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    Category: Director General

    Director General

    ICESCO Calls for Development of Conventions on Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    ** Egypt’s Minister of Tourism announced a joint international conference, under the patronage of the country’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, with ICESCO, in 2020.

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stated Tuesday, July 28 that the worsening crimes of illicit trafficking in cultural property and the growing e-markets and auctions on social media require developing relevant legislations, conventions, and joint efforts to set the code of ethics to deal with these cultural properties.

    ICESCO’s International Virtual Conference on “Combatting the Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property” took place in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Several ministers and prominent experts in the field of antiquities also participated in the event.

    In his address at the opening session, Dr. AlMalik warned that the cultural heritage in the Islamic world is endangered and exposed in public auctions on social media.
    The Organization’s DG also stressed that “amid the current situations threatening our unique civilizational heritage, ICESCO is committed to strongly support the Member States and other countries to counter the crime of illicit trafficking in cultural property. This conference is the first step toward ensuring capacity-building and developing relevant mechanisms to fight against this phenomenon.”

    On his part, Dr. Khalid Al-Anani, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, announced in his address the organization of a face-to-face international conference in cooperation with ICESCO, to be held in Egypt under the patronage Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi.

    The goal of the planned event, with the date to be later announced, is to further combat illicit trafficking in cultural property.
    Al-Anani also welcomed Egypt’s participation in the small task forces to draft the conference’s declaration.
    The Egyptian Minister expressed his conviction that today’s International Virtual Conference will be a turning point in boosting cooperation between countries to combat the theft and illicit trafficking of cultural property. It will develop the necessary tools and institutional systems and assist in the cooperation for the fight against such trafficking and the restitution of the artifacts to their homelands, he added.

    ICESCO’s DG welcomed the patronage of H.E. President Al-Sissi for the upcoming international conference on combating illicit trafficking in cultural properties while commending the efforts exerted by Egypt to recover its cultural properties.

    During the four sessions of Tuesday’s conference, speakers debated the topic in depth. The first session was dedicated to the current situation of illicit trafficking in cultural property in the Islamic world, during which Dr. Hassan Nazim, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities of Iraq, tackled the challenges that faced the Iraqi heritage after 2003.

    Jean-Michel Abimbola, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts of the Republic of Benin, affirmed that his country had been a victim of the illicit trafficking of cultural property because of colonialism.

    Mr. Abdel Ilah Afifi, the representative of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Kingdom of Morocco, stated that Morocco managed to recover 35 thousand heritage pieces, adding that his country is preparing a law to protect monuments.

    On her part, Ms. Elena Vlachogianni, the representative of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports, said that her country concluded several bilateral and multilateral agreements to protect cultural properties.
    Roberto Riccardi, the representative of the Italian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said that Italy has a database of its cultural property that facilitates the restitution of any stolen piece.

    Chaired by Former Prime Minister of Guinea.. ICESCO Virtual Meeting on Water Security in the Islamic World Closes its Proceedings

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    Mr. Kabiné Komara, Former Prime Minister of Guinea, chaired yesterday, July 27, the virtual meeting on water security towards peace and development in the Islamic world. The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held the meeting in cooperation with the Moroccan National Office of Electricity and Water (ONEE) and the Secretariat of the 9th World Water Forum (Dakar 2021).

    The meeting witnessed high-caliber participation, including Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal, Mr. Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, and several prominent international water experts, as well as the international institutions and organizations.

    The participants in the meeting, held in preparation for next year’s 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal, stressed the need for joint action to ensure water security, which is the basis of sustainable development in Muslim countries and around the globe. They also called for developing a roadmap beyond the 9th World Water Forum to achieve this vital objective.

    During the opening session, Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam expressed his country’s honor for hosting the 9th World Water Forum (Dakar 2021) for the first time in a sub-Saharan country. He added that it constitutes a big challenge that his country will strive to fulfill through cooperation to achieve the Forum’s objectives.

    In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO’s Director-General, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to supporting the 9th World Water Forum. “It is a privilege for ICESCO to sign a framework partnership with the Ministry of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal. We are confident that the Forum will be an opportunity to discuss the innovative ideas and practical solutions for water resources issues, and integrate peace, security and sustainable development,” he added.

