Category: Director General

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Rachid Talbi Alami, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco, and both discussed prospects for cooperation between the Organization and the House in areas of common interest.
At the beginning of the meeting, which took place on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at the House of Representatives in Rabat, Dr. Al-Malik congratulated Mr. Talbi Alami on his chairmanship of the House of Representatives for the legislative mandate 2021-2026, wishing him every success in his mission.

ICESCO DG reviewed the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, and the most prominent initiatives, programs and cultural activities to be implemented during the current year, as part of celebrating Rabat Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022, including the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization due to be hosted at ICESCO headquarters under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, may Allah assist him.

For his part, Mr. Talbi Alami praised ICESCO’s efforts and the roles it plays to support its Member States in the fields of education, science and culture, stressing the House’s keenness to coordinate efforts to ensure the success of cultural programs scheduled for the celebration of Rabat Culture Capital in the Islamic World.

Mr. Alami indicated the need to move forward in strengthening joint action and future cooperation between the two sides, in many areas, such as strengthening the human rights system, youth participation in issues of public affairs, artificial intelligence, energy and water resources, and modern technology in general.

The two sides agreed to continue cooperation within a legal framework by signing a cooperation agreement between ICESCO and the House of Representatives.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy DG, Ms. Amira Fadil, Director of Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Director of Legal Affairs and International Standards Department at the Organization.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Sheikh Mohamed El Hafed Enahoui, President of the Islamic Cultural Coalition in Mauritania and West Africa, to strengthen cooperation between the two Organizations.

During the meeting, held on Monday, 14 March 2022, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that as part of ICESCO’s new vision and action strategy, the Organization adopts an open-door approach to cooperate with all parties for the benefit of its Member States and Muslim societies around the world to promote civilizational dialogue, consolidating the values of peace and coexistence and building the capacities of youth and women.

For his part, Sheikh Enahoui commended ICESCO’s roles in introducing the correct image of Islamic civilization around the world, and the Organization’s important initiative to host the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah, based in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah and Makkah Al-Mukarrama, at its headquarters in Rabat, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

He also expressed his desire for ICESCO to participate in an international conference that will be held soon by the Islamic Cultural Coalition in Mauritania and West Africa, noting the Coalition’s eagerness to cooperate with the Organization in its conferences and forums.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in Morocco held a meeting on Monday, 14 March 2022, to explore the arrangements for the official launch of the celebration of Rabat as the 2022 Culture Capital in the Islamic World.

Mr. Al-Mahdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), chaired the meeting which focused on reviewing the preparation for the official launch of the celebration, set for 24 March 2022. The meeting was attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG, and Mr. Najib Rhiati, Cultural Advisor to the DG, General Coordinator of the celebration.

Following the meeting, a technical meeting was held between the delegations of ICESCO and the Ministry to explore the items on the official launch program. The Ministry’s delegation consisted of Mr. Mohammed Benhsain, Director of Mohammed V Theater, Minister Advisor; Mr. Salah Eddine Abqari, Minister Advisor; and Mr. Youssef Britel, Minister Advisor, film director.

The two parties also reaffirmed the importance of highlighting the cultural and artistic elements of the Kingdom’s capital, which reflect the wise royal policy to render Rabat a world capital and an international cultural destination.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched, on Thursday, March 10, 2022, the International Thinkers Guests of ICESCO Program, with a lecture by Moroccan thinker Dr. Fouad Laroui, during the intellectual meeting held by ICESCO’s International Think Tank for Thought, Letters, Heritage and Arts and ICESCO Chair at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra in the Kingdom of Morocco, with the attendance of a group of academics, writers and thinkers.

Prior to the meeting, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), received Dr. Fouad Laroui, and welcome him at ICESCO’s Headquarters emphasizing the Organization’s endeavor within the framework of its new vision to become a leader in the fields of education, science and culture, noting that the International Thinkers Guests of ICESCO Program is part of ICESCO strategic plan to make culture a foundation of knowledge and a methodological starting point for understanding and addressing challenges around the world.

Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO Culture and Communication Sector, commenced the meeting by welcoming the audience and commending the intellectual publications of the Moroccan thinker Fouad Laroui, which deal with various topics inspired from the Arab and Islamic civilization. He pointed out that ICESCO’s new vision and strategy opened the door for all forms of culture, and how the Organization’s programs and initiatives contribute to the advancement of cultural activities inside and outside the Islamic world.

For her part, Dr. Sanaa El Ghawati, Supervisor of ICESCO Chair at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, expressed her happiness with the Chair’s participation in the launch of the International Thinkers Guests of ICESCO Program, commending ICESCO’s role in welcoming international thinkers, writers and intellectuals to contribute to the revitalization of the cultural movement in the Islamic world.

