Category: Director General

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Driss El Hadani, Senior Advisor to the director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna, Austria. They explored potential opportunities between ICESCO and UNOOSA, particularly in encouraging investment in space exploration, space applications and youth capacity-building in the field.

Dr. AlMalik opened the meeting, held on 8 September 2023 at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, by congratulating Dr. Hadani on his appointment to such a prestigious position in an international organization, wishing him success in his mission stating that the Islamic World as a whole shares Morocco’s honor and pride about his achievement.

For his part, Dr. El Hadani thanked the ICESCO Director-General for the meeting, stressing that he was keen to visit the headquarters of the Organization before leaving Rabat to assume his new duties in Vienna.

He also noted that he had followed ICESCO’s programs and activities and its active role in the field of space sciences during his tenure as the director of the Royal Center for Remote Sensing in the Kingdom of Morocco. Moreover, Dr. El Hadani commended the Organization’s efforts in promoting the importance of space sciences.

The meeting touched upon proposals for cooperation between ICESCO and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs to encourage the countries of the Islamic world to engage and invest in space science, which is witnessing successive developments, through the joint organization of international conferences and training workshops for young people.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of Science and Technology Sector at ICESCO, and Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor in the Sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization received
His Excellency Mr. Atumannu Dainkeh, ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Kingdom of Morocco. They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between ICESCO and Sierra Leone in the fields of education, sciences, and culture.

During the meeting, held on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat in the presence of several heads of Sectors of the Organization, Dr. AlMalik underlined the importance ICESCO attaches to its Member States in the African continent; as evidenced by the implementation of various projects and programs in the areas of modernizing educational systems, capacity-building of youth and women, promoting business leadership in technology and Artificial Intelligence, teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, and consolidating the values of peace and civilizational dialogue.

Furthermore, ICESCO Director-General pointed out that the Organization adopts a distinct approach of communication vis-à-vis its Member States. This communication takes place through its National Commissions for Education, Science, and Culture to identify the priorities and needs of each State and design programs and projects that address these needs.

On his part, the Sierra Leone ambassador commended ICESCO’s efforts geared toward supporting its Member States in its areas of expertise, affirming that his country, which acquired full membership at ICESCO in 1985, is keen to promote cooperation with the Organization.

Dr. Salim Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Abdellatif Miraoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation of the Kingdom of Morocco, held a meeting to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between ICESCO and the Ministry in the areas of scientific research development, academic exchange and qualifying youth in the field of artificial intelligence.

Following the bilateral meeting between Dr. Al-Malik and Dr. Miraoui, on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat, during which they reaffirmed their keenness to develop the distinguished relations between the two sides, an expanded meeting was held in the presence of Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy DG, and several heads of Sectors, directors of departments and centers of the Organization, and the delegation accompanying the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation in Morocco.

During the meeting, the two parties reviewed the results of the existing cooperation between ICESCO and the Ministry, and discussed proposals for programs and projects for cooperation in the future, especially in the areas of building youth capabilities, developing their skills to keep pace with developments taking place in the world, and harnessing modern technology and applications of artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable development as part of celebrating ICESCO Year of Youth, which will be officially launched at the end of this September.

The meeting also touched upon academic cooperation between Moroccan universities and the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, affiliated with ICESCO, and networking with member universities to cooperate in the fields of open education, training teachers, and publishing master and doctoral theses in different languages.

After the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Al-Malik accompanied Dr. Miraoui on a tour of the Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, which is currently hosted at ICESCO Headquarters, as part of the strategic partnership between ICESCO, the Muslim World League, and the Mohammadia League of Scholars. Dr. Miraoui received detailed explanations about the contents of the pavilions and sections of the Exhibition and Museum which uses modern display technologies to tell and document in detail the Seerah of the Prophet, may the best prayers and peace be upon him.

The Moroccan Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation expressed his admiration for what he saw at the Exhibition, stressing the importance of passing to the youth of the Islamic world this important information about the biography of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the lofty values it carries.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Ambassador Saienko Serhii, Ambassador of Ukraine to Morocco, on Tuesday, 5 September 2023, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, to discuss prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Ukraine in the fields of education, science and culture.

