Category: Director General

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Adil El-Malki, Governor of Essaouira Province in the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they explored prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and Essaouira in the field of tangible and intangible heritage preservation.

During the meeting, held on Saturday May 14, 2022, at the headquarters of the Governorate of Essaouira, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that ICESCO’s vision accords great attention to safeguarding and inscribing tangible and intangible heritage in the Islamic world, and rendering it a pillar of sustainable development, noting Essaouira’s long-standing heritage that stands witness to the city’s glorious past.

• 

For his part, the Governor commended ICESCO’s key roles on its areas of competence, and stated that Essaouira has always been a model of coexistence and tolerance, adding that the Governorate accords great attention to safeguarding the city’s heritage and is keen on promoting cooperation with ICESCO in this field.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties reaffirmed their keenness to build a special partnership, contribute to the promotion of Essaouira’s heritage and preserve its civilizational and cultural diversity, as part of ICESCO’s efforts to anchor coexistence in the Islamic world and preserve the historical and cultural memory.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of ICESCO DG’s participation in the Cultural Forum held in celebration of the International Day of Argania, upon the invitation of the Foundation of Essaouira’s Women for Economic Development in the Kingdom of Morocco. The Forum is held on 13-15 May 2022, with the participation of a number of high-ranking officials, conservation and environment specialists and cooperatives.

The Cultural Forum held in celebration of the International Day of Argania kicked off on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Essaouira. The event is organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in cooperation with the Foundation of Essaouira’s Women for Economic Development in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The three-day Forum, which took place at the social hall of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, saw the attendance of Mr. André Azoulay, Advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI; Ms. Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family; Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), in addition to several high-ranking officials, conservation and environment specialists and cooperatives.

The Forum opened with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the remarks of Ms. Raja Bourhim, President of the Foundation, who thanked the participants for attending the event, noting that the Foundation provides training and support to cooperatives to enhance the value of the Argan tree.

Ms. Aawatif Hayar’s then delivered an address in which she reviewed the achievements of the Kingdom of Morocco in promoting women’s rights and contributing to sustainable development. She also underscored the urgent need to preserve and promote the argan tree as a valuable economic asset, commending women’s efforts in this respect.

For his part, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik commended the generosity and hospitality of the people of Essaouira and the city’s abundant civilizational and cultural diversity.

The Director-General noted that the argan tree has become an emblem of Essaouira, a city that works tirelessly to produce food and medicine from this valuable tree. “The celebration of the International Day of Argania is a celebration of Essaouira’s civilizational richness and an opportunity to reflect on the importance that ICESCO attaches to civilizational dialogue” added ICESCO DG.

At the close of his address, Dr. AlMalik announced that ICESCO will conduct a foresight study on the future of the city of Essaouira according to the new development model and will build fruitful cooperation with the Foundation of Essaouira’s Women for Economic Development to serve the local community.

Various directors of national agencies and experts delivered their addresses and emphasized the importance of promoting the value of the argan tree.

Participants then visited the exhibition of traditional women’s clothing in the Islamic world, which is held on the sidelines of the Forum.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, who visited ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat today, Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at the conclusion of his official visit to the Kingdom of Morocco.

Dr. AlMalik praised the visit of the Egyptian Foreign Minister and his accompanying delegation to ICESCO headquarters, emphasizing the long-standing relations between the Organization and the Arab Republic of Egypt. He also noted the distinguished cooperation between ICESCO and the Egyptian authorities in the Organization’s areas of competence, in concert with the Egyptian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, particularly within the framework of this year’s celebration of Cairo and Rabat as Culture Capitals in the Islamic world.

During the meeting, ICESCO DG reviewed the key developments and modernizations the Organization has embarked upon during the past three years in an effort to open up to the world in the fields of education, science and culture, to serve its Member States and Muslim communities in non-Member States. The Organization’s forward-looking vision aims to encourage the countries of the Islamic world to invest in new technologies and localize their manufacturing, particularly space science and artificial intelligence applications. This vision also seeks to anchor the values of coexistence and peace, build youth and women’s capacity, and valorize and safeguard tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

For his part, the Egyptian Foreign Minister commended ICESCO’s pioneering roles in its areas of competence and congratulated Dr. AlMalik for the Organization’s successful efforts to provide a true portrayal of the Islamic civilization.