Thereafter, Dr. Fouad Laroui gave a lecture on his academic and professional career, noting that the years he spent living in various European countries formed a source of inspiration for a number of his books. He then reaffirmed his desire to present the correct image of the Arab and Islamic intellectual heritage and to introduce its rich knowledge and literature to the European audiences; a heritage that has contributed greatly to the global civilization.

He also talked about his attempts, through his books, to change stereotypes about Arabs, through showcasing the Islamic world’s cultural heritage multiplicity and diversity and highlighting several predominant intellectual fallacies and historical errors about Arab civilization.

At the end of the lecture, the floor was opened for the attendees to raise questions and share their points of view about the topic of the discussion.

A delegation of creative children with trisomy (Down Syndrome) visited the Headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat to attend the “Future Imagined by Young Artists” workshop. The event, which took place at the Hall of Islamic Solidarity at ICESCO headquarters, was held by the Organization as part of the celebration of Rabat, Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022 to learn about artists’ perceptions of the future of culture and creativity.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), greeted these children and received them in his office at the close of the event to welcome them, and together they engaged in a discussion on the children’s interests and artistic works, which they craft under the supervision of the personnel of the Moroccan Association for the Support and Assistance of People with Down’s Syndrome (AMSAT). AMSAT is a non-profit association established in 1981, which has been placed under the honorary chairmanship of HRH Prince Moulay Rachid since January 2003 and is working on the social inclusion of people with trisomy.

The children were delighted to visit ICESCO’s Headquarters, tour its halls and facilities, and contemplate the paintings displayed in ICESCO’s Gallery for Contemporary Art.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Mohammadia League of Scholars in Morocco held a meeting to explore cooperation developments and the main joint programs and activities within the framework of the strategic partnership between the Organization and the League, and to celebrate Rabat as 2022 Culture Capital in the Islamic world.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of the League, chaired the meeting, which was held on Wednesday, 9 March 2022, in the presence of officials from both parties. The participants examined the developments related to several joint programs and activities, mainly the arrangements for hosting the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization.

The meeting featured a presentation on the contents and components of Moroccans’ attachment to the Prophet, which will be displayed at the Museum and the International Exhibition of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization at ICESCO Headquarters. The two sides reaffirmed their eagerness to highlight these components with manifestations and examples of Moroccans’ affection for the Prophet.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to continue coordination to achieve the desired results from the joint programs between ICESCO and the Mohammadia League of Scholars in Morocco.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Yerlan Baidaulet, Director-General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), and together explored avenues of cooperation between the two Organizations in various areas of common interest.

During the meeting, held at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the two parties emphasized their keenness to build fruitful cooperation, particularly in the field of technology and innovation. This cooperation is aimed at the enhancement of crop productivity and the genetic improvement of plants and livestock as a contribution towards the achievement of food self-sufficiency in the Islamic world.

Dr. AlMalik noted that ICESCO’s new vision is grounded upon the principle of openness to all and serves the Organization’s Member States and Muslim communities around the world. He also reviewed ICESCO’s initiatives and programmes that were implemented in cooperation with relevant authorities in the Member States and several donors to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on the educational, scientific and cultural fields.

For his part, Dr. Baidaulet reviewed the major programmes launched by IOFS, which is based in Almaty city in Kazakhstan, as well as its areas of interest, particularly those related to producing halal food production and assisting vulnerable countries in developing their capacities in agricultural and livestock production.
IOFS DG also extended an invitation to ICESCO DG to attend the international conference on food security to be held by the Organization next June in Kazakhstan.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed on sustaining coordination between the two Organizations and organizing continuous meetings between experts to agree on practical cooperation programs based on outcomes and outputs that will serve the countries of the Islamic world.

The Headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) witnessed a major creative celebration as part of the celebration of Rabat as Culture Capital in the Islamic World, where a select group of artists presented their perceptions about the future, anticipating new prospects for culture, art and creativity aimed at achieving spiritual and aesthetic prosperity in the world.

The hybrid event held at ICESCO Headquarters and via videoconference was organized by ICESCO in cooperation with UNICEF, Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Hiba Foundation in the Kingdom of Morocco. It brought together several representatives of specialized international organizations and institutions, artists, and photographers from the Islamic world and beyond.

In his opening remark, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), expressed his profound thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, for his royal approval to celebrate Rabat as the 2022 Culture Capital in the Islamic World.
He stated that “The Future Imagined by Young Artists” is an activity that falls within the events the Center of Strategic Foresight will hold in contribution to the Rabat celebration, adding that this topic reflects ICESCO’s new and reforming vision for the Programme of Culture Capitals in the Islamic world, which aims to render it an occasion to anticipate the future of cultural action.

