Category: Director General

ICESCO Director-General: We support universities to become centers of innovation and production of outstanding workforce

The Fifth Forum of the Vice-Chancellors of the Islamic World Universities, organized by the Higher Education Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in partnership with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), COMSATS University, and the British Council in Pakistan kicked off, on Sunday (March 19, 2023), under the theme “Towards Disruptive Technology in a Globalized World.”

In his address at the opening session, which witnessed a large presence of officials and university vice-chancellors from inside and outside the Islamic world, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, stressed the importance of the forum in light of the rapid change and transformations imposed by the technological boom and the continuous flow of data and the use of modern technologies, which necessitate the promotion of innovation and creativity to keep pace with these transformations.

Dr. AlMalik pointed out that ICESCO believes in the pivotal role that modern-day universities constitute hubs of change and innovation and centers for forming outstanding manpower in the field of technology through the Organization’s commitment to cooperating with universities to achieve a prosperous society for future generations.

Furthermore, ICESCO Director-General highlighted the power of youth in restoring the glorious past and scientific prosperity of the Islamic civilization through the universities and new learning patterns using artificial intelligence and open education, noting that the initiatives and programs of ICESCO and the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) aim at promoting technological progress in the Member States.

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman of the Pakistani Higher Education Commission, pointed out that strengthening cooperation and partnership between Islamic world universities provides great opportunities to benefit from modern and emerging technologies. Dr. Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister of Education and Vocational Training in Pakistan, stressed the need to improve girls’ education and develop climate change research centers in the Islamic world.

Dr. Muhammad Tabassum Afzal, Chancellor of COMSATS University, Islamabad, noted the importance of strengthening the scientific research budget, cooperation between the Islamic world universities, and support by governments and organizations for multilateral cooperation. For his part, the representative of the British Council in Pakistan reviewed the projects and programs implemented by the Council in the fields of education and scientific research in the country.

At the end of the opening session, His Excellency Dr. Arif Rahman Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, urged, in a video speech, the Islamic world universities to invest in modern and advanced technologies, as relevant to the future of education in Muslim countries, most notably the use of modern technologies in universities to keep up with the technical revolution and the subsequent development of curricula.

During the forum, Dr. AlMalik handed over the implementation agreement of ICESCO’s Programme for the Improvement of Water and Sanitation Services in several rural schools in Pakistan to the Minister of Higher Education and Vocational Training, in the presence of Mr. Syed Junaid Akhlaq, Secretary General of the Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Salim Omar Salim, Director of the Organization’s Regional Office in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and discussed ways and means of developing the Office’s work in line with ICESCO’s strategic vision in the fields of education, science and culture.

At the beginning of the meeting, held on Friday 17 March 2023, at ICESCO’s Headquarters, in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Mr. Salim on his appointment as Director of ICESCO’s Regional Office in Sharjah, wishing him every success in his new mission and praising his competence and local and international experience in the field of culture.

ICESCO Director-General expressed his thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the State of the United Arab Emirates, and Governor of Sharjah, for his continuing support to ICESCO.

For his part, Dr. Salim said that the Sharjah Regional Office embodies the important role played by the Organization in its fields of competence and expressed his aspiration to implement several programmes in several areas.

The meeting focused on the importance of the Office’s support for ICESCO’s initiatives and programmes, participation in the Organization’s activities to promote education, science and culture, and contribution to the implementation of its vision and strategy of action.

Afterward, Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, and several heads of sectors and directors of departments of ICESCO received the Director of the Organization’s Regional Office in Sharjah and introduced him closer to the mechanisms of the Organization’s activities and the main projects and programmes implemented by its sectors, departments and centers for the benefit of its Member States.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Ezz El Din Maamish, Director of the ICESCO Chair for Civilizational Dialogue and faculty member at the Qatar University, and together explored means for promoting the Chair’s projects by supporting researchers and publishing their work and encouraging student exchange programs.

During the meeting, which was held on March 15, 2023, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik commended the Chair’s role in promoting scientific research on tolerance and peace-building and anchoring the values of coexistence and civilizational dialogue, praising its valuable achievements and publications.

ICESCO DG underlined the importance of cooperation between the Organization and universities, particularly through the establishment of scientific chairs to exchange expertise and benefit from the creativity and innovations of university institutions, expressing his keenness to sustain the effective cooperation between ICESCO and Qatar University.

Dr. Maamish provided an overview of a report on the Chair’s major achievements and research studies, namely the Encyclopedia of Occidentalism, which is the first encyclopedia in the Islamic world that is dedicated to Western studies. It is worth noting that four volumes have been published thus far and that the encyclopedia’s fifth, sixth and seventh volumes, along with its foundational book should be published during the year.

At the close of the meeting, Dr. Maamish, on behalf of Dr. Hassan Rashid Al-Derham, President of Qatar University, presented Dr. AlMalik with a shield and a certificate of appreciation for his unwavering support to the ICESCO Chair for Civilizational Dialogue at the University.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat a number of young people from the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who are receiving vocational training in ICESCO Departments, Sectors and Centers, as part of cooperation and partnership between the Organization and the Foundation, in coordination with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.

During the meeting, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, Dr. AlMalik welcomed the trainees, highlighting that the Organization seeks, as part of its vision and action strategy, to contribute to youths’ capacity building through providing new professional skills in keeping pace with the technological development and opportunities for young talents from countries of the Islamic world to spend training in ICESCO.

ICESCO DG gave several tips to the young trainees to be successful in their practical lives, including the necessity of taking work seriously and presenting innovative ideas and proposals, expressing his conviction that they will represent an added value to the Organization.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, and several Organization’s Heads of Sectors, Departments and Centers, received the trainees and the representative of the Saudi National Commission and provided explanations about the Organization’s action fields, programmes and projects to promote education, culture and science in its Member States.

The training programme, in which five trainees from the Misk Foundation participate, aims to provide the participants with new experiences and knowledge that contribute to developing their skills, knowledge and professional capabilities, and train them for leadership. The participants will receive intensive training for 10 weeks in the fields of education, science, culture and communication, through working in ICESCO’s various Sectors, Departments and Centers to get acquainted closely with the Organization’s activities, programmes and initiatives in its Member States.

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.