Category: Director General

The Grand Theater of the Egyptian Opera House in Cairo witnessed the closing ceremony of the Cairo Celebration as Culture Capital of the Islamic World, under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, which included various activities implemented throughout the year, in cooperation with the Organization of the Islamic World. Education, Science and Culture (ICESCO) and the Ministry of Culture of the Arab Republic of Egypt, as well as the support and coordination of the various Egyptian ministries.

The grand ceremony, which was held on Saturday evening, March 11, 2023, at the Cairo Opera House, saw the attendance of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Dr. Nevin Al-Kilani, Egyptian Minister of Culture, and the participation of several ministers in the Egyptian government, many accredited ambassadors to Cairo, as well as a group of public figures, artists and the general audience, filling the Grand Theater of the Opera House to its capacity, which exceeds 1500 seats.

The ceremony was preceded by artistic and heritage performances in the courtyard of the Egyptian Opera House, with the participation of the General Authority for Culture Palaces teams, followed by an outstanding artistic concert in the Grand Theatre, which included “Cairo Symphony”, directed by the artist Khaled Galal, mixing in his performance a documentary presentation on the history and heritage of Cairo, which took the audience on a tour to the landmarks, symbols, treasures, and figures of culture and art of the city of Cairo, highlighting its cultural and artistic history as Culture Capital of the Islamic world.

In the second part of the concert, the great singer Medhat Saleh, with the participation of the pianist Amr Selim, and the orchestra led by Maestro Ahmed Amer, performed a group of songs that the audience enjoyed until midnight.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and discussed strengthening cooperation between ICESCO and the Ministry in developing teachers’ capacities to keep up with the developments in modern technologies.

During the meeting, held on Saturday (March 11, 2023), in Cairo, Dr. AlMalik expressed his happiness with such cooperation, reviewing the mainlines of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations in the field of education, and the projects and activities it implements in coordination and cooperation with the competent parties in Egypt.

He pointed out the importance of ICESCO international professional teaching certification project, which will benefit 2,000 male and female teachers in several Egyptian governorates, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry in the field of teacher training, stressing the Organization’s keenness to ensure that the project is in line with the needs of teachers in Egypt, advance the educational process, and promote creativity and innovation in the field of education.

For his part, Dr. Hegazy commended ICESCO’s roles in the fields of education, science and culture, and appreciated the fruitful cooperation and partnership between the Organization and the Ministry. He also reaffirmed the Ministry’s willingness to provide support for ICESCO’s activities and programs implemented.

He reviewed the Ministry’s efforts to develop the capacities of teachers aligned with the global revolution in digital transformation and technology, which requires improving the performance of teachers to keep up with global developments, stressing the importance of working on sustainability in the field of professional development of teachers.

At the end of the meeting, the Director-General of ICESCO and the Egyptian Minister of Education exchanged honorary shields.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Chairman of the Egyptian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, held a meeting to review the latest developments in the partnership between ICESCO and Egypt in the areas of education, science and culture.

At the outset of the meeting, which was held on Saturday, 11 March 2023, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Cairo, Dr. AlMalik expressed his gratitude to Dr. Ashour for his participation in the first consultative meeting on “Strategic Indicators for Development in the Islamic World: The Global Knowledge Index as a Model” held at ICESCO headquarters last December, thanking Egypt for constantly supporting the Organization’s activities.

For his part, Dr. Ashour commended ICESCO’s achievements in the last three years in the fields of education, science and culture, which encouraged Member States to support the Organization’s initiatives, programs and projects.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed the ongoing joint programs and those to be implemented during the next phase of the partnership between ICESCO and Egypt, namely the international professional teaching certificates project which should benefit 2000 teachers. Funded by the Saleh A. Kamel Humanitarian Foundation (SAKHF), the project will first be launched in Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia. The meeting also touched upon the organization of a forum and training session in Cairo which will bring together talents from ICESCO Member States, in conjunction with the launch of an Egyptian strategy for innovation.

At the close of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Ashour expressed their delight at the effective cooperation between ICESCO and Egypt, emphasizing their keenness to capitalize on this cooperation to forge fruitful partnerships among the countries of the Islamic world in the areas of education, science and culture.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation signed a joint cooperation agreement aimed at benefiting from the expertise and capacities of both parties in service of the Member States to improve their performance in the Knowledge Index.

