Category: Director General

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the official opening ceremony of the 20th session of Morocco’s International Storytelling Festival, which is organized by the International Academy of Moroccan Storytelling for Intangible Cultural Heritage, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication of Morocco, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, under the theme “The Greatness of Our Mothers.”

During the opening ceremony of the festival, held on Tuesday evening (June 20, 2023), Dr. AlMalik handed to Dr. Najima Thay Thay Rhozali, President of the International Academy of Moroccan Storytelling for Intangible Cultural Heritage, the certificate of inscription of the International Festival “Morocco’s Storytelling” on ICESCO’s List of Islamic World Intangible Heritage, in the presence of several officials and prominent personalities in the fields of thought, art and literature.

Dr. Najima Thay Thay Rhozali emphasized that the theme of this session aims to highlight the importance and role of “storytelling” as a popular cultural heritage that mothers tell to their children to acquire listening skills, develop understanding and comprehension, and strengthen their capacities to face the hardships of life.

The session, which honors the Islamic Republic of Mauritania as the guest of honor, will witness a number of activities in different spaces in Rabat from 19 through 25 June 2023. The festival leverages the preservation of authentic Moroccan historical folk heritage, and an intellectual, cultural, artistic and heritage bridge linking the past to the present.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the launch ceremony of the 100,000 entrepreneurs’ program in Morocco on Tuesday, 20 June 2023.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills in partnership with the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills.

The ceremony was chaired by Dr. Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills in Morocco, and saw the attendance of Mr. Abdellatif Miraoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation and a host of officials in the field of entrepreneurship in the country. The program aims to support 100,000 entrepreneurs by 2026, including small contractors, self-contractors and units operating in the informal sector.

ICESCO DG affirmed the Organization’s support for entrepreneurship and innovation through various programs and initiatives in the Islamic world, notably the ICESCO project for training youth in creating and developing small projects in technology and innovation, and the program for developing a sense of innovation and entrepreneurship among women and youth, implemented in ten (10) African countries.

Dr. Salim Al-Malik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), attended the international symposium on “The Role of the Media in Supporting the Cultural Identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif,” organized by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in the Kingdom of Morocco, in cooperation with Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency, in conjunction with the meetings of the Arab Ministers of Information, which Morocco hosts from 19 to 21 June.

The symposium, which was held on Tuesday 20 June 2023, witnessed a high-level attendance that included ministers and officials from Arab ministries of information, heads of specialized Arab organizations and federations, as well as ambassadors and representatives of Arab diplomatic missions accredited in Rabat, and experts in the field of journalism and media from several Arab countries.

Dr. Al-Malik affirmed that his attendance at the symposium is part of ICESCO’s established orientations to support Al-Quds Al-Sharif and to promote and protect the civilizational identity of the city, noting that the Organization is striving to support Palestinian institutions in the fields of education, science and culture, and contribute to preserving and valuing the cultural heritage of the city, and preserving its identity.

The symposium tackled two themes, the first dealt with: “the question of Al-Quds Al-Sharif in the Arab and international media: contents and trends,” while the second theme dealt with the effective media treatment of the question of Al-Quds Al-Sharif in the Arab world, aimed at drawing attention to the risks of promoting misrepresentations, misleading notions and fallacious terms about Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Palestinian cause.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Firass Abiad, Minister of Health of the Lebanese Republic, to explore cooperation prospects between ICESCO and Lebanon in supporting digital transformation in the health sector, disseminating health awareness and promoting public health.

At the outset of the meeting, held on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters, in Rabat, in the presence of Ambassador Ziad Atallah, Ambassador of the Lebanese Republic to the Kingdom of Morocco, Dr. AlMalik welcomed the Lebanese Minister, stressing the Organization’s keenness to enhance cooperation with Lebanon and design joint programs in the health sector, especially after fulfilling the legal procedures for Lebanon’s official accession to ICESCO.

ICESCO Director-General reviewed the Organization’s efforts in assisting its Member States in the health field by implementing several programs and projects such as the program for improving water, sanitation and hygiene services in 1,000 rural schools in Muslim countries, as well as organizing medical, social and educational caravans to promote public and psychological health.