He reaffirmed Egypt’s support for ICESCO’s role and the importance it extends to cooperating with the Organization in its various areas of competence, underscoring Egypt’s appreciation for the DG’s efforts in fulfilling ICESCO’s mandate.

Following the meeting, the Egyptian Foreign Minister wrote a message in the Organization’s guestbook, before meeting ICESCO officials who reviewed the Organization’s major programmes and activities.

The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) saw the launch of the lecture series, “Cenacles of Gentle Exchanges”, held by ICESCO in cooperation with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco. The series kicked off with a lecture on the Literacy Programme that the Ministry has been implementing across Morocco since 2000, which benefited tens of thousands of people.

At the beginning of the lecture, held on Thursday 28 April 2022, a video on the Mosque-Based Literacy Program was screened, which highlighted the royal directives for the Ministry to launch the Program that His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, gave during his address on the 47th Anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People in 2000. The video also addressed the Programme’s significance, outcomes, achievements.

Following that, one of the Programme’s beneficiaries recited verses from the Holy Quran, before Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), took the floor to reaffirm the significance of the lecture series, which is part of the Celebration of Rabat as Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022. He added that the series aims to highlight Rabat’s key civilizational and cultural aspects and the glorious and long-standing history of the Kingdom of Morocco in general.

In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), commended the efforts of the Moroccan Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs to support and guarantee women’s education, noting that schools in the Islamic civilization emerged from mosques.

The DG added that Cenacles of Gentle Exchanges are circles of science and thought concerned with cultural and religious issues, stating that the theme of the first lecture is very significant given the vital role women’s education plays in building and developing societies and achieving sustainable development.

After that, Ms. Fouzia Benabbad, Head of the Department of Mosque-based Literacy at the Moroccan Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, gave a lecture wherein she reviewed the history and stages of development of the Mosque-based Literacy Programme since its launch in 2000.

She highlighted the programme’s objectives, which include restoring the educational role of mosques, contributing to job creation for unemployed holders of academic degrees, developing a production chain linked to the programme, and training and qualifying a group specialized in adult literacy with a view to contributing to development.

She also pointed out that women constitute 90% of the programme’s beneficiaries, which highlights its importance in advancing women’s roles as agents to development, achieving socio-economic integration and raise awareness of the importance of equal opportunities.

Ms. Benabbad reviewed the programme’s manuals and textbooks, explaining that the programme is overseen by administrative and educational staff in the educational spaces in mosques, institutions and on satellite channels. She also highlighted the programme’s contents and key educational materials, which aim at achieving the basic, functional, informational, cultural, environmental and professional literacy.

Besides, Ms. Benabbad underlined that the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs launched and implemented the Handwritten Holy Qur’an Project by the programme’s beneficiary women in various mosques of Morocco. The Ministry taught every beneficiary how to write a word from the Qur’an, which has consequently been compiled and published following its revision by the scientific committee at the Ministry.

Afterwards, the floor was opened for questions and idea sharing, with which Ms. Benabbad interacted.

At the close of her lecture, Ms. Benabbad presented a copy of the said handwritten Holy Qur’an to ICESCO DG as a gift from the Ministry to the Organization.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Ms. Dang Thi Thu Ha, Ambassador of Vietnam to the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they discussed cooperation prospects between the Organization and the Republic, particularly in the field of Arabic language teaching.

During the meeting, held on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main thrusts of ICESCO’s vision and its strategic orientations. He also reviewed the major programmes and activities that the Organization is implementing in cooperation with the competent authorities in the Member States, notably in relation to building the capacities of youth and women, anchoring peace and civilizational dialogue, teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, encouraging investment in space sciences, inscribing and preserving cultural heritage, and contribute to ensuring quality education for all.