    During the working sessions, the participants explored the scope of water issues and their impact on various fields and sustainable development. In this regard, Dr. Ahmet Mete Saatçi, President of the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN), made a presentation on the water situation in the Islamic world and cooperation opportunities, while underscoring the irrational use of water resources and the possibility of eradicating many diseases through water processing.

    On her part, Dr. Lalla Asma El Kasmi, Director of Cooperation and Communication at ONEE, Vice-President of the World Water Council, explored international cooperation and water diplomacy to achieve water-related sustainable development goals worldwide.

    Mr. Francis Bougaire, Head of Water Coordination and Partnership Department at the African Development Bank, then tackled water security and development in African countries. Mr. Abdoulaye Sene, Executive Secretary of the 9th World Water Forum, made a presentation on the Forum and the various preparation phases and ways of participation.

    Mr. Kabiné Komara stated that yesterday’s meeting gives impetus to joint action in water security and the need for more progress. In his closing address, Dr. AlMalik thanked the participants for the fruitful discussions while hoping that this meeting would be a start to exploring water security issues and provide practical solutions for countries.

    ICESCO Director General Calls for Investment in Water Management and Sanitation Systems

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    **A cooperation agreement was signed to hold 9th World Water Forum

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), urged on Monday, July 27, countries to prioritize investment in water management, sanitation systems, and hygiene services. He also reaffirmed that water security is vital in ensuring not only humanity’s survival, but also socio-economic development, sustained energy production, and food security.

    The statement was part of Dr. AlMalik’s address at the opening session of the high-caliber virtual meeting on water security for peace and development in the Islamic world, which ICESCO held today.
    The meeting was in cooperation with the Moroccan National Office of Electricity and Water (ONEE), and the Secretariat of the 9th World Water Forum. The event, chaired by Mr. Kabiné Komara, Former Prime Minister of Guinea, is a preparatory event to the 9th World Water Forum, due to be held next year in Dakar, Senegal.

    Dr. AlMalik also warned against the difficult global situation in terms of water resources. “Studies and research works have shown that almost 300 thousand children under 5 years of age die each year due to diseases caused by contaminated drinking water and poor hygiene. Besides, over two billion people lack clean drinking water while four billion people suffer from the shortage of sanitation services,” he added.

    ICESCO’s DG also stated that women and girls are most affected by the lack of water security in many regions. “In 8 out of 10 households, particularly in poor countries, women bear the burden of ensuring the availability of drinking water. Water scarcity is a major factor in school drop-out and non-enrollment among girls. The poor quality of sanitation services causes health problems and infect 44 million pregnant women. Water resources depletion has affected the socio-economic and political activities, and the increased unemployment rate among youth, who struggle to counter these negative effects through extremism or drugs,” he stressed.

    In addition, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that “ICESCO pays great attention to water issues which are key to achieving sustainable development goals in the Islamic world. The Organization also implemented several programmes, projects, and action plans to boost water use efficiency through modern technologies.”

    During the opening session, which started at 10:00 GMT, Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal, gave an address wherein he commended this meeting and its topics. He also lauded the excellent cooperation between ICESCO and Senegal, while highlighting that the COVID-19 pandemic pushes us to take prompt collective action to ensure water for all.

    In his address, Mr. Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, said that many Muslim countries suffer from drought and water resources shortage, particularly with the global warming predictions and poor rainfalls in the future. He added that water-induced conflicts have become real, and a balance between water resources and water consumption should be achieved.

    At the close of session, Dr. AlMalik and Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam signed an agreement between ICESCO and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation of Senegal, for cooperation on holding the 9th World Water Form (Dakar 2021).

    ICESCO Director General Meets Ambassador of Chad to Rabat

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), visited on Thursday, July 23, the Embassy of the Republic of Chad in Rabat, where His Excellency Mahamat Abderassoul, Ambassador of Chad to Morocco welcomed him.

    Dr. AlMalik made the visit to express the Organization’s gratitude to His Excellency President Idriss Deby Itno of the Republic of Chad for his valuable participation in ICESCO’s International Virtual Forum on “Role of Religious Leadership in the Face of Crises.”