The agreement was signed on Saturday, March 11, 2023, in Cairo, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Dr. Jamal bin Huwaireb, Executive Director of the Foundation, in the presence of Dr. Hani Turki, Director of the UNDP Knowledge Project, in addition to several ICESCO’s heads of departments, and officials from the Foundation.

Following the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Bin Huwaireb welcomed this agreement, stressing its significance in consolidating cooperation between the two parties over the upcoming period.

The agreement provides for the organization of annual consultative meetings to make proposals for improving the performance of Member States in the Knowledge Index, and develop action plans based on the first consultative meeting on “Strategic Indicators for Development in the Islamic World: Knowledge Index as a Model,” held last December at ICESCO Headquarters. It also aims to set up knowledge-sharing programs, in coordination with leading countries in this field, to share the experiences of other countries with Member States, and create platforms for disseminating knowledge and best practices in learning and capacity building.

The agreement, which covers a five-year period, also includes the co-organization of annual consultative meetings, conferences, symposia and workshops, and the development of strategies to improve the performance of countries in the Islamic world in the Global Knowledge Index

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture officially concluded the celebration of Cairo as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World, at the Hanager Arts Center of the Egyptian Opera House, and organized the award ceremony of the first category of Turathy Photography Contest and inaugurated the exhibition of the works participating in the contest.

The ceremony, which saw the presence of officials, ambassadors, public figures, writers, thinkers and high-level artists, kicked off on Friday, March 10, 2023, with the national anthem of the Arab Republic of Egypt, followed by a documentary film, entitled “Cairo, Culture Capital in the Islamic World,” documenting the activities held in the framework of this celebration throughout 2022.

In her address, Dr. Nevine Al-Kilani thanked ICESCO for its great support of the celebration activities, pointing out that they were unique activities, which covered different areas of arts, and it was an opportunity for Cairo to show its status among the Capitals of Culture and publicize its history and respect for various civilizations and cultures.

She added that the choice of Cairo was the result of its unique position as a meeting place of cultures through successive eras, an important center for culture and creativity and a point of cultural exchange between the East and the West.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, began his address by thanking His Excellency Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for his efforts to promote the various aspects of culture, indicating that 159 activities were carried out during this celebration.

He reaffirmed that ICESCO has supported the dreams of Cairo in its aspiration towards the future and implemented several programs in this framework, including training sessions on the use of artificial intelligence applications in the preservation of historical heritage treasures, scholarships for the preservation of antiquities, and teachers training program through the project of international professional certification in teaching.

He also pointed out that Cairo conveyed a message through his celebration to stress its intention to restore its influential historical role, promote its cultural influence and renew cultural action. He thanked all those who contributed to the success of the celebration, and concluded his address by reciting a poem he had written for the occasion, entitled “The Capital of Capitals.”

Afterward, Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Al-Kilani paid tribute to the members of the jury of the Turathy Photography Contest and awarded the prize in its first category on architectural and urban heritage of Cairo, launched by ICESCO and the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, represented by the National Organization for Urban Harmony. The first prize was awarded to Mr. Mustafa Al-Shorbagi, the second to Ms. Doaa Adel, and the third was awarded to Ms. Amal Matar. The encouragement prize went to Mr. Fadi Qudsi and Ms. Marwa Hussein. The second category prizes on the heritage of the Islamic world cities will be awarded during a ceremony, to be held at ICESCO headquarters, in Rabat.

The award ceremony was later followed by the inauguration of the exhibition of the Turathy Contest, which includes the participating works.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Center of Education Development for Envoys and Foreign Students at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Egypt signed an agreement aimed at promoting academic, artistic and technological cooperation in the areas of education and culture, and providing scholarships in Al-Azhar Al-Sharif for students from the Islamic world.

Ms. Amira Elfadil, Head of ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Nahla Al-Saeedi, Advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif for Expatriate Affairs, Head of the Center, signed the cooperation agreement on Friday, 10 March 2023, at the Center’s headquarters in Cairo, in the presence of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG).

Following the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik conveyed his thanks to His Eminence, the Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed At-Tayyeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, for keeping his promise and providing scholarships for the Islamic world’s youth in the prominent scientific edifice.

In a phone conversation with ICESCO DG, Sheikh At-Tayyeb praised the distinguished cooperation between Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and ICESCO, expressing his keenness to promote partnership in building the capacities of young people and offering them scholarships.

