches to the valorization, preservation, and inscription of cultural and historical treasures in the Member States on the Islamic World Heritage List. It is within the framework of the Organization’s commitment to revive the Islamic heritage in its various aspects to link generations and build shared historic accounts to allow for future anticipation.

The DG indicated that cooperation between ICESCO and Azerbaijan is distinguished, covering all of the Organization’s fields of action and its future plans, focusing on civilizational dialogue and the presentation of the correct image of Islamic culture to the world.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, and Mr. Khalil Hachimi Idrissi, DG of Moroccan News Agency (MAP), held yesterday, talks on ways to strengthen relations between the two institutions in the areas of common interest.

Officials from both parties attended the meeting at MAP’s headquarters in Rabat. Dr. AlMalik and Mr. Hachimi Idrissi expressed their shared desire to strengthen relations between the two institutions through a partnership agreement covering practical programs and projects with attainable objectives. The partnership discussions focused on capacity building and training in media, particularly in Africa, in addition to the fields of publications, culture, science, and education.

The two parties reviewed evolving work mechanisms in the two institutions, main achievements in 2020, and intellectual and knowledge production.

ICESCO DG noted that the fruitful and constructive meeting was intended to be a starting point for reinforcing the partnership between ICESCO and MAP. He also stressed that ICESCO, as part of its new vision, adopted an open-door policy to all and supporting and training the youth, with the awareness of the importance of investing in human capital. The two institutions can benefit from each other’s potentials.

Mr. Hachimi Idrissi affirmed that MAP is ready to foster cooperation with ICESCO through the conclusion of an agreement with innovative formulas that benefit from the media attributes of the Agency. He stressed the importance of consolidating a real and tangible cultural relationship. He added that the MAP’s presidency of the Atlantic Federation of African News Agencies (FAAPA) opens up broad prospects for cooperation in media training at the global level.

In a statement to Moroccan news channel “M24” after the meeting, Dr. AlMalik stated that ICESCO intends to hold symposia and conferences in partnership with MAP and that the Organization is committed to supporting the 7^th World Congress of News Agencies that MAP will organize in Marrakesh in 2022.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), announced the start of the preparations for holding an international conference on the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in cooperation with the Muslim World League (MWL) and Mohammadia League of Scholars. The conference, which will bring together several intellectuals, will highlight the Prophet’s unique virtues and refute allegations and offenses leveled against him.

The announcement was part of Dr. AlMalik’s address, yesterday, December 30, 2020, at the 3rd Media Forum of the Union of OIC News agencies. The event saw the participation of many permanent delegates of OIC Member States, directors and representatives of news agencies, radio stations and digital platforms; media and communication teachers, as well as the directors and representatives of OIC bodies. The 3rd forum explored the future of cultural action in the Islamic world and the efforts of ICESCO.

“The conference, which aims at highlighting the noble virtues and values of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is part of the efforts of ICESCO and its partners in defending and publicizing Islam, the Prophet, and the Islamic civilization and culture,” highlighted Dr. AlMalik.

Dr. AlMalik announced the start of the preparations for a scientific conference next year on the future of media in the Islamic world, as well as the proclamation of 2021 as Women’s Year in the Islamic world to illuminate women’s issues and support their rights.

The address also reviewed ICESCO’s efforts during the last period to fulfill its role, open new pathways for action, and implement its new organizational structure, most notably the modification of its name to the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).

Dr. AlMalik pointed out that the Organization promoted education and culture, attracted new competencies, promoted geographical diversity, and created several specialized centers, including the Strategic Foresight Center to keep up with the international developments and to anticipate the future.

ICESCO also established the Islamic World Heritage Center to inscribe more heritage sites in Muslim countries. The Organization has so far inscribed 213 sites in the Islamic World Heritage List. ICESCO also established the Center for Dialogue to lead the civilizational dialogue in the Islamic world, as well as the Center of Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers, the Artificial Intelligence Center, and the Center of Arts.

Dr. AlMalik underscored that ICESCO developed a new observer status to encourage donors and non-Member States to join the Organization as observers. “ICESCO also launched the COVID-19 Prize, ICESCO Digital Home, the academic chairs on new media in many universities as well as ICESCO Media Friends Group,” he added.
The DG explored the future of cultural action in the Islamic world and ICESCO’s projects, including the medium-term strategic cultural action plans for 2020-2030, entitled “ICESCO Roads for the Future.”
“Despite the negative repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of life, ICESCO considered it an opportunity for action and creativity based on modern communication technologies,” he stated.
In his address delivered by Mohamed Al-Yami, Assistant Director-General, Ahmad Bin Abdullah Al-Qarni, UNA-OIC DG, welcomed ICESCO DG. The host expressed the Union’s pride in having Dr. AlMalik to talk about the future of cultural action in the Islamic world and ICESCO’s efforts as the second major house of expertise in the fields of education, culture, and science after UNESCO.

