Category: Director General

In his address at G-20 Inter-faith Forum 2021, in Italy, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called for restoring the universal human values, which must prevail over all ideologies that still divide peoples. He also stressed the need to prepare the next generations for the future to become thinkers and creators, who would contribute to the culture of peace.

During the session on “Education and Religious Diversity,” held on Monday, September 13, 2021, which brought together many Arab and European officials and ministers, Dr. AlMalik explained that ICESCO’s new vision goes beyond the idea that peace is the absence of war or its opposite.

“The Organization prides itself on a uniquely multisectoral and holistic approach to tackle issues of peace within the realms of education, economic, cultural, environmental, social dimensions, including the integration of the values ​​of affection and compassion in the educational curricula of ICESCO Member States. ICESCO’s International Conference on the Civilizational Values ​​in the Prophet’s Seerah held on May 27, 2021, called on the United Nations to declare April 21^st as the World Day of Mercy” The DG added.

ICESCO DG stressed the importance of peace institutions and bodies around the world, which provide the necessary mechanisms to prevent conflict that may results in war as these institutions are one of the key milestones in human history to establish peace and prevent wars.

Dr. AlMalik also reaffirmed that ICESCO is willing to work jointly to achieve world peace through the power of education and religious and cultural diversity. “The Organization has launched ambitious programs aimed at promoting peace by mobilizing youth, women and religious leaders through its pioneering program to train youth on leadership for peace and security and through its Regional Center for Education for Peace and Security, established in 2008, as an embodiment of its strong commitment to promoting the culture of peace,” he underscored.

At the close of his address, ICESCO DG called on leaders and officials to instill the spirit of solidarity, understanding, and tolerance in their societies, noting that this pursuit encouraged ICESCO to launch its initiative “The Societies We Want”, which aims to build peaceful, inclusive, prosperous, resilient and sustainable societies to prevent mistrust and hatred, which is the essence of Makkah Declaration that emphasizes the importance of common human values ​​and morals, and mutual respect.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and the Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan, Mr. Anar Karimov, held a meeting to discuss trilateral cooperation between ICESCO, the Alliance of Civilizations, and Baku Dialogue Forum, to promote intercultural dialogue.

During the meeting, held on September 12, 2021, in the Italian city of Bologna as part of their participation in the G20 Interfaith Forum, the participants valued the roles and efforts undertaken by the three institutions to anchor the values ​​of coexistence and dialogue between different cultures, based on human commonality.

During the meeting, the participants reviewed the activities of their respective institutions to promote intercultural dialogue and agreed to cooperate in organizing joint programs and projects in this field, examine a set of initiatives for the benefit of young people and women, and promote peace and rapprochement between cultures and peoples.

Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Advisor to ICESCO DG in charge of Partnerships and International Cooperation, Mr. Wassef Aivaz Zadeh, Secretary of the National Committee for Education, Science and Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Ms. Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet and Spokesperson for the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) attended the meeting.

The opening session of G20 Interfaith Forum 2021 kicked off yesterday in Bologna, with the participation of this year’s G20 chairman, the President of Slovenia, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, a large number of ministers, chiefs of international organizations, religious leaders, and global intellectual figures.

Dr. AlMalik will take part in the forum, as ICESCO’s first participation in the global forum, today, Monday 13 September 2021, during the Education and Religious Diversity session, in which a large number of Arab and European officials and ministers will participate.

The Forum is held this year under the title “Time to Heal: Peace among Cultures, Understanding between Religions”, under the auspices of the Italian Presidency. It started on September 12, and it will end on September 14, prior to the organization of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The Forum is considered one of the most important initiatives of the G20, to create a space for meeting and dialogue, not only between religious leaders, but also between political authorities, international organizations, spiritual authorities, and intellectual personalities to discuss important issues and programs.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik received the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Togo to Morocco, Mr. Messan Amakoé Klutse. The meeting explored the prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and Togo in the Organization’s fields of action.