The DG also stated that ICESCO accords special attention to young people and believes in their abilities to not only build the future but to reflect cultural prospects through various forms of art.
Dr. AlMalik noted that “The Future Imagined by Young Artists” clearly mirrors the Organization’s commitment to support young talents inside and outside the Islamic world and invest in them to ensure their success, stressing ICESCO’s keenness to support young artists to become future leaders.

In his address, Mr. Mustapha Messoudi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication – Youth Sector in the Kingdom of Morocco, underscored that the Ministry pays special attention to art and foresight and encourages the youth to promote and develop the national economy. The Ministry official also highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to train young people in the field of culture.

For his part, Mr. Marwane Fachane, DG of Hiba Foundation, stated that the Foundation aims to support youth art and future building initiatives as young people are the decision-makers of tomorrow. He added that suitable mechanisms should be provided for young people to prepare them to become future leaders. Taking the floor next was Ms. Naseem Awl, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Morocco, who stressed the need to engage all children in cultural and artistic life and hone their technological skills.

Ms. Danielle Pailler, Regional Director of the Francophone University Agency Maghreb, (AUF), gave a presentation where she contended focusing on artists’ efforts to anticipate the future, noting the role of creativity and innovation in facing future challenges and creating a better world. Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO Center of Strategic Foresight, reaffirmed the need to fulfill the dreams and perceptions of artists, highlighting the role of art and creativity in building the future.

Following the opening session, the first session was held under the theme, “art and the future” and featured several artists who talked about their perceptions and works about the future, expressed their opinions and highlighted their leading experiences. The event concluded with workshops to introduce artists to the concept of foresight and note down their rich contributions to the future.

The Strategic Foresight Center at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, held a Round Table on Foresight, Design and Urban Planning, to raise awareness about the importance of foresight tools, stress their key role in the field of design and urban planning and help decision-makers to ensure a sustainable future for cities, as the percentage of the urban population around the world is expected to rise from 55% currently to 68% by 2050.

The round table launched at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, with the presence of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of ICESCO, and Mr. Abdellatif Nahli, Secretary-General of the Ministry of National Territorial Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy, in the Kingdom of Morocco. The event saw the participation of several researchers, academics, engineers and experts in the field from inside and outside the Islamic world, in person and via videoconference. Participants discussed and shared the best practices in urban design and planning and they identified their current trends to monitor ways to benefit from them in the future.

At the opening session, Ms. Rim Jalloul from ICESCO Center for Strategic Foresight stressed that the importance of foresight in the field of urban planning stems from the fact that 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this percentage is expected to rise to 68% by 2050, making foresight a necessity to provide more opportunities to achieve urban sustainability.

In his speech, Mr. Abdellatif Al-Nahli, Secretary-General of the Ministry of National Territory Preparation, Urbanization, Housing and City Policy in the Kingdom of Morocco, commended ICESCO’s organization of this round table, stressing the need to publicize the importance of urban planning, exchange experiences in this field, value pioneering experiences and implement and evaluate development programs.

Mr. Nahli reviewed Morocco’s efforts in the field of planning, which are characterized by the development of a set of ambitious strategies in order to build a development model based on decentralization and good governance. This further highlights the need to adopt a forward-looking vision in the field of planning to win challenges, especially in light of the Covid 19 repercussions, which revealed the need to elaborate planning tools to counter risks and employ digitization techniques.

Following the opening session, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Center for Strategic Foresight at ICESCO, delivered a presentation on the necessity of anticipating the future, with the participation of various key actors, referring to the Center’s objectives of supporting a culture of foresight and anticipation.

The first session touched upon a global view of the future of design and urban planning, and called for elaborating potential scenarios in urban design and planning, based on modern technologies, to build green and sustainable cities, in a world that is experiencing unprecedentedly rapid demographic and urban changes. The second session dealt with the best practices in the field of foresight, design and urban planning.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Mohammed El-Ferrane, Director of the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they explored prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and the National Library in the implementation of a number of programs and activities.

During the meeting, held on Monday 7 March 2022, at the headquarters of the National Library, in the presence of Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG, the two parties discussed the proposed areas of cooperation between ICESCO and the Library.

In this connection, the two parties agreed on cooperation in the organization of training sessions on manuscript restoration and an international symposium on the future of national libraries. They also agreed on cooperation in the Audiobook Program, being implemented by ICESCO’s Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), a program that aims to convert a select collection of reference print books into audio format. Likewise, they agreed that all publications granted legal deposit by the library this year bear the logo of Rabat as Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022, as part of the celebration of this long-standing city as part of the Programme for Culture Capitals in the Islamic World.