Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Mohamed Ben Amor, Director General of the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization (AICTO), to discuss prospects for cooperation between the two organizations to support the efforts of countries in the Islamic world in digital transformation and cybersecurity, and strengthen the presence of the Arabic language on the Internet.
During the meeting, which took place on Tuesday 30 May 2023 in the presence of the delegation accompanying Mr. Ben Amor and several ICESCO sector heads and department directors, the two parties affirmed their willingness to build fruitful cooperation on issues related to digitization, notably the strengthening of digital trust, to encourage countries to digital transformation and contribute to bridging the digital divide existing between them, and consequently achieve digital inclusion.
The meeting discussed specific proposals for cooperation between ICESCO and AICTO, notably capacity-building for young people and new generations in the fields of technology to keep pace with their rapid evolution, promoting Arabic digital content and the presence of the Arabic language on the Internet, and contributing to strengthening the protection of personal data on the Internet in the light of developments in artificial intelligence.
In conclusion, it was decided to pursue consultation and coordination to agree on a number of programs and projects to be implemented by the two organizations within the framework of a practical agreement including said programs and projects.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) signed a new cooperation agreement with the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS) to strengthen the existing partnership between the two institutions in areas of common interest. The agreement aims to support scientific research in education and teaching, promote initiatives in the fields of open education, publications and translation, and create networks for the promotion of technical and vocational education and development of educational systems in the Islamic world.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Organization, and Dr. Abdulrahman bin Muhammad Al-Assimi, ABEGS Director-General, in the presence of Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, and a number of the Organization’s heads of departments and centers.
At the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik emphasized that the agreement strengthens the fruitful partnership between the two institutions. For his part, Dr. Al-Assimi stated that the partnership between ICESCO and ABEGS will go beyond the implementation of the projects and programs provided for in the agreement.
The agreement provides for co-organizing international workshops, seminars and symposia in the fields of education and teaching; launching training programs and sessions for teachers; conducting studies in this field; promoting consultation between the two parties, particularly in areas of common interest; collecting statistical data; and cooperating in technical studies, particularly in the fields of educational technology and artificial intelligence.
A meeting was held before the agreement signing between Dr. AlMalik and Dr. AL-Assimi, in which the two officials discussed ways to strengthen the partnership between ICESCO and ABEGS, and agreed to pursue coordination and joint action to ensure optimal benefit from programs and projects to be implemented, in support of Muslim countries’ efforts to modernize their education systems.
In this connection, Dr. AlMalik pointed out that ICESCO proclaimed its Year of Youth, which will be marked by the launch and implementation of a series of initiatives and programs to build the capacities of young people in the Islamic world in the fields of leadership for peace, technology, innovation, space sciences and the awarding of scholarships at prestigious universities.
For his part, Dr. Al-Assimi commended ICESCO’s efforts, stressing that the Islamic world had recently changed its view of the Organization, given its remarkable efforts in service of its Member States, particularly in the fields of education, science and culture.
Following the signing, Dr. AlMalik accompanied Dr. Al-Assimi on a tour of the Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at the Organization’s headquarters. The ABEGS delegation received detailed explanations on the treasure troves exhibited at the various pavilions and sections of the Exhibition and Museum, presented using modern display techniques, which recount and document in detail our Prophet’s Seerah.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the opening session of the first meeting of the leaders of Al-Quds Arab cultural institutions, which is being held by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), in cooperation with Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency and the Palestinian Ministry of Culture. The meeting is held on the occasion of the Agency’s 25th anniversary, under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Chairman of Al-Quds Committee, may Allah assist him.
The opening session of the meeting, held on Tuesday (May 30, 2023), at the headquarters of Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency in Rabat, saw the presence of Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), Mr. Mohamed Salem Cherkaoui, Acting Director of Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency, Mr. Jamal Al-Shobaki, the Palestinian Ambassador to Morocco, and several leaders of institutions and cultural centers in Al-Quds.