Dr. Al-Saeedi noted that this agreement is a major boost to the partnership between the two parties, stressing that the Center signed this agreement to assist and meet the needs of foreign students in cooperation with ICESCO, an Organization which strives relentlessly to advance education in its Member States.

The cooperation agreement provides for the allocation of several scholarships at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif for the Islamic world’s youth, the establishment of an ICESCO Chair for teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, the promotion and teaching of Arabic calligraphy in ICESCO’s Member States, and the joint organization of conferences, seminars, training sessions and workshops. The agreement also provides for the development of a school curriculum presenting the true image of Islam, promoting the rich culture and civilization of the Islamic world, and celebrating its luminaries and their valuable contributions. The two parties endeavor, through this cooperation agreement, to support projects which are geared towards translating books on heritage, culture and religion, and reinforce the role of media and communication in anchoring the values of tolerance and moderation.

Before the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Al-Saeedi held a meeting to discuss mechanisms for implementing the agreement and fostering cooperation in the next phase and agreed on establishing a joint committee responsible for following up on the agreement’s implementation.

ICESCO DG reviewed the main thrusts of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, as well as its key programs and initiatives.

For her part, Dr. Al-Saeedi reviewed the Center’s efforts to assist foreign students from 137 countries in solving any issues they may encounter.

At the close of the meeting, Dr. Al-Saeedi presented Dr. AlMalik with the shield of the Center along with various publications.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), affirmed that preparing for the future and ensuring the establishment of a developed and prosperous international community is a major responsibility that falls to international organizations, stressing that ICESCO is working to establish a framework for its Member States to place themselves on the track leading to the future and to be proactive in thinking about how to face future challenges and plan the world in a forward-looking manner.

This was part of a speech he delivered on Thursday, 9 March 2023 in Riyadh, on the closing day of the Conference on the Future of Organizations of Education, Culture and Science, held by ALECSO and the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, with the participation of ICESCO and UNESCO, under the theme: ” “Together for Impact in the 21st Century.”

In his speech, Dr. AlMalik praised the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its National Commission for Education, Culture and Science in the person of its Chairman His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud, Minister of Culture, in implementing Vision 2030 aimed at building society through the development of talents, diversification of sources of income and promotion of scientific capabilities, stressing the need to explore the future in the fields of education, science and culture, and emphasizing the importance of complementarity and cooperation based on the spirit of reliability, honesty and sincerity between organizations in the achievement of the desired goals.

Prior to his speech, Dr. AlMalik took part, along with Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director General of ALECSO, and Ms. Costanza Farina, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office in Beirut, in the discussion session on “Paving the Way for Future Cooperation.” He stressed the need for organizations to pay special attention to capacity building and training of their staff in order to implement programs and projects to meet the challenges faced by countries and to attract experts from countries with successful experiences in education to build distinguished educational systems and develop curricula.

At the end of his speech, ICESCO Director-General stressed the importance of innovation as an approach to organizations involved in the fields of education, science and culture in the future, raising the possibility of allocating part of their budget to the implementation of joint programs and initiatives, and establishing a common platform dedicated to the organization and implementation of projects in the Member States.

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, and discussed ways to develop the existing cooperation between ICESCO and the Group to support Muslim countries in the fields of education, science and innovation, and promote the status of Arabic language internationally.

At the outset of the meeting, held on Thursday (March 9, 2023), in Riyadh, Dr. AlMalik thanked Dr. Al Jasser for the cooperation between ICESCO and the Group to implement projects in the field of education for people with disabilities and writing African languages in the Quranic script and the project for supporting education in partnership with the Moroccan government.

He stressed that the strategic partnership between ICESCO and the Group contributes directly to supporting sustainable development in the educational, scientific, cultural, humanitarian and social fields in Muslim countries, stressing ICESCO’s keenness to deepen cooperation and partnership between the two parties in the coming period.

For his part, Dr. Al Jasser commended ICESCO’s efforts in serving Member States in the fields of education, science and culture, stressing his keenness to enhance fruitful cooperation between the organization and the Islamic Development Bank Group, in areas of common interest, aimed at launching initiatives and programs that benefit Muslim countries at the economic, social and environmental levels.

The meeting, which also brought together several ICESCO officials, discussed the revision of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties to define the priorities of the Organization and the Group, completing the current projects, launching new programs in the field of community development, particularly in the fields of education and science, and preparing an action plan to be attached to the new memorandum of understanding.

