The participants in the 44th Session of the Executive Council, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, sent two letters of thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister, in recognition of their support for ICESCO and efforts to promote Islamic joint action in education, science and culture.
The letter sent to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, co-signed by Dr. Salim AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General and Dr. Dawas Tayseer Dawas, Chairman of ICESCO Executive Council, conveyed the utmost gratitude and appreciation of the Member States’ delegations and representatives of prominent regional and international organizations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The letter also commended Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s remarkable and steady progress in global performance indicators relevant to education, scientific research, innovation, university rankings, inscription of sites on heritage lists, achieving green transformation and consolidating the foundations of sustainable development.
Likewise, the participants sent a letter to HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expressing their deepest appreciation and highly commending His Royal Highness’s wise leadership of the pioneering developmental achievements underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The participants hailed the Kingdom’s significant feats and strides towards a bright future, as inked in its 2030 Vision, the latest of which is winning the hosting of World Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034.
Moreover, the participants sent a letter of gratitude to His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Culture, President of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, for the warm reception and hospitality extended to the delegations of the Member States taking part in the 44th session of ICESCO’s Executive Council in the prosperous city of Jeddah.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote cooperation in the areas of blended education, community development, women empowerment, early childhood care, financial inclusion, and the Prince Talal International Award for Human Development.
The MoU was signed on Wednesday 17 January 2024, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, AGFUND Chairman, President of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Open University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The signing took place during the opening session of the 44th ICESCO Executive Council hosted in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Over the course of four years, the MoU outlines collaboration between ICESCO and AGFUND in implementing projects and activities related to knowledge exchange and enrichment through human development, empowering women and children in ICESCO Member States, promoting innovation and professional and personal skills for youth through higher education, and sharing best practices for the development of local communities.
It also provides for organizing joint activities such as workshops, seminars, conferences, and training courses.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, signed an agreement establishing the ICESCO Chair for Artificial Intelligence Ethics at the University. The Agreement aims to encourage research, development, and innovation in the field of ethics and AI algorithms, and support researchers through organizing training activities, and exchanging information, skills, and best practices in the field.
The Agreement was signed by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Dr. Saeed bin Hamad Al-Rubaie, President of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Muscat, on Wednesday 17 January 2024, during the 44th Session of ICESCO’s Executive Council in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to the Agreement, the Chair aims to support academic efforts in developing research programs, addressing the challenges posed by technology in the field of artificial intelligence, and identifying the risks associated with its unethical use. Furthermore, the Chair seeks to explore the best practices for applying and governing AI applications in a way that upholds fundamental rights and freedoms, protects personal data, consolidates privacy, and promotes equality and non-discrimination in all aspects of using smart and advanced technologies. The Agreement also provides for standards and ethical principles that enhance learning environments.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Culture, signed the Executive Programme of the Hajj Routes to Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Historical Mosques. The Programme provides for cooperation between the Organization and the Kingdom to protect tangible and intangible cultural heritage, establish the “Center for Hajj Routes to Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Historical Mosques”, coordinate efforts to take the necessary measures for preserving historical heritage, and adapt it to modern pilgrim stations such as ports and airports. This aims to establish Islamic civilization as a fundamental reference point in both human history and international relations.
The Executive Programme was signed on 17 January 2024, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Alblihed, Secretary-General of the National Commission, during the opening session of ICESCO’s 44th Executive Council, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.
The Executive Programme provides for joint cooperation to highlight the role of the Islamic civilization and the significance of the Two Holy Mosques as a center for civilizational convergence and world peace. It also outlines measures to protect the cultural heritage sites of the Hajj routes in ICESCO Member States, support cultural industries related to Hajj worldwide, and facilitate the exchange of technical expertise among the Member States to build capacities in the field of Hajj routes heritage.
The Center for the Hajj Routes to Makkah A-Mukarramah and Historical Mosques will manage and execute the Programme, organize various activities and workshops, document and preserve heritage along the Hajj routes, and create a map of sites and mosques inside and outside Islamic world, in order to highlight their architectural and engineering characteristics. Additionally, the Center will explore global tourist routes and products related to historical mosques, connecting them to the Hajj routes.
The Executive Programme also involves establishing an interactive structure including museums and online platforms to shed light on the historical development of Hajj routes and create an integrated global system for the Hajj economy.