Dr. AlMalik participated in the inauguration of the photo gallery “Al-Quds: Mashriq al-Annwar”, and made a tour of its halls, along with the figures participating in the opening session of the meeting. He expressed his happiness at participating in this great cultural event, stating that ICESCO exerts every effort to support the Palestinian institutions in the fields of education, science and culture, contributing to preserving the identity of Al-Quds, safeguarding and promoting the cultural heritage of Al-Quds.
The three-day meeting aims at discussing the urgent needs of Al-Quds cultural institutions, developing an action plan to support them, and launching initiatives that contribute to protecting and strengthening the cultural identity of the Holy City, consolidating its Arab identity and strengthening its cultural and civilizational status.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Medaires, Director-General of the KSA-based UNESCO Regional Centre for Quality and Excellence in Education (UNESCO RCQE), held a meeting to discuss ways to promote cooperation between ICESCO and the Center to improve the quality of education, anticipate its future, consolidate the values of coexistence, and promote citizenship education and shared human values.
During the meeting, held on Monday, May 29, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Al-Malik highlighted the main axes of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, stressing that ICESCO designs and implements programs and projects based on the priorities and needs of its Member States to ensure the achievement the desired results.
The DG added that ICESCO adopts capacity building for youth and women in the fields of leadership for peace and security, technology and innovation, artificial intelligence and space science applications, and works to hone their skills to keep pace with the needs of tomorrow’s professions.
For his part, Dr. Al- Medaires shared the Center’s strategy, efforts in the field of quality education, and programs and projects, which focus on achieving SDG 4.
The meeting discussed partnership proposals to implement programs and projects, particularly in the fields of anticipating the future of education, promoting scientific research in the field, building capacities for workers in the education sectors, addressing the challenges of educational loss, and cooperating in organizing international forums to discuss the latest developments in education.
At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to continue coordination for the signing of a cooperation agreement to provide for the implementation of programs and projects with positive impact.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Fatima Al-Ruwais, Assistant DG of the UNESCO RCQE, and Ms. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Office of ICESCO DG.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Marwan Awartani, the Palestinian Minister of Education, to explore ways to strengthen the existing partnership between ICESCO and the State of Palestine in the field of education, capacities building of education professionals and foresight.
At the outset of the meeting, which took place on Monday, May 29, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Dr. Dawas Dawas, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Chairman of ICESCO Executive Council, and Ambassador Jamal Al-Shobaki, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Kingdom of Morocco, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed the Organization’s eagerness and relentless endeavor to support the educational sector in Palestine through many programs and projects aimed at developing educational institutions and providing the necessary tools and means for the success of the educational process and ensuring its continuity, in coordination with the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.
He explained that ICESCO, under its new vision and strategic orientations, adopts a new communication approach with the authorities in its Member States to identify their orientations and needs and design tailor-cut programs and projects for each country, noting that the Organization accords special importance to building the capabilities of youth and women in various fields.
For his part, Dr. Awartani commended ICESCO’s roles, stressing the Education Ministry’s keenness to build further fruitful cooperation with the Organization, mainly the signing of a framework agreement for capacity-building of teaching professionals and training some of the Ministry’s officials at ICESCO Headquarters.
The meeting touched upon reviewing ICESCO’s key initiatives, programs and projects to serve its Member States and Muslim communities around the world in its fields of competence, with a focus on encouraging investment in space science and artificial intelligence applications, supporting entrepreneurship in the field of technology and innovation, promoting a culture of foresight and foresight studies and developing youth skills to keep pace with tomorrow’s jobs.
The Palestinian Minister of Education expressed his desire for the Palestinian youth to participate in all of ICESCO’s initiatives and programs, and ICESCO’s Director General welcomed their participation.
At the close of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik presented a memorial shield to Dr. Awartani, in appreciation of his efforts in the field of education.
