Category: Front Page

The training program for the second group of trainees in the International Professional Teaching Certificates project, implemented by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Education and Technical Education, and King Saud University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with support from the Saleh Kamel Humanitarian Foundation, kicked off on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Cairo.

The Program, which includes training 180 teachers in its second edition, began with an orientation day about the program, its main stages, and its activities. It also included presentations of some experiences from beneficiaries of the first edition, which included 120 teachers. The orientation day was attended by Mr. Mohamed Hedi Sehili, Director of the Legal Affairs and International Standards Department at ICESCO, Ms. Jihane El Assimi, Supervisor of the Financial Affairs Department, and Dr. Rabab Zidan, Director General of the General Administration for Educational Leadership Affairs at the Egyptian Ministry of Education and Technical Education.

The orientation day concluded with ceremony for distributing certificates of appreciation to the winners of competitive contests organized during last Ramadan, aiming to link the spiritual and emotional aspects with the cognitive and skillful achievements of the trainees from the first group.

The International Professional Teaching Certificates project was launched on December 16, 2023, with the aim of training 2000 teachers in several Egyptian governorates over a period of 3 years, to qualify educational practitioners and equip them with the necessary competencies to achieve and develop the goals of educational curricula.

The Culture and Communication Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a meeting with a delegation from the Cultural Policies Center of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to explore avenues for enhancing cooperation in the fields of culture and arts education.

During the meeting, held today, Thursday April 25, 2024, at the ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of Culture and Communication Sector at the Organization, presented ICESCO’s vision and programs in the cultural sphere, highlighting ICESCO’s contributions to the attainment of sustainable development goals through the promotion of cultural and creative industries, digital cultural economy, and the utilization of technology to address challenges and offer innovative solutions.

Ms. Paola Leoncini, Director of the Cultural Policies Center at UNESCO, stressed the importance of developing productive cooperation between UNESCO and ICESCO at the regional and international levels to assist member states of both organizations in implementing cultural policies that foster sustainable development, and exchanging experiences and best practices in the field.

Over the next two days, a series of meetings will be held between ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector and the UNESCO delegation. These meetings will focus on fleshing out the details of the cooperation plan between the two organizations, with the goal of leveraging culture as a public good to construct safe and cohesive societies.

In partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the National Museums Foundation, the Marrakech City Council and the National School of Architecture in Marrakesh, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched its “ICESCO Cultural Week” in Marrakesh, under the theme, “Marrakech: City of Heritage, Art and Culture”. The event is part of the celebration of the Red City as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2024, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him.

Held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Museum of Intangible Heritage in Jemaa El Fna Square, the opening ceremony saw the participation of a number of senior officials, academics and high-level figures from the fields of thought, culture and art.

At the outset, Mr. Mehdi Qotbi, Director of the National Museums Foundation of the Kingdom of Morocco, stated that the celebration of Marrakech as Culture Capital in the Islamic World emphasizes the city’s uniqueness, ancient heritage, and cultural elements, which have made it one of the key historical cities in the world. Mr. Qotbi also commended the aspects of cooperation between ICESCO and the Foundation, which yielded remarkable outcomes, notably the Intangible Heritage Museum in Marrakech.

For his part, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, stressed the attention the Organization accords to Marrakech, manifested in its selection as Culture Capital in the Islamic World, to highlight its cultural manifestations, art expressions and tourism potential which has made it an international destination.

The ICESCO official added that the Organization has inscribed a number of Marrakech cultural elements on its Islamic World Heritage Lists, including the Jamaa El Fna Square, Malhun, orange blossom water distillation techniques, and Dakka Merrakshia.

Dr. Weber Ndoro, Director of the Center of Heritage in the Islamic World, stressed the importance of heritage as a major component of human civilization, providing an overview on its elements, development, and role of communities in its promotion and preservation as a legacy for successive generations. Dr. Ndoro also discussed the Organization’s efforts in preserving and promoting the heritage of the Islamic world, casting light on the major projects it implements in cooperation with its Member States.  

Speaking next, Mr. Bilal Chebbi, Dr. Mohamed Aba Ousman and Dr. Idham Muhammad Hanash, experts at ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, gave detailed presentations on the main activities and events of the Cultural Week. They also reviewed the Organization’s programs on museums in Africa and the Islamic world, and highlighted the key features of Marrakech’s architectural heritage, especially Islamic architecture.

Ms. Hanae Jerjou, Governor of Jemaa El Fna in Marrakech and its Museum of Intangible Heritage, gave a presentation on the Museum’s sections and collections, and a tour of its corridors to the audience.