The 44th Session of the Executive Council of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) kicked off on Wednesday, 17 January 2023, in Jeddah. The Session is hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented in its National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and saw the participation of high-level officials, including ministers, ambassadors, and representatives from the Member States, alongside delegations of regional and international organizations.
The opening session began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the address of Mr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Alblihed, Secretary-General of the Saudi National Commission, where he stated that Jeddah hosts the proceedings of the Executive Council as part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to support science, culture and education at the national, regional and international levels, lauding ICESCO’s remarkable efforts and cooperation with the National Commissions to boost the performance of the Member States.
In his address, Dr. Dawas Tayseer Dawas, Chairman of the ICESCO Executive Council and secretary-general of the Palestinian National Commission, stressed the need to actively support, adopt and localize international best practices to advance the fields of education, culture and science in the Member States, noting ICESCO’s role as a platform for sharing expertise, best practices and viewpoints.
For his part, Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, President of the Egyptian National Commission, and President of the ICESCO General Conference, commended the Organization’s proactive strategy and action plan that takes risk management into consideration. He further underscored that ICESCO has not only updated its strategy but turned challenges into real opportunities for building a brighter future for the Islamic world.
In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, stated that the Executive Council is an opportunity for Member States’ representatives to take stock of ICESCO’s achievements during the year as well and its aspirations for the following one, calling on them to express their views on the final report of the activities and programs to contribute to their development.
Moreover, Dr. AlMalik announced a proposal to create an ICESCO bureau in the State of Palestine, in reflection of its supportive stance vis-à-vis the Palestinian people in the fields of education, culture, and science. Dr. AlMalik stated that this measure would be replicated in Syria, the Sudan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and other Member States.
Additionally, Dr. AlMalik cast light on the developments of the ICESCO Goodwill Ambassadors Program, which included the appointment of a host of prominent figures in politics and culture, most recently, His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, pointing to the success of the Organization’s General Directorate in attracting new financial resources, thus tripling the Organization’s core budget.
Afterward, Dr. Nicolas Peter, President of the International Space University (ISU) in France, the Session’s guest of honor, lauded the ICESCO-ISU partnership, noting that space sciences are the backbone of the economy.
Subsequently, Ms. Jaymi Stephens, Head of Strategic Partnerships at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), delivered, via videoconference, the address of Mr. Sergio Mujica, ISO Secretary-General, stressing the importance of developing solid standards in implementing and managing strategies to ensure innovation and address challenges.
The respective ambassadors of Palestine and Lebanon accredited to Morocco recounted their experience dealing with the Organization’s General Directorate, praising the outstanding partnership between ICESCO and their countries under its new strategic orientations.
During the session, ICESCO awarded the two winning associations from Egypt and Bangladesh with its 2023 Prize for Girls and Women’s Literacy, an award geared towards encouraging pioneering initiatives and best practices in literacy and non-formal education targeting girls and women.
The opening session culminated in the signing of several partnerships and memoranda of understanding between ICESCO, prestigious institutes, and specialized bodies to implement programs and development projects for the Member States.
Following this opening session, the proceedings of the 44th Session of the ICESCO Executive Council kicked off to review the Organization’s performance reports and its plans for the upcoming two years.
Participants in the 44th Session of the Executive Council of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, went on a tour of Jeddah’s historic district to explore the city’s rich cultural heritage and deep historical significance.
On the evening of Tuesday 16 January 2024, the visitors, including ministers, ambassadors, and secretaries-general of the Member States’ National Commissions, as well as representatives of regional and international organizations, received detailed explanations about Historic Jeddah, which is listed on both the World Heritage List and ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List. They were introduced to the city’s archaeological landmarks, mosques, and houses, followed by a welcoming ceremony attended by H.H. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Jeddah Governor.
In his address at the ceremony, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also thanked the Ministry of Culture and the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science for hosting the 44th Session of ICESCO’s Executive Council.
Dr. AlMalik highlighted the significance of Jeddah as the gate to the Two Holy Mosques, pilgrims’ guiding lantern to the Holy Mosque, and haven of love and aspiration. He added that Historic Jeddah houses numerous historical landmarks and a distinguished university, concluding his address with a reading of a poem he wrote for this occasion titled, “Outstanding, Exceptional Jeddah.”
