The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Libyan National Commission for Education, Culture and Science signed an agreement on Libya’s hosting of the 45th session of ICESCO Executive Council, due to be held in January 2025, in Tripoli.
The agreement was signed at ICESCO headquarters, in Rabat, on Tuesday (5 November 2024), by Dr. Salim Al-Habsi, Director of the General Secretariat for National Commissions and Conferences of ICESCO, and Dr. Mohammed Amari Zayed, Libya’s Permanent Representative at ICESCO, on behalf of the Libyan National Commission.
Following the signing, Dr. Al-Habsi expressed his confidence in the ability of the competent parties in Libya to ensure the success of ICESCO Executive Council, noting that it will feature a consultative meeting of Member States to tackle the opportunities and challenges facing the Islamic world.
For his part, Dr. Zayed affirmed that the Libyan authorities will spare no effort to successfully host and organize ICESCO Executive Council in Tripoli, commending the distinguished cooperation relations between ICESCO and the State of Libya in the Organization’s areas of competence.
It is worth mentioning that ICESCO Executive Council is convened on an annual basis, bringing together its members and the delegations of ICESCO’s 53 Member States, with the Secretaries-General of National Commissions heading their delegations, to examine and approve the activity reports and action plans submitted by ICESCO’s General Directorate.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), emphasized that the profound transformations currently shaping global society demand an unprecedented focus on advancing and modernizing educational systems, policies, and orientations. These changes, driven by the emergence of knowledge economy, rooted in intellectual capital and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence with its implications for education, call for a comprehensive evaluation of the education reforms undertaken over the past two decades, discarding elements no longer aligned with the needs of the modern era.
This statement was made as part of the DG’s address today, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, during the opening session of the Fourth International Educational Conference, titled “Transforming Education: Opportunities and Challenges to Enhance the Future of Education in the Gulf Countries.” Organized by the Gulf Arab States’ Educational Research Center, under the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, the two-day conference in Kuwait City is held under the patronage of Kuwaiti Minister of Education Eng. Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei. The Event is attended by heads of academic institutions, international and regional organizations that focus on education, and a selection of esteemed international experts.
Dr. AlMalik highlighted that advancing education in the Gulf requires consideration of several key factors, including the demographic impact of the education sector, with students making up 17% of the population, and the need to reevaluate reform methodologies, especially as Gulf studies have questioned the effectiveness of imported curricula as substitutes for national efforts. He stressed the importance of developing a new educational thinking that embraces the philosophy of digital transformation and addresses digital literacy challenges.
He also noted the critical role of the family in the educational process, acknowledging the unique cohesiveness of families in the Gulf region, and the central role of teachers. Furthermore, Dr. Al-Malik commended Gulf countries on their achievements in teacher training and development.
Moreover, ICESCO Director-General recognized significant disparities in the quality of education among Islamic countries, while praising the Gulf states for supporting educational systems in less developed nations. He urged further collaboration with ICESCO to assess the educational needs of the Islamic world, leveraging the Organization’s in-depth knowledge of its Member States’ conditions.
Dr. AlMalik concluded by encouraging a thorough review of the UN questionnaire on transforming education, suggesting its adaptation to the Region’s educational and cultural framework in order to glean important insights. At the close of the Conference’s opening session, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik was honored with the Conference’s commemorative shield, presented by Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Assimi, DG of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, in the presence of Mr. Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Engineer Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei, the Kuwaiti Minister of Education.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received a delegation of content creators and influencers from the Kingdom of Morocco, during their visit to the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat.
During the meeting, held on Friday, November 1, 2024, Dr. AlMalik highlighted the main axes of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and talked about the Organization’s key initiatives, programs and projects, especially in the field of youth capacity building. He further explained that the Organization has dedicated an entire year to celebrating young people, in firm belief of their key role in developing their societies and building a better future for the Islamic world.
Moreover, the Director-General mentioned key initiatives, notably Youth Training Project on Creating Small Projects in the Fields of Technology and Innovation, Can-Sat training workshop, held in Morocco, Burkina Faso and Türkiye, and Leadership Training for Peace and Security Program (LTIPS), through which 180 young men and women graduated as ICESCO Young Peace Ambassadors.