ICESCO DG reaffirmed the Organization’s openness to all to establish partnerships and build cooperation that will benefit its Member States and Muslim communities around the world. He added that ICESCO enables non-Member States to join the Organization as observers for further cooperation with the Islamic world in the fields of education, science and culture, noting that various countries will soon join the Organization upon fulfillment of ICESCO’s accession requirements.

For her part, the Vietnamese Ambassador commended ICESCO’s roles in its areas of competence, underscoring her country’s keenness to build fruitful cooperation with the Organization, particularly in teaching the Arabic language. She indicated that a wide number of people are currently learning the Arabic language in Vietnam, notably at the University of Hanoi and another Vietnamese university in another city.

The meeting touched upon several cooperation proposals, namely training Arabic language teachers, the potential establishment of an ICESCO center for Arabic in Vietnam, concluding a cooperation agreement in this field, and organizing a cultural day or week in Rabat to promote the Vietnamese culture as part of the celebration of Rabat as Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Muslim World League (MWL), and the Mohammedia League of Scholars held a major international celebration to launch the “International Day of Mercy” initiative at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, and via video videoconference, on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

The celebration, which witnessed the attendance of high-level participants, began with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by introductory remarks by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General (DG) of ICESCO, in which he indicated that this initiative was recommended in the declaration of the International Conference on the Civilizational Values in the Prophet’s Seerah, held by ICESCO in cooperation with MWL and the Mohammedia League of Scholars in May 27, 2021, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him.

Participants in this conference urged the incorporation of the system of civilizational values into the international action mechanisms in the fields of education, culture, environment and public-interest issues, and called on the international community and bodies, as well as all peace-loving people, to proclaim the 21st of April as the International Day of Mercy.

He added that ICESCO submitted this initiative to the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held last March in Islamabad, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which issued a decision to adopt the initiative and called for its implementation in the rest of the international community.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, DG of ICESCO, began his address by noting that mercy is a divine matter that is embedded in all divine religions. “The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) scattered mercy upon the world like rain drops upon arid lands” added ICESCO DG.

He pointed out that the Organization has proudly taken the initiative to proclaim 21st of April as the International Day of Mercy, an endeavor that has come to fruition thanks to the joint efforts between ICESCO, MWL and the Mohammedia League of Scholars, to disseminate values of tolerance, concord and compassion.

In conclusion of his address, ICESCO DG called on all people to ponder upon the signification that the International Day of Mercy bears, and to cultivate mercy in younger generations, before reciting a poem entitled “The Gifted Mercy” that he composed in praise of the Prophet (PBUH).

In a video-recorded address, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of MWL, underlined that this initiative deserves our utmost praise and appreciation as it stems from our constant need for more mercy among people of all races and religions.

He pointed out that before being a human emotion that sparks a sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress, mercy is a divine attribute and command that has been glorified by the wise and the moralists. Dr. Al-Issa noted that MWL’s Charter of Makkah, that is grounded upon mercy, among other principles of Islam, is a historical document bearing messages of awareness and enlightened Islamic thought.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of the Mohammedia League of Scholars, emphasized that this is an exceptional celebration that translates the thought-out initiative to proclaim the 21st of April as the International Day of Mercy, following a recommendation by the participants in the International Conference on the Civilizational Values in the Prophet’s Seerah.

He added that mercy is a value and an outcome at the same time that is entrenched in the Prophet’s message, noting that mercy is a multi-dimensional system that follows a certain pattern and ultimately seeks Allah’s satisfaction.

His address was followed by the screening of a video summarizing the proceedings of the International Conference on the Civilizational Values in the Prophet’s Seerah, another ICESCO video on the Prophet’s lineage, and then a discussion.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), noted that the establishment of the National Day of Workers of Culture and Art in the Republic of Uzbekistan represents a milestone in the fields of literature, arts, thought and culture of this generous country. He added that Uzbekistan, which is regarded as one of the pillars of Islamic civilization, has long been associated with science and culture and has brought significant contributions to these fields throughout its long history.