For his part, Mr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Alblihed, Secretary-General of the Saudi National Commission, highlighted Jeddah’s historical, Islamic, and archaeological landmarks, casting light on its port’s significance for arriving and departing pilgrims. Moreover, Mr. Alblihed commended the outstanding partnership between ICESCO and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, praising the Organization’s efforts to build the capacities of youth in the Islamic world and support the development of their cultural and educational skills through various training programs and activities.
Subsequently, a video presentation titled “Caravans” was screened, discussing ancient civilizational routes used for both trade and Hajj, converging from all parts of the world to the Arabian Peninsula. The presentation showcased the prominent arts of those parts and emphasized the role of the Hajj routes as channels for cultural exchange.
Afterward, the participants in ICESCO’s Executive Council visited the “Bayt Naseef” Museum at the heart of Historic Jeddah, where they explored the artistic treasures that embody the depth of traditional crafts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including paintings with natural pigment, camel bone marquetry, traditional wood carving, gypsum carving, traditional wood joinery, and more.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Mohammed Amer Al-Mardini, Minister of Education of the Syrian Arab Republic, and together they explored prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and Syria in the field of education.
The meeting was held today, Tuesday, January 16, 2024 in Jeddah, concurrently with ICESCO’s Consultative Meeting, organized as part of the 44th Session of the Executive Council, being held on 16-18 January. The Executive Council is hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented in its National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.
During the meeting, Dr. AlMalik highlighted the key axes of the Organization’s vision and the major orientations of its action strategy. He added that ICESCO’s programs and projects focus on building the capacities of young people and women, developing their skills to keep up with the professions of the future, training them in the field of leadership for peace and security and building their foresight knowledge.
Moreover, the Director-General stressed the Organization’s keenness to promote cooperation with Syria within its areas of competence, as part of the Organization’s efforts to contribute to developing the fields of education, science and culture and capitalizing on modern technology, AI and space sciences in its Member States. The Director-General further explained that the Organization also opens up to non-Member States through providing them with the opportunity to join ICESCO as Observer States.
For his part, the Syrian Minister commended ICESCO’s efforts and key roles in supporting its Member States in its areas of competence, expressing his country’s keenness to cooperate with ICESCO in the implementation of a number of programs and projects to exchange expertise.
Dr. Al-Mardini extended the invitation to ICESCO Director-General to visit Syria to take stock of the extent of damage caused to the field of education and the efforts exerted to make up for the educational loss.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) convened its second Consultative Meeting under the theme, “Innovation in ICESCO.” The Meeting is organized in Jeddah, as part of the 44th Session of the Organization’s Executive Council, being held on 16-18 January, and hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented in its National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, with the participation of high-level officials, including ministers, ambassadors, and representatives from the Member States, alongside delegations of regional and international organizations.
The Meeting focused on the opportunities and challenges facing the Islamic world and provided an outlook on the future of ICESCO and the pivotal role of innovation in its new strategy to become “The ICESCO We Want.” The agenda also tackled cooperation projects between the Organization and its Member States, in coordination with their respective National Commissions, in addition to the major global events to be hosted by the Member States.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, stated that the Organization upholds the principle of consultation in all its endeavors, as it marches ahead, ready to open up to new prospects and address challenges that may arise. Dr. AlMalik urged the Member States’ ministers, ambassadors, and secretaries-general of the National Commissions to put forth their proposals, ideas, and practical initiatives, as they are an integral part of ICESCO’s vision and action strategies.
Moreover, Dr. AlMalik stated that the Meeting’s activities provide an opportunity for brainstorming and creative idea among the representatives of the Member States and ICESCO’s team. He added that the outcomes of the Meeting would serve as basis for devising the Organization’s action plans for the upcoming years, particularly with regard to ethical leadership, investment in human resources, governance, and innovation culture, stressing the need to promote cooperation among the Member States to launch and organize international initiatives and conferences.