For their part, the delegation expressed its appreciation of ICESCO’s programs and projects targeting the youth of the Islamic world, conveying its keenness to take part in the Organization’s activities and contribute to the promotion of its leading roles within its areas of competence, as well as its efforts to support young people and prepare them for the professions of the future.
Afterwards, Dr. AlMalik took the delegation on a tour of the Exhibition and Museum, where they received detailed explanations on the content of its pavilions and sections, which all employ modern technology and capitalize on AI and augmented reality’s applications to transport the visitor to the time of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him.
A German delegation of activists in the fields of interfaith and intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence visited on Friday, November 1, 2024, the Museum and Exhibition of the Prophet’s Seerah and International Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat. The Museum and Exhibition are the outcome of a strategic partnership among ICESCO, the Muslim World League and the Muhammadia League of Scholars.
Prior to the visit, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, met with the delegation of 31 people, and reaffirmed that hosting the Exhibition and Museum at ICESCO was the fruition of the Organization’s endeavors to highlight the civilizational aspects of the Prophet’s seerah and present the true image of a moderate Islam to the world. He added that the Organization follows an open-door policy with all, in service of its Member States and Muslim communities around the world.
Moreover, the Director-General held a discussion with the German delegation, and answered their questions on cooperation between ICESCO and German institutions in the fields of education, science, culture and civilizational dialogue, reaffirming that the Organization has cultivated strong cooperation relations with a number of prominent institutions such a Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Leibniz Foundation and Mouatana Institute. He added that ICESCO works alongside these institutions to serve the Islamic world regardless of religion, race or ethnicities.
Afterwards, Amb. Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, and Dr. Abdelmalek Hibaoui, Head of the Interfaith Dialogue Division at the German Institute for Dialogue and Understanding (Mouatana), took the delegation on a tour of the various sections of the Exhibition. The delegation received detailed information on the content displayed at the different pavilions and sections.
At the end of the tour, the delegation expressed their delight at visiting this exhibition, stressing the centrality of the values of peace, coexistence and civilizational dialogue.
The Culture and Communication Sector at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held two training workshops for a number of experts in the cultural field in ICESCO’s Member States. The first workshop was on leadership in cultural policies, while the second addressed artificial intelligence and creative industries, focusing on sound and music.
Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication, stressed that the two workshops are being held in cooperation with the National Commissions and a number of international experts, with the aim of building capacities in the field of sustainable development in the Islamic world, especially among the youth to nurture their interest in new areas of digital transformation and alternative economies.
During the first workshop held via video conference, on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, the second of its kind, Dr. Rim Jellouli, ICESCO’s External Expert and Specialist in Cultural Policies, highlighted the importance of ICESCO’s strategy on cultural policies in the Islamic world and cultural indicators in helping the Member States formulate their own visions and strategic orientations, and reviewed a set of reports on this matter. For her part, Dr. Youma Fall, Minister Counselor at the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal, stressed the need to accord due attention to cultural indicators, as they play a crucial role in drafting the strategic vision of countries.
The workshop featured rich discussions and presentations by a number of experts at ICESCO, as well as specialists in the field from the Organization’s Member States. During the second workshop, Dr. Amine Hammami, ICESCO’s External Expert in the field of digital creativity and digital culture, gave a presentation on the latest platforms and technologies that are reshaping the way we interact with sound and the world of music. He also talked about global best practices in the field, as well as new AI-enriched platforms, and the role of digital tools in pushing the boundaries of creativity in production.
The discussion was opened to participants to ask questions about ethics and intellectual property, and the legal and linguistic challenges facing the use of AI in the field of sound and music production.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Fafré Camara, Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they explored ways to promote cooperation between Mali and ICESCO in the Organization’s areas of competence. At the beginning of the meeting, held today, Friday, November, 1, 2024, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik conveyed his congratulations to Mr. Camara for his new position as Mali’s Ambassador to Rabat, wishing him success in his mission.
For his part, Mr. Camara expressed his thanks for the warm welcome, handing Dr. AlMalik a letter from H.E. President Assimi Goïta, Transitional President of the Republic of Mali, conveying His Excellency’s appreciation of ICESCO’s efforts to support its Member States in the fields of education, science and culture, and keenness to promote cooperation between Mali and ICESCO.