During the meeting, which took place in the presence of several ICESCO’s heads of sector, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main programs and activities implemented by the Organization as part of its vision and strategic orientations, which are based on openness and cooperation with all, intending to establish partnerships for the benefit of the Member States and Muslim communities worldwide, in its fields of competence.
The Director General also pointed out that ICESCO allows non-member states to join as observer states, aimed at strengthening cooperation with the countries of the Islamic world in the fields of education, science and culture, and contributing to the promotion of the values of peace, coexistence and civilizational dialogue. The aim is also to capitalize on cultural diversity to bring people closer together, support innovation and benefit from technological advances.

For his part, the Ukrainian ambassador praised ICESCO’s role in supporting the efforts of its Member States and expressed his willingness to establish a fruitful partnership between Ukraine and the Organization.

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Kamil Samigullin, Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan, and discussed cooperation between ICESCO and Tatarstan in the field of consolidating the values of coexistence, peace, and civilizational dialogue and countering extremism and hate speech.

During the meeting, held on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, as part of Dr. Al-Malik’s visit to Tatarstan to participate in the Kazan World Youth Summit 2023, ICESCO DG stressed that the Organization gives priority to disseminating the true and tolerant image of the Islam worldwide, highlighting the Organization’s programs to train youth on leadership for peace and security, and its efforts in the field of civilizational dialogue through its new Center for Civilizational Dialogue, and the “Read it to Understand” initiative, launched in an effort to confront the heinous campaigns to attack the Holy Qur’an, as well as the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, housed at its headquarters, in Rabat, which has attracted more than three million visitors since its inauguration in November 2022.

For his part, the Mufti of Tatarstan commended the efforts of ICESCO and the importance of cooperation with Muslim countries, noting that his country is a role model for coexistence between followers of different religions.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Mintimer Shaimiev, State Councillor of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Renaissance Foundation for Historical and Cultural Monuments, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue, on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, to discuss the prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Tatarstan in the fields of culture, particularly the preservation and promotion of heritage.

During the meeting, Dr. AlMalik pointed out that ICESCO places the protection, safeguarding and promotion of heritage at the forefront of its strategic orientations, as it represents the identity of peoples, adding that the Organization had inscribed several historic sites and cultural elements on its Islamic world heritage lists.

ICESCO DG also welcomed the willingness of the Republic of Tatarstan to rebuild historic sites, mosques and churches vandalized in the past, stressing ICESCO’s willingness to cooperate in this area.

For his part, Mr. Mintimer Shaimiev presented the fields of action of the Renaissance Foundation for Historical and Cultural Monuments, and its role in the restoration of a number of Islamic and Christian historical sites in Tatarstan, within the framework of projects aimed at reviving the ancient city of Bulgar and the city of Sviyazhsk, stressing the importance of cooperation with the Organization to inscribe the Republic’s heritage sites on ICESCO’s lists of heritage in the Islamic world.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), started his visit to the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, to take part in the Kazan 2023 World Youth Summit, by meeting with Ms. Leyla Fazleeva, Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan, in the presence of Mr. Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan. The meeting focused on prospects for cooperation in areas of common interest.

During the meeting, held on Monday, August 28, 2023, in Kazan, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the key elements of ICESCO’s new vision and strategic orientations, as well as the main ongoing initiatives, programs and projects aimed at contributing to capacity-building for young people and women, promoting the values of coexistence and civilizational dialogue, and encouraging investment in the fields of technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and space sciences. He also discussed the promotion and preservation of the Islamic world’s heritage, as well as the inscription of historic sites and cultural elements on ICESCO’s tangible and intangible heritage lists.

The discussions focused on several proposals for collaboration between ICESCO and the Republic of Tatarstan, intending to implement a range of projects and programs in areas of common interest.

For her part, Ms. Leyla Fazleeva commended ICESCO’s initiatives and efforts in the fields of education, science and culture, underlining the Tatarstan government’s commitment to establishing fruitful cooperation with the Organization.

The meeting took place in the presence of Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.
ICESCO DG and the accompanying delegation visited the Qolsharif Mosque, considered to be the largest mosque in Tatarstan, which was built in the 16th century, destroyed in 1552, and rebuilt in 1996, thanks to contributions from several countries to the construction fund.