For his part, Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, President of the Egyptian National Commission, and President of ICESCO General Conference, highlighted the main challenges and opportunities facing the Islamic world by analyzing the human resources indicators in the Islamic world and its contribution to gross world product, the level of scientific research, innovations and patents and the global ranking of universities in the Islamic world. Furthermore, Dr. Ashour underscored the importance of scientific research in achieving innovation in medicine, engineering, and industrial production, seizing the opportunity to commend ICESCO’s initiatives in these fields.
The first activity themed, “Shape the Future of ICESCO with Us” was an opportunity for participants to present ideas and proposals of innovative initiatives on ethical leadership, investment in human resources, innovation culture and smart services. The second activity, “Innovation in ICESCO Strategy,” was dedicated to generating ideas for initiatives on ideas, information exchange, capacity building, and cooperation enhancement in policymaking.
Afterward, a brainstorming session took place to discuss the major global events to be hosted by the Members States, notably Riyadh Expo 2030, UNESCO General Conference in Uzbekistan, COP 29 in Azerbaijan, and UNCCD COP 16 in Riyadh, The Meeting also featured a presentation on the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Omani National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.
The Consultative Meeting concluded its proceedings with a discussion session between ICESCO Director-General and members of National Commissions.
Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema, Gabon’s Transitional President, received Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), at the Presidential Palace, in Libreville. The meeting was attended by several Gabonese ministers and officials, as well as Dr. AlMalik’s accompanying delegation. At the beginning of the meeting, held on Tuesday, January 11, 2023, Dr. AlMalik extended his congratulations to Gen. Nguema for the remarkable stability, peace, coexistence, and tangible development witnessed in Gabon during the transitional period. He further reiterated ICESCO’s keenness to enhance cooperation with Gabonese institutions through the implementation of projects and programs in the fields of education, science, and culture.
Dr. AlMalik provided an overview of the outcomes of his meeting with Dr. Hervé Ndoume Essingone, Gabonese Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Technological Innovation, most notably the agreement to strengthen cooperation between the Organization and Gabon in the upcoming period.
Moreover, he put forth a series of proposals for collaborative activities and programs in areas of mutual interest, in line with ICESCO’s vision and Gabon’s objectives to develop and modernize the fields of education, science, and culture, focusing on building the capacities of youth, providing leadership training for peace and security, supporting women, addressing school dropout rates, and protecting children.
On his part, Gen. Nguema commended ICESCO’s efforts and its innovative initiatives aimed at serving its Member States in education, science, and culture.
Furthermore, he expressed his commitment to closely follow the Organization’s work in the period ahead, instructing officials to promptly settle Gabon’s overdue contributions to ICESCO’s budget for the current year.
As the close of the meeting, the Gabonese President presented Dr. AlMalik with a valuable collection of books about Gabon. In return, Dr. AlMalik presented him with the Organization’s shield.
The meeting saw the presence of Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of ICESCO Social and Human Sciences Sector, and Dr. Juste Tindy-Poaty, Expert in the same sector.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a meeting with Dr. Hervé Ndoume Essingone, Gabonese Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, President of the Gabonese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, to explore mechanisms of promoting cooperation between ICESCO and Gabon in the fields of education, science and culture.
At the outset of the meeting, held on Thursday, 11 January 2024, as part of the official visit of Dr. AlMalik to the Gabonese Republic, ICESCO Director-General congratulated Dr. Essingone on his new position as Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, wishing him every success in his mission.
Moreover, Dr. AlMalik stressed ICESCO’s keenness to develop and promote new prospects for cooperation in the fields of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, providing scholarships for students in prestigious universities in the Islamic world, and building the capacities of youth and training them on modern technology and artificial intelligence. Dr. AlMalik also expressed ICESCO’s readiness to cooperate with Gabon to empower and support women, combat girls’ school dropout, and inscribe Gabonese cultural heritage sites and elements on ICESCO’s Islamic world heritage lists.
For his part, Mr. Essingone expressed Gabon’s willingness to consolidate cooperation relations with the Organization, create several ICESCO scientific chairs in Gabonese universities, work together to anchor and integrate the values of peace, coexistence and dialogue in educational curricula, and promote the use of technology and AI applications in education.
At the end of the meeting, the two parties agreed to maintain the outstanding partnership between ICESCO and Gabon and coordinate to arrange for ICESCO experts to visit Libreville to agree on several joint programs and projects with the Gabonese authorities in charge of the fields of education, science, and culture.