Likewise, the Malian Ambassador presented the DG with a letter from Mr. Andogoly Guindo, Minister of Culture, Handicrafts, Hotel Industry and Tourism, where the Minister commends ICESCO’s initiative to preserve, promote and restore the historical Timbuktu Manuscripts, stressing Mali’s readiness to cooperate with ICESCO in the implementation of this initiative.
The DG expressed his thanks and appreciation to H.E. the Transitional President for his letter, and to the Malian Minister of Culture, underscoring that Timbuktu Manuscripts comprise of thousands of historical and religious documents that represent an intellectual treasure trove that must be preserved and promoted.
Moreover, the DG stated that ICESCO is keen to support the efforts of the Member States to upgrade their educational, scientific and cultural sectors, as part of the Organization’s new vision and strategic orientations. To this end, Dr. AlMalik added, ICESCO implements initiatives and programs with tangible impact that meet the expectations and needs of each Member State. He further explained that it closely works with National Commissions for Education, Science and Culture and competent parties, expressing ICESCO’s readiness to develop its cooperation relations with Mali.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) invites researchers, specialists, and postgraduate students to contribute research papers on one of five key topics of the first International Conference on “Language Skills in Teaching Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers: Current Challenges and Development Prospects.” The Conference will be held in partnership with the Theology Faculty at Bursa Uludağ University, Turkey, on 3-4 February 2025.
The submissions should address one of the Conference’s main topics: • Challenges in teaching language skills; • Analysis of language skills in Arabic textbooks for Non-Arabic speakers; • Effective strategies for teaching and learning language skills; • Language skills assessment; • Modern techniques in teaching language skills.
To participate, applicants are requested to submit abstracts to arapcasempozyumu@uludag.edu.tr, by 15 November 2024. Approved abstracts will be announced on 20 November, and full-papers are due by 1 January 2025. The announcement of approved full-papers will be on 10 January. Additional conference details can be found on the Conference’s website accessible via, https://uludag.edu.tr/arapcasempozyumu.
Submitted papers must adhere to the following requirements: • The research must be original and not previously presented at any conference, symposium, or published in an academic journal; • Research should adhere to scientific methodology standards, demonstrating originality and rigorous analysis; • Submissions must be free of grammatical, rhetorical, spelling, and typos; • Preference will be given to papers based on real-life issues and offering practical solutions; • Submissions should be written in either Arabic or Turkish; • Authors of approved abstracts must adhere to the Conference’s publication guidelines as stipulated by the scientific committee and make necessary revisions after submission; • The scientific committee reserves the right to reject any abstract or paper without justifying it. The Conference’s scientific review committee will evaluate all submissions to select papers eligible for participation at the Conference in February 2025. Accepted papers will be published in a volume with an international ISBN under the auspices of ICESCO.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Slim Khalbous, Rector of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), at ICESCO’s headquarters, in Rabat, to discuss potential avenues for enhanced cooperation in areas of common interest.
At the outset of the meeting, held on Thursday, October 31st, 2024, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to deepening cooperation with esteemed universities and research institutions within and beyond the Islamic world. This commitment is reflected in the implementation of joint programs and projects and the establishment of ICESCO Scientific Chairs. Dr. AlMalik highlighted the Organization’s belief that academic and research institutions are the best incubators for innovation and creativity and play a pivotal role in developing the skills of young people to face future challenges.
For his part, Dr. Khalbous expressed AUF’s dedication to furthering its partnership with ICESCO, as outlined in the framework cooperation agreement signed between the two organizations in March 2021. This cooperation has led to numerous impactful activities and initiatives over the past three years.
The meeting also examined proposals for future cooperation, particularly in advancing linguistic diversity in scientific research to enrich the field through varied perspectives and methodologies, enhancing networks between member universities in the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, affiliated with ICESCO, and AUF’s member universities, as well as launching targeted programs to benefit both institutions’ member universities. During the meeting, Dr. Khalbous invited Dr. AlMalik to attend the upcoming World Francophone Science Week, set to take place next year in Dakar, Senegal, with participation from representatives of over 1,100 universities. Dr. AlMalik reciprocated with an invitation for AUF to participate in ICESCO’s Conference of Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research, scheduled for mid-2025.