For his part, Dr. Abiad commended ICESCO’s efforts, stressing the eagerness of the Lebanese Republic to build closer cooperation with the Organization, in order to develop joint health programmes. He reiterated his gratitude to ICESCO for its assistance in securing the return of Lebanese students after the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine.

The meeting brought together Ms. Nadeen Hilal, Advisor to the Lebanese Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General for Partnerships and International Cooperation, Supervisor of the Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences, and Ms. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Office of ICESCO Director-General.

Following the meeting, Dr. AlMalik took Dr. Abiad on a tour of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently held at ICESCO Headquarters, where he listened to detailed explanations about the content of the Exhibition pavilions and sections, that use modern display technology to narrate and document in detail the biography of our Prophet (PBUH).

Dr. Salim Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Ignacio de Cossio, Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador to the Kingdom of Morocco. Both parties discussed prospects for cooperation between the Organization and El Salvador in the fields of education, science and culture.

During the meeting, which took place on Thursday 15 June 2023 at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the key programs and activities implemented by the Organization, within the framework of its new vision and strategic orientations, which are based on openness, cooperation and further communication not only with its Member States but also with other Non-member countries which ICESCO deems eligible for obtaining the observer status.

ICESCO DG stressed the Organization’s keenness to build fruitful cooperation between ICESCO and El Salvador in areas of common interest, especially the establishment of a center for teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers.

For his part, the Ambassador of El Salvador to Morocco praised the roles played by ICESCO in supporting its Member States in the Organization’s fields of action, stressing his country’s keenness to cooperate with ICESCO. He also affirmed its willingness to discuss the procedures for joining the Organization as an observer country and invited ICESCO Director-General to visit the Republic of El Salvador and meet officials concerned with education, science and culture.

The meeting was attended, on ICESCO side, by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Advisor to the DG of Partnerships and International Cooperation, Supervisor of the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences, and Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Director of the Legal Affairs and International Standards Department.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Dae Joong Kang, President of the National Institute for Lifelong Education (NILE) of the Republic of Korea, and together they discussed ways to promote cooperation in the field of education and developing the project of building lifelong learning cities in the Islamic world.
At the beginning of the meeting, held on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik praised the strategic partnership between ICESCO and the Institute, stressing the importance of the Member States benefiting from the Korean experience in the field of lifelong learning.

The Director-General also expressed ICESCO’s keenness to implement the provisions of the cooperation agreement signed with the Institute and work jointly to implement programs and initiatives to strengthen educational systems, especially in the African continent.

For his part, Dr. Dae Joong Kang highlighted the importance of ensuring education systems’ ability to keep up with world advancements, which requires exerting more efforts to capitalize on modern technology and artificial intelligence mechanisms, to ensure equitable and inclusive education for all, and provide individuals with the skills needed to face challenges and achieve sustainable development.
The meeting discussed proposals for building lifelong learning cities in the Islamic world, building capacities, developing action plans to meet the needs of ICESCO Member States, and developing indicators and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the effectiveness of these educational cities.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to sustain coordination efforts aimed at strengthening the partnership between ICESCO and the Institute and providing all necessary means of support for activities and programs to promote the field of education in the countries of the Islamic world.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the International Partnerships and Cooperation Sector, Dr. Koumbou Barry, Head of the Education Sector, and Dr. Sangbong Kim, Sector Expert.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the opening session of the Parliamentary Conference on “Interfaith Dialogue: Working Together for Our Common Future,” which kicked off on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Marrakech, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI – may Allah assist him, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Moroccan Parliament, in partnership with Religions for Peace, and with the support of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Mohammadia League of Scholars.

Dr. AlMalik commended the important elements contained in the message of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, to the conference mainly in connection with directing MPs to work on ensuring a better future for future generations to live in a world of tolerance and coexistence that rejects extremism and violence.

ICESCO Director-General praised His Majesty’s eagerness to strengthen the status of the Kingdom of Morocco, as a model for coexistence, in which the followers of the monotheistic religions coexist in an environment of fraternity and security, in fulfillment of its long history of religious and cultural diversity and pluralism.

With the participation of parliament speakers, MPs, religious leaders, representatives of civil society and international experts, the three-day conference aims at establishing a constructive dialogue and exchanging best practices to address the main issues that hinder sustainable coexistence and explore opportunities for joint action in order to build more peaceful and inclusive societies.