This was followed by the presentation of the book and platform project, “Marrakech, a City of Museums: From History to Cultural Dialogue and Heritage Education”.

Participants in the launch of the ICESCO Cultural Week in Marrakech were introduced to the handmade goods displayed by artisanal shops along the streets and alleys between Jemaa El Fna Square and Dar El Bacha Museum, which the participants visited during their tour. They also took part in a workshop and exhibition organized by ICESCO for young artists in cooperation with the National School of Architecture in Marrakech, moderated by Dr. Sandra Rey, Professor of Art at the University of Rio Grande in Brazil.

The ICESCO Cultural Week features a variety of activities and seminars at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Qadi Ayyad University and the National School of Architecture in Marrakech, aiming to highlight the diversity of the Red City’s heritage, the richness of its culture, and the uniqueness of its Islamic architecture.

International Mother Earth Day, held on the 22nd of April of each year, is observed to foster the shared responsibility of all in protecting the Earth against threats that jeopardize its sustainability and achieve a balance between the economic, social, and environmental needs of present and future generations.

On this occasion, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) emphasizes the importance of fostering environmental awareness at regional and international levels and the need to shed light on the detrimental health consequences of environmental degradation. Moreover, ICESCO advocates for the active inclusion of youth and women, harnessing their potential to contribute to the protection of our ecosystems.

In line with this commitment, ICESCO has been developing and implementing several programs and workshops to train local communities in its Member States, particularly youth, women, and environmental specialists. These initiatives are geared towards equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to preserve ecological systems, combat climate change, promote environmental citizenship, and address food security and agriculture challenges through innovative technologies.

Furthermore, the Organization convened several training workshops on smart, sustainable, and resilient cities to tackle the challenges of rational use of natural resources, energy, and water and address the issue of increasing waste and the ensuing air pollution. These efforts aim to improve the quality of life on Earth through the adoption of modern technologies. Additionally, ICESCO has launched the Bio-Waste Food Award, which aims to support entrepreneurs and startups in developing innovative technologies to reduce food waste and its negative environmental impacts.

Following three days of rich discussions and a positive exchange of ideas, the International Seminar on the Status of Girls’ Education in the Arab and Islamic World issued a set of recommendations, at the close of its proceedings on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat. The recommendations focused on establishing gender equality at all levels of education, training educational staff on gender and equal opportunities, and providing psychological, social and financial support for groups affected by poverty, conflicts and social challenges.

The recommendations of the seminar, held by ICESCO and the Arab Women’s Organization, also included calling for strengthening the role of the media in changing the stereotypical image of women, supporting the efforts of governments in developing plans for gender and social protection issues and developing strategies to reform education to suit the multiple societal roles of women. It also recommended expanding their economic rehabilitation programs, especially in rural communities, ensuring wider participation of women in economic, social and cultural activities, calling on states to review education sector budgets, increasing allocations for the development of digital education, and organizing awareness campaigns and educational programs on the importance of learning.

The second and third days of the symposium included five sessions that presented working papers and discussed girls’ education, changing family perceptions, and devising policies to promote girls’ education, counter gender stereotypes in school curricula, and foster girls’ education in conflict and crisis situations.

Afterwards, Dr. Fadia Kiwan, Director-General (DG) of the Arab Women Organization, and Ms. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Office of ICESCO DG, honored Asmaa Benfassi in recognition of her media efforts in defending women and girls’ issues and highlighting their creative and leadership potential.

At the end of the symposium, honorary shields were exchanged between ICESCO and the Arab Women’s Organization. The symposium participants then toured the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO’s headquarters.

Each year on April 21st, the world celebrates World Creativity and Innovation Day to stress the crucial role of creativity and innovation in finding sustainable solutions to economic and social challenges, and in adapting to the rapid global transformations. On this occasion, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) sheds light on the importance of creativity and innovation in enhancing international efforts to build thriving, knowledge-based, and culturally diverse societies.

In this context, ICESCO calls for the integration of youth and women and the enhancement of their innovative capacities to broaden societal horizons and accelerate their developmental progress, by providing job opportunities and training, and implementing various initiatives and programs in science and technology.

ICESCO has launched an ambitious program to train youth in establishing small projects in technology and innovation, with the goal of promoting entrepreneurship in the Islamic world and contributing to sustainable and comprehensive development. Launched in 2021 across 19 countries, the program has already supported 54 start-up projects. Its ultimate objective is to reach 150 such companies by the end of 2025, while also enhancing the capacities of over 5,000 entrepreneurs.

The Organization has also introduced an award for converting bio-waste into food bars, aiming to support entrepreneurs and start-ups in developing innovative techniques to maximize the utilization of wasted food.