At the beginning of the meeting, held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, on 9 September 2021, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Mr. Klutse on the occasion of starting his mission as Chargé d’Affaires of the Togolese Embassy in Rabat, wishing him success.

ICESCO DG reviewed the outlines of the vision and strategy of the Organization’s field of competence, and areas of special interest such as strategic foresight, artificial intelligence, space sciences, education for peace, consolidating the values of coexistence and dialogue, and inscribing historical sites and cultural elements on the Heritage Lists of the Islamic World.

Dr. AlMalik also reviewed the most important programs and activities implemented that ICESCO in the recent period, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the support it provided to its Member States, especially in the African continent, to address the negative effects of this pandemic, in cooperation with several donor institutions, and coordination with the responsible authorities in each country.

The meeting touched on the prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Togo in the fields of education, science, and culture, where the two sides reaffirmed their keenness to build fruitful cooperation.

The Chargé d’Affairs of the Embassy of Togo in Rabat expressed his appreciation for the roles played by ICESCO in its fields of action, stressing that he will spare no effort in making Togo benefit from the programs and activities implemented by the Organization.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Sylver Aboubacar Minko Mi Nseme, Ambassador of the Gabonese Republic to Morocco, and together they explored the development of cooperation between ICESCO and Gabon in the fields of education, science, and culture.

During the meeting, held on 08 September 2021 at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, several areas of cooperation and initiating a new partnership between ICESCO and Gabon were deliberated.  ICESCO Director-General (DG) will further discuss this in his next official visit to Gabon, due to be held in October, with the Gabonese senior officials. Among the proposals are the establishment of a chair for ICESCO in a Gabonese university, the establishment of a center for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, and the organization of a series of joint conferences and activities in Gabon, including a medical, educational, and cultural caravan.

The meeting also touched on the importance of inscribing the historical sites in Gabon on the List of Heritage in the Islamic World and cooperation in the field of civilizational dialogue, which receives special attention from the Organization with the establishment of the ICESCO Center for Civilizational Dialogue. ICESCO considers Gabon as one of the distinguished models of coexistence and peace.

For his part, the Ambassador of Gabon reaffirmed his country’s welcome for the upcoming visit of the DG, stressing Gabon’s keenness to build a strong partnership with ICESCO in its fields of competence.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Mahamat Abderassoul, Ambassador of Chad to Morocco. The meeting explored the latest developments in the close cooperation between ICESCO and Chad in the fields of the Organization’s fields of action.

At the beginning of the meeting, held on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Ambassador Abderassoul on the Sheikh Hamdan-ICESCO Prize for Voluntary Development of Education Facilities in Islamic World that the Regional Educational Center in Chad received for its project on “Bilingual Arabic Language Teaching in Chad,” implemented with the support of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). The project is one of three outstanding educational projects that received the prize.

For his part, the Chadian ambassador thanked ICESCO and its DG for organizing the important prize, expressing his pride in the Regional Educational Center in Chad for such achievement among dozens of other nominated projects from all over the Islamic world.

The meeting tackled the developments in cooperation between ICESCO and Chad, including the outstanding performance of ICESCO Regional Educational Center in N’Djamena and the construction of the Model Primary School affiliated with the Center. The goal is to provide Arabic language education for all groups, quality education, achieve equal gender opportunities, and support the Chadian educational system, which strives to apply Arabic-French bilingualism.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties stressed the importance of sustaining cooperation between ICESCO and Chad in the fields of education, science, and culture through further communication with the competent authorities in Chad to identify their priorities in these areas and develop appropriate programs.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, discussed with Ms. Seynabou Dial, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Senegal to Morocco, ways to develop cooperation between ICESCO and Senegal in the Organization’s action areas.

At the beginning of the meeting, held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, on September 7, 2021, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Ms. Dial on starting her mission as Senegalese ambassador to Morocco, and for being the first woman to hold this position. He also stressed that ICESCO is working within the framework of its new vision to support and build the capacities of girls and women. The Organization is carrying out relevant programs and activities during 2021, which is proclaimed by the ICESCO as the Year of Women benefiting from the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, he added.