Also present at the meeting were Dr. Adel Jarboui, DG of the International Academy of Francophone Scientific (AIFS); Dr. Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector; Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of ICESCO’s Science and Environment Sector; Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector; and Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the Director-General of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World.
Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Omar Althumali, Principal of the Saudi Schools in Rabat, who visited ICESCO headquarters, on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, leading a delegation of the Saudi Schools’ staff and pupils.
During the meeting, Dr. Al-Malik stressed ICESCO’s keenness to support educational institutions in the Islamic world, and highlighted its openness to cooperation to keep up with the rapid global developments, harnessing modern technologies to develop education and equiping learners with the adequate skills for tomorrow’s professions.
He also reviewed the pillars of ICESCO’s new vision and strategic orientations, particularly in the field of education and youth capacity-building, as well as the Organization’s initiatives, programs, projects and activities, implemented in cooperation with the competent parties in Member States and donor institutions and bodies.
For his part, the Principal of the Saudi Schools in Rabat commended ICESCO’s remarkable roles, expressing his desire to build cooperation between the two parties in areas of common interest, including the organization of contests and training programs.
The meeting saw the presence of Mr. Faraj AlDhafeeri, activity leader at the Saudi Schools in Rabat.
Following the meeting, Dr. Al-Malik had a discussion with the pupils of the Saudi Schools in Rabat, who visited the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO’s headquarters, and listened to their impressions about the explanations and the display of the Prophet’s seerah using the latest technologies, stressing that this exhibition is the fruition of a tripartite strategic partnership between ICESCO, the Muslim World League and the Muhammadia League of Scholars.
In a enthusiastic, joyful and optimistic graduation ceremony, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) celebrated the first cohort of the Young Professionals Program (2022-2024), at its headquarters, in Rabat, at the close of the first edition of the Program, which was supported and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Graduates from 10 of ICESCO’s Member States received their graduation certificates and shields in the high-level presence of several officials, ambassadors and representatives of international missions accredited to the Kingdom of Morocco.
The ceremony, held on Tuesday (October 29, 2024), kicked off with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the screening of a video documenting the professional journey of the graduates, who received vocational training over 24 months in ICESCO’s specialized sectors, departments and centers.
In his address, Ambassador Nazim Samadov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Morocco, said that the program has prepared specialized young professionals qualified to serve the Islamic world in various fields, which is a source of pride for ICESCO in these young people, who will contribute to the efforts geared towards developing their countries and the world at large, noting that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan was keen to meet these young people during his visit to ICESCO headquarters in November 2023.
Afterwards, Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of ICESCO, presented the Organization’s shield to Ambassador Samadov in appreciation of Azerbaijan’s support for this program and many of ICESCO’s initiatives, programs and activities at the level of the Islamic world.
In his address, the DG of ICESCO stressed that youth are the pillar of development and progress, their visions are renaissance projects, and their dreams are nations’ future given the enormous human wealth they represent today; pointing out that grasping this fact is the way to own the present and the future. “ICESCO has made great strides in this context. It is now referred to as a young Organization, with youth representing 42% of its work force,” he added. He also indicated that this program, which was meticulously organized by ICESCO and supported by the generous sponsorship of Azerbaijan, has become a successful example to be followed, with more than 100 training activities organized through the program’s period, addressing several pieces of advice to the young professionals, and concluding his address by announcing the launch of the second edition of ICESCO’s Young Professionals Program.
For her part, Kenza Abourmane, Director of Youth at the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, stressed that the program demonstrates ICESCO’s commitment to building the capacities of young people in its Member States, noting that the Ministry implements several activities and programs in cooperation with the Organization to empower youth and inspire them to be leaders of positive change.
Then, Alaa Mawla Al-Duwaila and Masrané Reoukadji Dior, members of the Young Professionals Program, delivered speeches in which they emphasized their pride in receiving professional training in ICESCO’s sectors, centers and departments, noting that the training has paved their way to professional excellence and success.
Speaking on behalf of the program team, Ms. Rana Ezzeddine, expert at the Legal Affairs and International Standards Department of ICESCO, stressed that the program provided a unique experience for the young professionals and equipped them to build a unique professional future.
At the end of the ceremony, ICESCO DG along with a number of ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to the Kingdom of Morocco presented the young professionals with the graduation certificates and honorary shields.