    During the Forum, President Itno gave an important address that was greatly applauded and appreciated by the participants and followers of the Forum’s live streaming.

    At the meeting, Dr. AlMalik and Ambassador Abderassoul explored further cooperation between ICESCO and the Republic of Chad. Dr. AlMalik also highlighted several ICESCO’s future projects and programmes in the country in cooperation with the parties concerned, particularly the inauguration of the Arabic Language Center now in the final stages of construction, and support to women, young people and entrepreneurs within the framework of the initiative “The Societies We Want”.

    On his part, the Chadian Ambassador lauded and appreciated the visit of ICESCO’s DG, which is likely to open new prospects of cooperation between the Organization and Chad. He also commended ICESCO’s efforts and the diverse practical initiatives it launched to support Member States to counter the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the African countries.

    Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, ICESCO’s Director of the Department of Dialogue and Cultural Diversity, also attended the meeting.

    ICESCO Director General Receives Chargé d’affaires and Cultural Advisor at Chinese Embassy in Rabat

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received today, July 16 Mr. Jun Mao, Chargé d’affaires, at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Morocco, and Dr. Chen Dongyun, Cultural Advisor at the Embassy, at the headquarters of the Organization in Rabat. The officials explored ways to promote cooperation between ICESCO and China in the Organization’s areas of competence.

    During this meeting, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that ICESCO’s new vision adopts openness and cooperation to serve the Member States and Muslim communities around the globe. He also highlighted that, within this framework, ICESCO developed a new charter specific to Observer States which will allow such countries to take part in conferences, activities and programmes and establish partnership with ICESCO, while calling on China to join the Organization as Observer.

    Besides, ICESCO’s Director-General reviewed the major initiatives newly launched by the Organization during the COVID-19 pandemic to support the international community’s efforts to counter the pandemic’s negative repercussions.

    The initiatives include the “Comprehensive Humanitarian Coalition,” whose executive projects and field programmes are geared towards countries affected by the pandemic and the neediest categories. He also called on the People’s Republic of China to join this Coalition and encourage private institutions to join as well.

    The meeting also touched on the ICESCO Prize for Fighting against Coronavirus with a USD 200,000 reward to anyone who discovers an efficient treatment or preventive vaccine from the virus. Dr. AlMalik requested the Chinese delegation to help publicize this prize in China.

    On his part, Mr. Jun Mao welcomed the development of cooperation between ICESCO and his country’s interest while calling for effective communication to achieve the results of this important meeting and follow-up on the issues agreed upon.

    The two parties agreed to implement joint programmes in the fields of culture, science, and education to develop their mutual relationship.

    Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Director of the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperation; Amb. Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of Dialogue and Cultural Diversity Department; and Ms. Rime Jirari, President of Organizations and Bodies Division from ICESCO attended the meeting. Joining the meeting from the Chinese Embassy was Ms. Dong Xue Meng, Officer at the Cultural Division.

    ICESCO participates in the celebration of the 15th Anniversary of Russia’s accession to the OIC as an observer country

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the Virtual Forum organized by the Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC) on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Russian Federation’s accession to the OIC as an observer country.

    In his address, ICESCO Director General Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Mr. Khaled Fateh Al-Rahman, Head of the Department of Dialogue and Cultural Diversity at ICESCO, stressed the importance of relationships between Russia and the Islamic world since the advent of Islam, citing examples of cooperation between the two parties. He also expressed his appreciation of the Russian representation in the OIC joining the Global Humanitarian Coalition, while looking forward to Moscow’s joining this initiative. The Coalition is part of a number of initiatives launched by ICESCO and widely welcomed at the international level.

    Dr. AlMalik also referred to the prospective studies being conducted by ICESCO which constitute a promising field for fruitful cooperation with Russian strategic experts. He also showcased future areas of cooperation between the two parties in the fields of education, science and youth.

    MoU between ICESCO and Alwaleed Philanthropies to help 10 African countries as part of anti-COVID-19 initiatives

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Alwaleed Philanthropies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the phases and programme related to implementing the joint initiative to help 10 countries address the adverse repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative entails humanitarian aid to the needy categories, capacity-building in the production of sanitizers and protective equipment to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic, and support to the private sector and women and youth entrepreneurs.

