The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Ministry of Culture on the occasion of its selection to host the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – Mondiacult 2029.
On this occasion, ICESCO Director-General Dr. Salim M. AlMalik stated that the Kingdom’s hosting of this global event reflects its leading position on the international cultural scene and its prominent role in promoting culture as a key pillar for achieving sustainable development. He further affirmed that this selection reflects the significant attention Saudi Arabia, under the guidance of its wise leadership, dedicates to culture as a bridge for communication and dialogue among peoples.
Dr. AlMalik also praised the immense and outstanding efforts of Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Culture, and the Ministry.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the third High-Level Ministerial Dialogue for Culture-Based Climate Action, held in Barcelona on Sunday, 28 September 2025, on the eve of the World Conference on Cultural Policies Mondiacult, organized there by UNESCO.
This dialogue, convened at the invitation of the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, as the host of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) scheduled for November 2025, reaffirmed the growing momentum for integrating culture at the heart of international sustainable development agendas. The event brought together ministers of culture, policymakers, and international cultural leaders to discuss the role of culture as a catalyst for climate action and sustainability. It also adopted the Barcelona Declaration, considered a significant collective commitment to strengthening the role of culture in addressing the global climate crisis.
ICESCO was represented at this event by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture Sector, and Ms. Somia Djacta, Head of the ICESCO Delegation to UNESCO, who emphasized the Organization’s commitment to supporting cultural approaches that enhance resilience to climate change, in line with its strategic vision of promoting peace, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable development in its Member States.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the International Experts Forum, held on 26–27 September 2025 under the theme: “The Great Heritage of the Past is the Basis for an Enlightened Future”, at the headquarters of the Center for Islamic Civilization in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, under the patronage of H.E. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
ICESCO was represented at the Forum by Dr. Ahmed Abdel Basset, Expert at the Organization’s Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts, who conveyed in his speech the greetings of ICESCO Director-General, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, to all the staff of the Center for Islamic Civilization and the participants in the Forum. He also highlighted the strong relations between ICESCO and the Republic of Uzbekistan, noting that last May the Uzbek city of Samarkand was announced as the Islamic World Culture Capital for 2025.
Dr. Abdel Basset further spoke about the nature of cooperation between ICESCO and the Center for Islamic Civilization, pointing out that a large space on the Center’s second floor has been designated for the inauguration of ICESCO’s Manuscripts Center, from which numerous scientific and cultural activities will be launched in conjunction with the official opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization.
The Forum served as a prelude to the official opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization next year. It provided an opportunity for more than 200 scholars, researchers, and experts from 20 countries to discover the Center’s exhibitions, sections, and collections, in addition to discussing its mission and scope of work aimed at conveying the human essence of Islam to the international community.
It should be noted that on 25 May 2025, ICESCO Director-General visited the new headquarters of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, where he met with Mr. Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Center, to discuss the arrangements for inaugurating the ICESCO Manuscripts Center, which will be hosted within the Center for Islamic Civilization.
Following its stops in Benin, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, the “ICESCO–Hamdan Bin Bin Rashid International Caravan for Arabic in non-Arabic-speaking countries of West Africa” concluded its activities at its fourth and final stop in the city of Touba, Republic of Senegal. The program took place from 21 to 25 September 2025 at Sheikh Ahmadou Khadim University, one of the largest universities in Senegal.
In Senegal, the Caravan focused on building the capacities of a select group of professors specialized in teaching Arabic as a foreign language in Touba’s institutions, through interactive workshops on innovative and modern teaching methodologies. The program also identified existing challenges and explored solutions in light of the findings of the Senegal section of the “Global Report on the State of Teaching Arabic as a Second Language”, issued by ICESCO in cooperation with the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.
The Caravan concluded with a closing ceremony, which featured speeches by Dr Abdoul Ahad Lo, Representative of the Rector of Cheikh Ahmadou Khadim University and Dean of the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies; Dr. Cheikh Makhtar Lo, Inspector of Arabic Education and Representative of the Senegalese Ministry of National Education; and Dr. Adham Hamawiya, Expert at ICESCO’s Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers. The Ceremony also included the presentation of the final report, which outlined recommendations such as developing and functionally designing Arabic curricula, establishing associations for Arabic teachers, organizing training programs, forging partnerships in the field, and signing a Memorandum of Understanding between ICESCO and Sheikh Ahmadou Khadim University to strengthen prospects for future cooperation.