ICESCO DG indicated that cooperation between the Organization and Senegal is witnessing a great development, noting his meeting with Senegalese President Macky Sall, at the Presidential Palace in Dakar, during his visit to Senegal in January 2020, where he explored cooperation between the two sides with several Senegalese officials.

Dr. AlMalik also affirmed that ICESCO is a partner with the Senegalese government and the Secretariat of the World Water Forum, in organizing the 9th World Water Forum, which will be held next year after being postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He added that Senegal was one of the countries that received support from ICESCO during the pandemic, as part of the Organization’s programs to help the Member States in mitigating the pandemic’s negative effects.

The Ambassador of Senegal to Morocco expressed her appreciation for the roles that ICESCO performed, stressing that the permanent partnership between the Organization and Senegal will continue to flourish in all areas of its competence and that her country is keen to participate in all ICESCO activities.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy DG, Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Director of the Social and Human Sciences Sector, and Dr. Ahmed Said Ould Bah, Advisor to the DG in charge of Partnerships and International Cooperation attended the meeting.

The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat, on Friday, September 3, 2021, hosted the first consultative meeting to discuss the situation of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) and its future prospects to fulfill its role in light of the rapid global transformations and the ongoing technological development.

The meeting brought together Dr. Driss Ouaouicha, Delegate Minister in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research in of Morocco, Dr. Salim M. Al Malik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), FUIW Secretary-General; the presidents of some Moroccan universities as well as several ICESCO officials and experts. The participants exchanged perspectives and proposals that offer innovative solutions to the current challenges facing the Federation.

At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Ouaouicha gave an address wherein he praised the roles and efforts of ICESCO in serving the universities of the Islamic world, stressing the need to benefit from the accumulated experiences to develop strategic plans, action plans and performance assessment mechanisms to ensure a better future for the Federation.

In his address, Dr. AlMalik stressed that the meeting is the beginning of a series of meetings with member universities to explore their vision about the Federation’s future, explaining that the FUIW must be the effective tool for enhancing cooperation between universities to advance to the ranks of international universities, taking into account the recommendation of the twenty-third session of the Executive Council of the Federation, held in Sharjah, on 02-03 February 2020, to develop a new vision for the Federation to renew its working mechanisms and define its future roles to have a fresh start.

Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, gave a presentation wherein he explained that the Federation includes 351 universities from 58 countries. He also highlighted the most prominent stations of the FUIW since its inception in 1987, its working mechanisms, the recent developments, and the update of the Federation’s website.

The floor was then given to the heads of universities, who raised many questions about the roles and achievements of the Federation. They also made many suggestions to promote the role of the Federation to be a locomotive of cooperation and coordination between universities in Muslim countries. The heads of universities included Dr. Awatef Hayar, President of Hassan II University, Dr. Mohamed Ghachi, President of Mohammed V University, Dr. Amin Bensaid, President of Al Akhawayn University, Dr. Mustafa Bousmina, President of Euro-Mediterranean University, and Dr. Abdelaziz Benjouad, Vice President of the International University of Rabat.

In their interventions, Dr. AlMalik, Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, and some ICESCO officials responded to all those questions and clarified the background of the establishment of the FUIW, its roles and its relationship with ICESCO.

At the close of the meeting, the participants made several recommendations, which will be formulated and discussed during the upcoming meetings with the member universities of the Federation.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, on Thursday, September 2, 2021, held a videoconference meeting with First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Emine Dzhaparova, along with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Morocco, Ms. Vasilyvia Oksana Yuryevna. The participants discussed the prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Ukraine in the fields of education, science, and culture.

At the outset of the meeting, which also brought together a number of ICESCO officials, Dr. AlMalik stressed that the Organization attaches great importance to promoting the values ​​of coexistence and dialogue, adopting education for peace, supporting capacity-building for women and youth, providing quality education for all, and benefiting from modern technology in the fields of education, culture and environmental protection.