    Following the signature of the MoU during the virtual ceremony held on Tuesday, H.R.H. Princess Lamia Bint Majed Saud AlSaud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, said “we are proud of our partnership with ICESCO marked by many years of humanitarian initiatives to meet the urgent and long-term needs of the neediest categories around the globe. This initiative will empower women and young entrepreneurs by making them assume the principal role in the fight against Coronavirus”.

    For his part, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General, expressed the honor of ICESCO to collaborate with Alwaleed Philanthropies in support the most vulnerable and marginalized people in Africa and across the Islamic world.

    “His R.H Prince Alwaleed Ibn Talal, has always been a champion for this noble cause, we look forward to strengthening our collaboration with Alwaleed Philanthropies as an icon for others to follow” added Dr. AlMalik.

    The MoU stipulates that Alwaleed Philanthropies, over a period of one year, provide 2,090,000 US dollars in aid to contribute to the efforts of addressing the repercussions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Niger, Senegal, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Nigeria, the Sudan, Mauritania, and Cote d’Ivoire.

    The initiative seeks to provide food assistance to the neediest populations and most affected by the pandemic, most notably centers of elderly care, people with disabilities, and women victim of violence, orphanages, refugee centers and patients in health centers and hospitals. It also aims to build local capacities in the production of sanitizers and protective equipment (gels, protective masks, ventilators) through prioritizing and empowering men and women entrepreneurs in local informal sectors.

    The two parties agreed to set up an implementation schedule to be attached to the MoU and a code of conduct for media outreach specific to the partnership. In this regard, the MoU stipulates that ICESCO prepare a quarterly report about the implementation of the project in each of the target countries and a detailed one at the end of the implementation, on the most important innovative initiatives with photos of production units and recorded testimonials of some beneficiary citizens.

    For 4 decades, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and spent more than 15 billion Saudi riyals and carried out more than 1000 projects in over 189 countries, managed by 10 Saudi female members, reaching more than 1 billion beneficiaries around the world, regardless of gender, race, or religion. Alwaleed Philanthropies collaborates with a range of philanthropic, governmental, and educational organizations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, provide disaster relief and create cultural understanding through education. It seeks to build bridges for a more compassionate, tolerant, and accepting world.

    Based in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, ICESCO specialized in education, science and culture to bolster relations among Member States in the Islamic world. It seeks to build future decision-makers, share expertise, provide institutional support and upgrade development policies and innovation and knowledge systems.

    ICESCO and Huawei explore cooperation prospects

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), today at the headquarters of the Organization, received Mr. Chu Yuan, Assistant Director General of Huawei Company in the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they explored ways of cooperation between ICESCO and Huawei in the fields of education, science and culture.

    During this meeting, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that ICESCO’s new vision advocates openness to non-Member States, regional and international organizations, and civil society institutions in such a way as to serve ICESCO Member States and Muslim communities around the globe, while highlighting that ICESCO developed a new Charter of the Observer States, and calls upon all non-Member States to join the Organization as observer members.

    In the same vein, ICESCO Director General reviewed the major initiatives, projects and programmes launched by the Organization to support the efforts geared toward countering the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly ICESCO Prize for Fighting Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), with US$200,000 in prize money, to be awarded to anyone who discovers an efficient treatment or preventive vaccine against the virus; and “ICESCO Digital Home” which has become a rich knowledge platform targeting all categories and covering all ICESCO’s fields of action; as well as the initiative “Comprehensive Humanitarian Coalition” which targets through its executive projects and field programmes the poor and affected countries.

    On his part, Mr. Yuan lauded ICESCO’s action supporting the efforts of countering the COVID-19 pandemic while pointing out that Huawei devotes great attention to its social responsibility by providing aid to the local communities in the host countries of Huawei’s branch offices, and offering scholarships to students to pursue their studies on technology in China.

    The discussion also covered the prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and Huawei, particularly in the fields of education and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as well as the technological studies and research works.