The statement came in a video-recorded address for the celebration held in Tashkent on Friday, April 15, 2022, in observance of the National Day of Workers of Culture and Art in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The celebration saw the presence of Mr. Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Uzbek Minister of Culture, along with various members of the Uzbek government and representatives of different cultural and artistic bodies in the country.

Dr. AlMalik began his speech by extending his congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of Ramadan, the month of love and peace, noting that the celebration will have a positive impact, particularly on the preservation of the Uzbek cultural identity and all forms of literary and artistic expression in the country. “ICESCO hopes that its Member States will valorize culture and arts and give them their rightful place and due recognition for their pivotal role in the Islamic world’s social development” added ICESCO DG.

He concluded his address by reaffirming ICESCO’s support for Uzbekistan’s initiative to celebrate the National Day of Workers of Culture and Art, and its full readiness to contribute with all its capacity to the organization of all future activities to be held in observance of this day.

The event featured a tribute to a group of young artists and creative people from all Uzbek cities, along with various performances of songs from the Uzbek musical heritage as well as modern music.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), took part in the Ordinary Session of the General Assembly of the Moroccan National Commission for the Education, Science and Culture, held on Friday, April 15, 2022, at the headquarters of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco (BNRM), in Rabat, under the chairmanship of Dr. Chakib Benmoussa, Moroccan Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, President of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.

The meeting brought together Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication; Mr. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills; Ms. Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family; Mr. Ahmed Réda Chami, President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council; Mr. Karim Hendili, Director of UNESCO Maghreb Office in Rabat, as well as the members of the General Assembly of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, ALECSO Director-General, also participated in the meeting via videoconference.

In his address during this meeting, ICESCO Director-General expressed his thanks to the President of the Moroccan National Commission and his appreciation for its achievements. He also commended the cooperation relations between ICESCO, since its inception, and the Commission, which has resulted in the implementation of many programs and projects in the fields of education, science and culture.

Dr. AlMalik seized this opportunity to call on the Moroccan ministries, government institutions and civil society institutions to schedule their cultural activities and initiatives within the framework of the Celebration of Rabat, Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022, which is part of ICESCO’s Programme for Culture Capitals in the Islamic World. This celebration includes a large number of programs and activities to be implemented in Rabat and other cities of the Kingdom of Morocco to highlight the cultural status and the rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Rabat, the City of Lights.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Egyptian Minister of Environment, explored prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and the Arab Republic of Egypt in the fields of environment protection and promotion of the climate culture. The two parties also discussed ICESCO’s participation in the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, which will be hosted by Egypt in November 2022, in Sharm El-Sheikh.

At the beginning of the meeting, held on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at the Environmental Cultural and Educational Center, “Cairo House,” Dr. AlMalik congratulated the Egyptian Minister on the selection of Egypt as the organizer of COP27, stating that this selection reflects the great appreciation of the Egyptian efforts to protect the environment and address climate change. He also stressed ICESCO’s keenness to take part in COP27 and cooperate with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment in areas of common interest.

In the same vein, the Director-General highlighted the Organization’s key programs in the field of environment, noting that ICESCO seeks to promote a positive climate action plan in the Member States to build a green future and promote innovative solutions and concepts to protect the environment through supporting the creation of smart, sustainable and resilient cities. He added that ICESCO also works towards building capacities in the field of environmental technologies, fostering the use of green technology to address the impact of climate change on various sectors and promoting scientific research and international cooperation in environmental fields.

For her part, the Egyptian Minister commended ICESCO’s roles and reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to cooperate with the Organization in the field of environment protection, extending the invitation to ICESCO to set up a pavilion in the Green Zone at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

The meeting discussed proposals for cooperation between ICESCO and the Ministry in several fields, including the inscription of Egyptian natural heritage on the Islamic World Heritage List and the integration of the youth in awareness-raising programs and activities on the importance of environment protection. The two parties also agreed to hold expert meetings to develop joint programs and activities.