Following two days of brainstorming and exchange of views and ideas on foresight mechanisms in order to lay down the most effective scenarios to face future challenges, the International Conference on the State of Foresight Studies in the World, held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Policy Center for the New South and Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University (PMU), concluded its proceedings on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, with several recommendations to promote the culture of strategic foresight.
The Conference, which saw high-level participation including prominent international foresight experts, issued many recommendations stressing the need to increase investment in scientific research in the field of foresight, promote socio-economic development through foresight, and encourage the launch of an international platform to spread its culture. The Conference also recommended promoting strategic cooperation and international partnerships in the field of foresight studies, exchanging experiences among countries, and preparing a foresight guidebook for the benefit of the countries of the Islamic world.
The second day of the conference saw a discussion session on translating visions of the future into action plans, in which speakers stressed the need to build individual and institutional capacities, establish fruitful partnerships in the field of foresight, and embrace modern technology and artificial intelligence applications while being cautious about its risks.
The second session focused on the role of think tanks in achieving strategic diplomacy. Participants pointed to the importance of these entities in training young generations on foresight tools to achieve this goal and to carry out forward-looking studies. In the third session, speakers discussed the concept of artificial intelligence and its history, contributions to the field of foresight, and ways to capitalize on its applications to anticipate future events and develop scenarios to meet challenges.
The sessions featured discussions, in which the attendees asked some questions and expressed their visions, transforming these sessions into brainstorming activities on the importance of foresight studies and their role in decision-making.
In his statement at the closing session, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, stressed the importance of integrating strategic foresight in school curricula, holding more workshops on this key field for the benefit of young people, and training them on the importance of resilience and having a positive attitude towards modern technology and artificial intelligence.
At the close of the Conference, Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector at ICESCO, read out the recommendations of the Conference, which the participants contributed to drafting, commending the rich discussions that took place in the sessions.
Afterward, the participants set out to ICESCO Headquarters, where they visited the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at the Organization’s headquarters, where they listened to detailed explanations about the pavilions and sections of the Exhibition and the Museum, which adopt modern display techniques to narrate and document in detail the Seerah of our Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
The “Mishkat Arabic Hall at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) hosted a training session on “Renewing Strategies of Teaching Arabic Rhetoric to Non-Arabic Speaking Students,” benefiting 165 educational staff working in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers in 11 countries, namely Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Guinea, Cameroon, Malaysia, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Bashkortostan, Vietnam and Morocco.
The two-day training session, held on 24-25 May 2023, was moderated by Dr. Habib Maghraoui, an educational training expert specializing in criticism and rhetoric. It aimed to simplify concepts related to Arabic rhetoric, highlight the importance of the functional rhetorical lesson in building communication capacities for the non-Arabic speaking learner, and renew the strategies of teaching rhetoric by linking them to daily communication situations and contemporary issues.
This session is the ninth in a series of training sessions organized by ICESCO’s International Program “Mishkat” for Continuous Educational Training and Professional Development in the Field of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers”, which is implemented by the Organization in cooperation with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Benevolence Coalition for Humanitarian Relief (BCHR) signed an agreement to implement the project of girl dropouts’ school integration in Yemen. The project is part of the cooperation framework between ICESCO and King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre (KSRelief) to provide educational support and the necessary teaching tools to give girl dropouts in Yemen a second chance to continue their education.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, attended the signing ceremony held in person and via videoconference, on Thursday, May 25, 2023. The agreement was signed on behalf of ICESCO by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector at the Organization, and on behalf of BCHR by Eng. Fahmi bin Mansour, Executive Director of the Coalition.
According to the agreement, the Coalition will implement the project with funding from KSRelief, while ICESCO will oversee the management of the project and follow up on all its implementation stages. The Organization will also provide KSRelief with periodic reports on the implementation progress of the project, in coordination with BCHR.
During the signing ceremony, Dr. Al-Malik expressed his thanks and appreciation to KSRelief for its generous donation to finance this key project, and to the Yemeni authorities for their assistance and facilitations, notably the Ministry of Education and the Yemeni National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, commending the efforts of the Coalition and its commitment to implementing the project in the best conditions.