    The meeting was attended from ICESCO by Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Director of the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperation; Dr. Barry Koumbou, Director of the Sector of Education; and Ms. Rime Jirari, Head of the Department of Organizations and Institutions at the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperation; and from Huawei Ms. Chaymae Salhi, Public Relations and Governmental Affairs Officer.

    ICESCO Director-General takes part in the meeting of BOT of the International Islamic University, Islamabad

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the 4th meeting of the Board of Trustees of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), held today via a videoconferencing platform, under the presidency of H.E. Mr. Arif Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Chancellor of the University, President of IIUI’s Board of Trustees (BOT).

    At the outset of the meeting, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan gave an address wherein he welcomed the participating members of IIUI’s Board of Trustees, while commending the key role played by the university to train scholars and professionals capable of keeping pace with the changes and needs of the time.

    In the same vein, the meeting explored several topics relevant to the university and its Waqf. It also discussed the election of the members to fill vacant seats, nomination for membership of the University Administration Council, the Finance and Planning Committee, the Council of the Dawah Academy, Shariah Academy, and Islamic Research Institute as well as the International Institute of Islamic Economics. The meeting also adopted the report of the BOT’s previous meeting, held on 12 April 2018, and reviewed the report on the implementation of the adopted decisions of the said meeting.

    Besides, the meeting nominated Dr. Hathal bin Hamoud Al-Otaibi, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the IIUI presidency to succeed Dr. Ahmed Yousif Al Draiweesh. The meeting concluded with an address by the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, wherein he thanked the participants in the meeting.

    It is worth mentioning that IIUI was established in 1980/1400 A.H. with support from many Muslim countries’ governments. It is considered one of the biggest and most prominent universities in Pakistan and includes many specialized faculties in various scientific disciplines.

    AlMalik and El-Enany explore ICESCO-Egypt cooperation promotion in the heritage field

    Posted on by MOHAMED.AQEIL

    **Egypt’s museums at ICESCO Digital Home

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural (ICESCO), and Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the Republic of Egypt, during a videoconference meeting agreed to develop cooperation between ICESCO and Egypt in the field of heritage preservation and the fight against illicit trafficking in cultural property.

    The two parties examined several topics, namely the inscription of the Egyptian sites inscribed on the World Heritage List (WHL) (6 sites on the final list and 49 on the tentative one) on the Islamic World Heritage List (IWHL), and the examination by the Islamic World Heritage Committee (IWHC) of the inscription of the building of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on ICESCO Modern Architectural Heritage List. They also discussed the use of experts from both parties to hold sessions on the preparation of application files for the inscription of heritage sites on the IWHL and WHL.

    The Egyptian Minister agreed to exhibit Egyptian heritage sites and museums, already prepared by the Ministry in their digital format, on ICESCO’s Heritage Portal and ICESCO Digital Home.
    Dr. AlMalik and Dr. El-Enany reaffirmed the cooperation between ICESCO and Egypt in the field of fighting illicit trafficking in cultural property and the need to propose new mechanisms for combating this crime at a webinar to be held by ICESCO for this purpose. Moreover, they agreed to set up a small working group bringing together Egypt, several Member States, and international experts to draw up a practical approach to this cause.


    For his part, the Egyptian Minister suggested the establishment of a regional center in Egypt, in cooperation with ICESCO and UNESCO, tasked with fighting illicit trafficking in cultural property and ensuring its restitution, a move welcomed by ICESCO Director-General. The two parties also agreed to cooperate in the organization of training sessions in partnership between ICESCO, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the preservation, documentation, inventory, protecting and restoration of monuments, especially with the Restoration Center of the Egyptian Grand Museum, known for its technical potentials and expertise in capacity-building for restoration specialists in the Islamic world.

    Dr. El-Enany invited Dr. AlMalik for a visit to Egypt. Dr. AlMalik welcomed the invitation and promised to visit the country as early as possible.

    The meeting was attended by Mr. Najib Rhiati, Director of the Sector of Culture and Communication, Dr. Osama Elnahas, Heritage Expert at the Sector, and Amb. Maged Mosleh, Supervisor of Central Department for Public and International Relations at the Ministry.

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