It is noteworthy that the implementation of the program in this phase was supervised by Dr. Adham Hamawiya, Expert at ICESCO’s Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, alongside local expert Dr. Same Bousso Abdou Rahmane, Head of Cooperation with Arab Countries at the Presidency of Sheikh Ahmadou Khadim University.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the opening ceremony of the 46th Autumn Session of the Asilah International Cultural Festival, held on Friday 26 September 2025, at the Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Library in Asilah, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him.
ICESCO was represented at this cultural event by Dr. Ahmed Al-Banyan, Director of the Center of Translation and Publishing, and Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW). Their attendance reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to contributing to major intellectual and cultural events that foster dialogue and knowledge exchange.
The opening ceremony began with a symposium entitled “Mohammed Ben Aissa… Statesman and Icon of Culture”, honoring the memory of the late Moroccan cultural figure, minister, and founder of the Forum, Mohammed Ben Aissa. The session was attended by a distinguished gathering of official, cultural, and intellectual personalities.
The Asilah International Cultural Festival, one of the most prominent cultural gatherings in the region, continues its rich program of symposia and activities, consolidating its role as a platform for cultural and creative exchange among the Arab, Islamic, African, and international spheres.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on Thursday, 25 September 2025, received the Egyptian artist Mohamed Sarwat at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat. The meeting explored opportunities for producing meaningful artistic and cultural works in the near future.
Dr. AlMalik highlighted ICESCO’s commitment to supporting culture and arts and safeguarding Arab and Islamic heritage, with a particular emphasis on poetry. He also reviewed the Organization’s key initiatives in this area, including the “Cities of Poetry” Competition, the World Poetry Day celebration, and various activities designed to preserve poetry’s place in the cultural memory of the Islamic world.
Moreover, the two parties considered organizing a seminar on the role of art in promoting Islamic values among youth and families, aimed at reinforcing the positive image of arts. They also reached a preliminary agreement to collaborate on the production of sung poems composed by Dr. AlMalik in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), to be performed by Mohamed Sarwat.
At the close of the meeting, Mohamed Sarwat expressed his delight at visiting ICESCO and affirmed his willingness to contribute to the Organization’s cultural and artistic initiatives, particularly those targeting young people. He commended ICESCO’s efforts in preserving identity and promoting the values of peace and dialogue. The visit concluded with a tour of the Organization’s facilities and projects, as well as the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography, housed at ICESCO headquarters.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Fabio Chinda, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Kingdom of Morocco, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat on Thursday, 25 September 2025. The meeting aimed to coordinate the arrangements for the upcoming visit of an ICESCO delegation, headed by Dr. AlMalik, to Thailand in October.
The two parties discussed the main highlights of the visit, including Dr. AlMalik’s keynote address as Guest of Honor at the 3rd International Conference on the Arabic Language of International Islamic College Bangkok, in addition to holding a series of meetings with several ministers and prominent religious leaders in the Kingdom.
Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed the Organization’s keenness to strengthen cooperation and build fruitful partnerships with its Observer Member States, in a way that allows the exchange of expertise across various fields, foremost among them heritage protection, scientific research development, fostering a culture of knowledge, and advancing the educational system both within and beyond the Islamic world.
For his part, Ambassador Chinda emphasized that Thailand will work to ensure the success of ICESCO’s visit and to lay solid foundations for partnership and cooperation between the Organization and the Kingdom, with the aim of developing programs and projects in educational fields, youth capacity-building, and the promotion of peace.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Hani Al Balawi, Expert at the Organization’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Zakari, President of the Arab Open University in the Arab world (AOU), on Thursday, 25 September 2025, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat. The meeting discussed ICESCO’s support for the AOU’s efforts to establish a new branch in the Kingdom of Morocco.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with universities and supporting them as beacons of knowledge in the Islamic world. He highlighted the Organization’s distinguished scientific and research partnerships with leading academic institutions and the establishment of research chairs in several universities across Member States and beyond. Dr. AlMalik also stressed ICESCO’s support for initiatives aimed at advancing universities in the Islamic world, whether academically, through research, or geographically, by launching new branches in Member States.