For his part, Eng. Bin Mansour expressed the Coalition’s keenness to cooperate with ICESCO in the implementation of this major project, through which various parties aim to reduce the rates of school dropout among girls in the Republic of Yemen and build their capacities to assume their roles in achieving sustainable development.
According to the terms of the agreement, the project will equip 21 schools to educate girls in the beneficiary areas, provide school bags and supplies for 19,000 girls and organize training programs to build the capacities of 350 workers in the field of girls’ education. The agreement also provides for equipping 100 alternative classrooms to accommodate girl dropouts and in displacement camps, providing professional support to their parents, facilitating the procedures for displaced girls’ school admission, and producing awareness programs that encourage girls’ education.
On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, received Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and together discussed the solid ties between ICESCO and Oman and explored avenues to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of education, culture, as well as human and social sciences.
ICESCO DG started the meeting, held on Tuesday, 23 May 2023, at the Prime Minister’s office in Muscat, by expressing his delight at visiting Oman and the opportunity it presented to discuss cooperation between the Organization and the Sultanate.
The Omani Prime Minister warmly welcomed ICESCO DG and his accompanying delegation and expressed Oman’s appreciation for ICESCO’s efforts in promoting international cooperation in the fields of education, culture, and social sciences. He also commended ICESCO’s significant role in fostering coordination among Islamic countries, noting Oman’s unwavering support for the Organization in fulfilling its missions and objectives.
HH Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said provided an overview of the sustainable development progress in Oman, particularly in the fields of education, science and technology, which are regarded as crucial pillars receiving particular attention from the government.
For his part, Dr. AlMalik hailed Oman’s remarkable progress across all regions of the country and the pivotal role it plays in supporting ICESCO to effectively fulfill its mission. He also lauded Oman’s significant contribution, particularly through the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, in promoting dialogue among civilizations and bringing the world’s cultures together.
The meeting saw the attendance of officials from the Prime Minister’s cabinet as well as Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shibaniyah, Minister of Education, Chair of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Hamad bin Khalfan Al-Rashdi, Advisor to the Minister for Administrative Affairs, Ms. Amna Al Balushi, Secretary-General of the Omani National Commission, Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of ICESCO’s Civilizational Dialogue Center, and Dr. Salim Al Habsi, Program Manager at ICESCO’s General Secretariat for National Commissions and Conferences.
As part of his official visit to the Sultanate of Oman, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) visited the Royal Opera House and the Omani Youth Center in Muscat on Monday, 22 May 2023, where he was briefed in the respective histories of the institutions and their role in promoting culture and supporting youth.
During their visit to the Royal Opera House, in the presence of Ms. Amna Al Balushi, Secretary-General of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, ICESCO DG and his accompanying delegation received a comprehensive overview of the institution’s history, the main events and activities it hosts, and its significant contribution to refining artistic taste and preferences, and promoting cultural exchange between Oman and the global community through the fine art it provides, which forms an integral part of our cultural heritage.
During the visit to the Omani Youth Center in Muscat, an engaging visual presentation reviewed the center’s areas of focus and highlighted its wide range of activities and programs. The presentation also covered the center’s plans for the current year, emphasizing its role as a hub supporting young individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different interests, talents and creative abilities.
During the discussions on potential cooperation between ICESCO and the Center, Dr. AlMalik highlighted ICESCO’s recent announcement of its Year for Youth, under the patronage of His Excellency the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which encompasses a series of programs and activities aimed at empowering youth in the Islamic world’s countries throughout the year. ICESCO DG extended an invitation to Oman and the Youth Center to take part in this endeavor and enhance their youth-oriented initiatives, underlining ICESCO’s willingness to provide support and assistance in this respect.
ICESCO’s delegation comprised Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of ICESCO’s Civilizational Dialogue Center, and Dr. Salim Al Habsi, Program Manager at the Organization’s General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences.