At the end of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik presented Dr. Al Jasser with an ICESCO shield in appreciation of his efforts and the support provided by the Islamic Development Bank Group in the fields of education, science and culture.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called on international organizations working in the fields of education, science and culture to overcome the challenge of funding for their programs and projects through innovation and creativity in implementation in the most cost-effective manner by capitalizing on modern technology applications.

This statement was part of his address, delivered on Wednesday (March 8, 2023), in the first discussion panel of the Conference on the Future of Education, Culture and Science Organizations, which is being held by ALECSO and the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, with the participation of UNESCO and ICESCO, in Riyadh, under the theme “Together towards change in the 21st Century,” in the presence of Mr. Youssef Bin Abdullah Al Bunyan, Saudi Minister of Education and Vice-Chairman of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and a group of officials and experts from regional and international organizations and bodies concerned.

ICESCO Director-General explained the importance of creativity and innovation in the implementation of projects, activities and initiatives through science and modern technologies, reviewing ICESCO’s experience in organizing training sessions in the field of Arabic for non-Arabic speakers virtually from “Mishkat Hall,” which provides opportunities for the development of the skills of Arabic language teachers around the world, and benefits a large number of participants at the lowest cost.

Dr. AlMalik underlined the importance of complementarity between international organizations working in the fields of education, science and culture through joint programs and projects, periodic consultative meetings and coordination in international conferences, seminars and meetings, considering that such vision would provide unlimited opportunities to overcome future challenges facing these organizations to fulfill their lofty mission.

He added that ICESCO is keen to be a forward-looking organization striving to establish a regulatory framework for its Member States, in coordination with the National Commissions, to implement programs and projects that meet with their priorities and aspirations to develop the fields of education, science and culture.

It is noteworthy that the agenda of the two-day Conference features the organization of more than 20 sessions and panel discussions on four main axes exploring the future of these organizations. The conference also discusses cooperation and promotion of partnership opportunities between international organizations, academia, experts, companies and financial institutions.

ICESCO is participating in the conference with a high-level delegation, headed by Dr. Al-Malik, and a number of its officials, who will take part in the Conference sessions to review the development within ICESCO as well as the great cooperation with other regional and international organizations and bodies.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Eng. Omar Najjar, Chief Program Officer at the Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation “Misk Foundation” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, held a meeting to discuss ways to promote cooperation between the Organization and the Foundation in developing leadership skills among young people, and implementing joint programs in the fields of education, science and culture.

The meeting was held on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the Foundation’s headquarters in Riyadh and brought together several of ICESCO’s heads of sectors and departments, and Misk Foundation’s officials. During the meeting, Dr. AlMalik commended the Foundation’s pioneering roles in encouraging young people to develop their leadership skills and contributing to building knowledge-based societies, stressing the importance of transferring the experiences and expertise of the Misk Foundation to the countries of the Islamic world.

The Director-General also reaffirmed that the Organization, within the framework of its vision and strategic orientations, attaches special importance to young people, and implements a number of ambitious programs and projects aimed at building their capacities, developing their knowledge, guiding them through the field of entrepreneurship, and training them on leadership for peace and security, in coordination and cooperation with the competent authorities in the Member States.

For his part, Eng. Omar Najjar welcomed the visit of the Director-General and his accompanying delegation and commended the Organization’s efforts to support its Member States in its areas of competence, praising the strategic partnership between ICESCO and the Misk Foundation.

Eng. Najjar gave an overview of the key projects, initiatives and strategic programs that the Misk Foundation is implementing, intending to support youth in the fields of education, entrepreneurship, science and modern technologies. He stated that the Foundation strives to provide the necessary resources and a healthy environment to support young talented and creative people and promote fruitful partnerships with local and international organizations.

Afterward, some ICESCO’s heads of sectors and departments highlighted the key initiatives, programs and projects currently implemented by the Organization, including those related to building the capacities of youth and women, promoting the use of technology in the educational process, working to reduce the digital and knowledge divide, and encouraging scientific research.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to strengthen cooperation and partnership and sustain coordination to sign an agreement to provide for the joint implementation of specific programs and projects; to be agreed upon soon.

Following the meeting, Eng. Najjar accompanied Dr. Al-Malik and his delegation on a tour of the various departments of the Misk Foundation, where they listened to detailed explanations about the future vision of the Foundation, which draws on the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030. He also talked about the Foundation’s various paths, notably transparent communication, youth support, initiative implementation, perseverance and determination.