For his part, Dr. Al-Zakari commended ICESCO’s efforts in supporting educational and academic institutions in the Islamic world and expressed his aspiration to build bilateral cooperation with the Organization, particularly in support of AOU’s plan to open a new branch in Morocco.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the ICESCO Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), and Dr. Abdullah Al Mulhim, Expert at ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.
It is worth noting that the idea of establishing a non-profit Open University in the Arab world was initiated by HRH Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz, may God rest his soul. In 1996, HRH Prince Talal officially announced the concept of establishing the Arab Open University as a non-conventional academic institution and as a foundation which contributes to steering development in scientific, social, and cultural spheres. This initiative developed in 2002 into a full-fledged Arab Open University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and nine other Arab countries, in strategic partnership with the Open University in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane, former Prime Minister of Morocco, during his visit to the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat on Thursday, 25 September 2025. Dr. AlMalik began the meeting, which was also attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, and a number of other ICESCO leaders, by reviewing ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and highlighting the programs and initiatives it implements in its Member States.
The ICESCO Director-General reviewed the most significant transformations undergone by the Organization and its structure over the past five years, including the modification of the Organization’s name to disambiguate the nature of its competencies and highlight its openness to various parties with the aim of serving the countries of the Islamic world and beyond, as well as the creation of several new sectors and centers specializing in media and communication, strategy and institutional excellence, civilizational dialogue, the Arabic language, calligraphy and manuscripts, poetry and literature, foresight, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. AlMalik also stated that relations with Morocco, the seat country, have developed remarkably over the past few years. ICESCO has implemented some 370 activities in cooperation with the Moroccan authorities, a number of which have enjoyed the royal patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah protect him. These include hosting the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, which was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay Hassan of Morocco and has attracted around nine million visitors to date.
For his part, Mr. Benkirane praised the Organization’s recent developments, noting that visiting its headquarters and seeing these developments was like rediscovering ICESCO and its pioneering role.
Dr. AlMalik then took Mr. Benkirane on a tour of the Organization’s departments and specialized centers, as well as the Exhibition and the International Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah.
As part of the celebration of International Literacy Day, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Moroccan Manahile Games, held an international symposium titled: “Learning by Playing: Board Games as Tools for Education, Spiritual and Socio-Cultural Preservation.” The Symposium featured high-level participation from senior officials, education experts, and representatives of relevant international organizations, as well as 150 students who interacted with a special presentation of a board game designed to educate about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The Symposium, held on Wednesday, 24 September 2025, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, aimed to highlight the educational and cultural value of games as tools for learning and to demonstrate their educational benefits in the areas of literacy and critical thinking. It also aimed to promote dialogue between teachers, cultural experts, and game designers on integrating games into educational contexts and to provide students with practical experience within the framework of learning through playing games.
The opening session of the Symposium began with a speech by Dr. Salim Al-Malik, ICESCO’s Director-General, delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of ICESCO’s Centre for Civilizational Dialogue. In his speech, Dr. Al-Malik affirmed ICESCO’s belief in the pivotal role of educational games in learning. He stressed the need to invest in the research and development of such games, integrate game-based learning in school curricula, and forge partnerships with innovators and game developers. He also emphasized the importance of empowering young people to produce games and to enhance their knowledge and innovation.
Then, Mr. Waqas Afridi, education expert at ICESCO, presented ICESCO’s strategic vision for education, highlighting its promotion of games as an educational tool for knowledge acquisition.
Dr. Amin El-Majhad, educational game designer and president of Manahile Games, reviewed an international analysis of 27 studies that confirmed the role of educational games in improving children’s knowledge and cognitive functions, enhancing their motivation, and developing their social relationships.
This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ms. Haddy Jatou Sey, Head of the Education Sector at ICESCO, which addressed the challenges and opportunities offered by digital and non-digital educational games and the integration of game-based learning in schools. Ms. Sey emphasized the collective responsibility to reimagine educational models in order to enhance the quality and inclusiveness of education.
The session was attended by prominent representatives from the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Primary Education and Sports, the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the Hassan II Mosque Foundation, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the British Council, who emphasized the importance of international partnerships to support educational transformation through alternative methods toward quality learning.
The Symposium also included an interactive workshop in which 150 students participated, featuring a live presentation of an educational board game about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