Hazem Abdo, Head of UNA Foreign Affairs, moderated the Forum. The list of participants included Zayed Sultan Abdullah, UNA Assistant DG; Dr. Maher Karaki, Permanent Delegate of the State of Palestine to the OIC; Dr. Ibrahim Jallou, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Saudi Arabia, Permanent Representative to the OIC; Mokhtar Shoayb, Director of Al-Ahram office in Saudi Arabia; Ali al-Sayed, Editor-in-Chief of the Middle East News Agency (MENA); Dr. Lamia Mahmoud, Head of Sawt Al Arab Radio Network; Habib Tommi, Advisor to the Bahraini Ministry of Information Affairs; Anna Belkova, Consultant of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia-Islamic World”; Khadem Bausso, Editor-in-chief of the Senegalese Sen Arabe newspaper; Dr. Mahjoub Bensaid, Member of the Executive Bureau of the International Network of Arab and African Journalists; Dr. Othman Qazzaz, Professor at Umm Al-Qura University; Mohamed Ahmed Fal, journalist at Mauritania Radio; Hamdan Al-Rahbi, journalist at Yemen News Agency (SABA); Khaled Adenon, Professor of Information and Communication; Khadija Diarasoba, Ivorian Media Expert; Sheikh Khaled Taqi Eddine from Brazil; Dr. Said Al-Naghis, journalist at Mufakara Electronic Newspaper; Majed Al-Tal, journalist at Jordan News Agency (Petra); Haouari Kabad, journalist at Mauritania News Agency; and Ibrahim Barnawi, journalist at Al-Madina newspaper.

The forum was part of the conclusions of the 1st forum of UNA, held on May 16, 2020, under the patronage of the Saudi Acting Media Minister, Chairman of UNA Executive Council, which launched UNA’s activities and programs for upgrading the capacities of 2200 media professionals in the Islamic world.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Cui Ping, DG of Huawei Technologies Co. – Morocco, signed on Monday, December 28, 2020, at the Organization’s headquarters, a grant agreement, which consists of 200 tablets for sustaining distance education in some schools in Morocco.

The ceremony brought together ICESCO’s heads and directors of sectors and centers, Mr. Chu Yuan, Assistant DG of Huawei Technologies Co. – Morocco, as well as Ms. Chaymae Salhi, Public Relations and Governmental Affairs Officer at Huawei.

During the ceremony, Dr. AlMalik stressed ICESCO’s keenness to promote cooperation and partnership with civil society institutions in the Member States within the framework of its new vision and action strategy.

“ICESCO seeks to support its Member States to develop technology and innovation. I am delighted to collaborate with Huawei Technologies, which is one of the major technology companies,” he added.

Dr. AlMalik stated that modern technologies are the key to overcome the current and future challenges facing the world while pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the importance of technology, particularly in the field of distance education.

Mr. Cui Ping said that Huawei is proud of its cooperation with ICESCO, which includes 54 Member States. “Huawei pays special attention to its projects and programs implemented based on social responsibility, particularly in the fields of education, training, and students’ welfare in various countries, including Morocco,” he stressed.

Mr. Cui Ping noted that Huawei has been operating in Morocco for 20 years, during which the company implemented several projects and programs in various regions of Morocco. The company also launched student-welfare programs for thousands of students, some of whom received training in Huawei’s headquarters in China. “Huawei Technologies – Morocco will make every effort to ensure the success of its cooperation with ICESCO,” he stressed.

Huawei then screened its institutional film, which tells its 20-year-old story in Morocco.

The two parties agreed to hold a meeting to explore their future cooperation, particularly students training and scholarships as well as ICESCO’s programs for 2021, which the Organization dedicates to women.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education, and Scientific Research of Morocco signed a contract for consultative services and institutional support to implement a draft model for developing primary education in Morocco, with a total budget of USD 280,000, in partnership with the Islamic Bank of Development (IsDB).

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Mr. Said Amzazi, Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education, and Scientific Research, President of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, signed the contract at the close of the opening session of the Normal Session of the General Assembly of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.

The General Assembly was held on Thursday, December 24, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Mr. Saaddine Othmani, Head of the Moroccan government, a host of ministers and officials from of the Moroccan government, and several international organization representatives.

The contract provides for ICESCO’s technical assistance in the preparation of a model for developing primary education in Morocco, with a grant from the IsDB to the Moroccan Ministry of Education. The contract aims to ensure ICESCO’s technical support to achieve mandatory access to education for students between the ages of four and 11, and integrate primary education as a mandatory level. It also aims to improve the ranking of student performance in national and international evaluations, through the preparation and application of an integrated model for developing primary education in two years.

Elements of the project include the following axes:

1. Integrating primary education as a mandatory level;
2. Facilitating the integration of persons with special needs in the educational system;
3. Preparing a new pedagogical model for the benefit of students and educators;
4. Preparing a new model for the governance and management of educational institutions;
5. Preparing a new model to achieve equity and equal opportunities for access to primary education.