The DG pointed out that ICESCO’s programs and activities seek to achieve these goals, in partnership with the competent authorities in Member States, and that the Organization is open to cooperate with non-Member States, international organizations and donors, for the benefit of Member States and Muslim communities around the world.

The First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reaffirmed her country’s keenness to build fruitful cooperation with ICESCO, noting that no less than 1.5 million Muslims live in Ukraine, which is rich in terms of historical sites and intangible heritage.

Ms. Dzhaparova commended ICESCO’s roles in protecting heritage, developing education, and building the capacities of women and youth.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik received the outgoing Chargé d’Affaires of Brunei Darussalam Embassy in Rabat, Mr. Awangku Haji Shahrin bin Pengiran Haji Bakar, and the newly appointed Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy, Ms. Dayang Nur Hafiza Islam Bint Awang Mahani. The meeting explored ways to foster cooperation between the Government of Brunei Darussalam and ICESCO in its fields of competence.

At the beginning of the meeting, held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, on September 1, 2021, Dr. AlMalik expressed his gratitude to the former Chargé d’Affaires of Brunei Darussalam for his efforts to build fruitful cooperation between his country and ICESCO during his tenure in Rabat, and wishing him good luck in his future assignments. He also welcomed the new Chargé d’Affairs and congratulated her on assuming this position, stressing ICESCO’s constant keenness to develop relations with all Member States and support them in promoting education, science, and culture within the framework of the Organization’s new vision.

ICESCO DG commended the distinguished programs and activities that were implemented in Brunei Darussalam during the celebration of Bandar Seri Begawan as the Asian region’s Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for 2019.

The former Chargé d’Affaires of the Brunei Darussalam Embassy ​​commended ICESCO’s role in supporting its Member States in the Organization’s fields of competence. The new Chargé d’Affaires stressed her willingness to develop constructive cooperation and distinguished relations between Brunei Darussalam and ICESCO.

The meeting brought together Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy DG, Dr. Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Head of Culture and Communication Sector at ICESCO, and Ms. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Office of ICESCO DG.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund, President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), discussed the prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and IAF in the field of space sciences and their applications. The meeting also discussed the establishment of ICESCO Chair at the International Space University in France, providing training opportunities and scholarships for students and researchers on space diplomacy, and holding relevant seminars and conferences.

The meeting was held on Wednesday (25 August 2021) via videoconference, on the sidelines of the 36^th Session of the International Space Symposium that Space Foundation is holding in Colorado, USA, with which ICESCO signed a partnership agreement. The agreement aims to build close cooperation in raising awareness of the importance of investing in space sciences, integrating them into educational programs, benefiting from their applications, and providing opportunities for researchers and scientists to exchange ideas, experiences and innovation in the field of space sciences.

During the meeting, which brought together Dr. Christian Feichtinger, IAF Executive Director, several ICESCO heads of sectors and experts, and IAF officials, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the most prominent programs and projects of ICESCO, which devote great attention to supporting women and building young people’s capacities, particularly with the proclamation of 2021 as the Year of Women.

“Space science is the future. It has become an imperative for all countries to keep pace with advancements through international partnerships that will help exchange knowledge and expertise with young people in the Islamic world to play their role in the development of their societies,” the DG added.

Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund stressed the importance of cooperation between ICESCO and IAF for establishing a dialogue between scientists around the world to present and discuss information on international cooperation in the field of space. She also invited ICESCO to become a member of the International Astronautical Federation, and to participate in the 72nd International Astronautical Congress, which will be held next October in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

ICESCO and IAF agreed to build cooperation for holding training workshops on space sciences and exploring the areas of cooperation stated in the partnership agreement. They also agreed to further discuss establishing an ICESCO Chair at the International Space University in France to promote scientific research in the field of space science and its applications.

During the meeting, the two parties stressed their keenness to cooperate in conferences and forums participation. ICESCO DG invited IAF President to take part in ICESCO major international conference on space science and its applications, due to be held next November.