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The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the fields of education, childhood development, youth capacity building, development of training on tomorrow’s professions, and artificial intelligence applications to strengthen human capital, protect the rights of children and youth, and preparing and qualifying them to face the future.

Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, the supervisor of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector at the Organization, and Ms. Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF Representative in Morocco, signed the MoU, during a ceremony organized July 15, 2021, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of several directors of Sectors and Departments and advisors at ICESCO, and some UNICEF officials.

In his speech during the ceremony, Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman stressed the importance of signing the MoU between ICESCO and UNICEF in protecting the rights of children and youth, helping them meet their needs, and upgrading their capacities to acquire the skills necessary for social and economic integration.

Ambassador Fathalrahman pointed out that ICESCO supports the countries of the Islamic world in all fields related to education, science and culture, and works to qualify women and enhance the capacities of youth through the use of artificial intelligence and strategic foresight to find adequate solutions to future challenges.

Mrs. Giovanna Barberis expressed her happiness at signing the MoU, noting that the areas of joint action of ICESCO and UNICEF will contribute to promoting the rights of children and youth in Morocco, and constitute an opportunity to share information, experiences and good practices in the fields of education, early childhood, youth, and social integration.

The MoU between ICESCO and UNICEF provides for cooperation in sharing information and knowledge on projects and programs related to education and childhood development, and the social and economic integration of youth, to benefit from the experiences and expertise of each party; cooperation in holding the Early Childhood Conference in 2022; promotion of a culture of foresight among youth to raise awareness among them about the future opportunities; launching the “Future from a Youth Perspective” campaign, and participating in organizing forums and workshops on topics of common interest.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched on Thursday, July 15, 2021, “ICESCO Network of International Digital Platforms for Culture, Arts and Heritage.” The Network is part of ICESCO’s “Paths towards the Future Program” and aims to promote cultural awareness among young people in the Islamic world through providing artistic, literary, and scientific tools. The Network also aims to build women and young people’s capacities through encouraging cultural entrepreneurship.

ICESCO launched the Network in a meeting that brought together ICESCO leaderships and experts and several young interns at the Culture and Communication Sector, who made presentations on the components of the Network. In his remarks on the presentations, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), commended the efforts that both ICESCO leaderships and interns exerted, calling on all parties to continue their work to promote heritage, arts, and literature in the Islamic world. He also stressed the importance of promoting creative cultural industries and heritage handicrafts that most adequately reflect the Islamic civilization and culture.

ICESCO DG expressed his delight at launching such a network, which embodies ICESCO’s new vision in its anticipation of the future, embrace of the protection of the Islamic civilization heritage and promotion of its role in preserving identity and promoting sustainable development.

The ICESCO Network of International Digital Platforms for Culture, Arts, and Heritage is composed of two main categories. ICESCO International Art Programs, the first category, includes ICESCO Fund for Creative Intelligence, the Digital Library, and ICESCO Center for Cinema and Pictures (ICESCO Web TV). It also includes three platforms, namely the Interactive Platform for Creative Intelligence and Cultural Industries, the Youth Interactive Platform, and the Young Creations Platform.

As for ICESCO Arts Center, the second category, it includes ICESCO Portal for Heritage in the Islamic World, the Virtual Museum, the Virtual Opera House, and the Literature House. It also includes ICESCO Museum for Contemporary Art, and ICESCO Forum Platform, an interactive platform for intellectuals, researchers and creative people across the globe.

These unique digital platforms are the result of the hard work of a host of creative and young ICESCO interns, under the supervision of ICESCO’s experts and leaderships, as part of the Organization’s strategy and plans to train and build the capacities of young people. Under the same strategy, ICESCO launched several leadership incubators to equip young people across the Islamic world with the proper future leadership skills in the fields of education, science and culture.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the European Association for Teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic Speakers in Brussels, held yesterday, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, via videoconference, a coordination meeting to explore the organization of an international conference at the headquarters of the European Parliament, next December, in celebration of World Arabic Language Day.

Dr. Majdi Haji Ibrahim, Head of ICESCO Center for Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers; Dr. Youssef Ismaili, Expert at the Center and Ms. Rajae Al Hakkouni, Program Assistant at the Center, represented ICESCO during the meeting. Ms. Samira ben Abdelouahab, President of the Association, and Dr. Fatima Houssni, President of the Association’s Scientific Committee, represented The European Association for Teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic Speakers.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed the importance of involving international organizations and major global institutions in celebrating World Arabic Language Day and touched upon the details of the Conference, due to be held in cooperation between ICESCO and the Association. The two parties also discussed the Conference title, themes, and date, along with the list of proposed participants. They agreed on holding a parallel training workshop for Arabic language teachers.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed on a set of recommendations to develop a roadmap for joint-action arrangements and assign tasks to prepare for the Conference.

In recognition of the major efforts the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) exerts in the field of inscribing and preserving heritage, providing restoration and maintenance training to heritage professionals, and raising cultural awareness, the Association Espace les Oudayas gifted on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, the key to the Grand gates of the Kasbah of the Udayas to Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), during his visit.

The DG headed the ICESCO delegation that paid a visit to the Kasbah to take stock of the restoration and development works carried out in this heritage site, one of the major historical landmarks in Rabat, Morocco.

A host of the Association officials, along with the representatives of several heritage protection institutions in Morocco received the ICESCO delegation. These included Mr. Abdelrahman Al-Badraoui, President of the Association Espace les Oudayas; Mr. Fikri Benabdellah, President of the Association Rabat Salé Mémoire; and Mr. Abdelati Lehlou, President of the Moroccan Committee of the International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

The delegation toured the Kasbah and listened to an overview about the site’s heritage and historical significance for Morocco, the development it has witnessed throughout history, and the attention it currently receives in light the Kingdom’s interest in protecting and restoring heritage.

Upon receiving the Key to the Kasbah, the DG reaffirmed that the Organization accords special attention to tangible and intangible heritage of the Islamic civilization. He noted that ICESCO’s new vision adopted an action strategy on promoting this heritage, which reflects the cultural and civilizational richness of the Islamic world as well as other world countries. Dr. AlMalik added that ICESCO created the Center of Heritage in the Islamic world and inscribed more than 300 heritage sites and cultural element on the Islamic World Heritage Lists. 

The DG stated that ICESCO is working closely with its Member States to incorporate heritage preservation in school curricula at different school levels, in a bid to establish this culture among the new generations, reaffirming the Organization’s readiness to cooperate with the competent parties in the Islamic world and other world countries featuring traces of the Islamic civilization to inscribe and preserve these sites.

ICESCO delegation during the visit to the Kasbah included Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG; Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector; Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Supervisor of the Sector of Partnerships and Cooperation; and Dr. Ahmed Said Bah; Advisor to ICESCO DG for Partnerships and Cooperation.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), recommended providing adequate and customized technical support for decision makers and officials in charge of devising and implementing education plans across the globe in order to properly achieve SDG4. He stated that ICESCO firmly supports joint strategic documents in a bid to improve international cooperation in the field of education.

Dr. AlMalik made the statement in his address at the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Education Meeting 2021, that UNESCO held, on Thursday, July 13, 2021, via videoconference. The Meeting was held under the theme, “From recovery to accelerating SDG 4 progress,” and saw the participation of several key international figures including ministers, education experts and specialists, and activists in humanitarian and educational work.

Dr. AlMalik noted that anticipating the future of education indicates that the schools we know will undoubtedly transform into digital and virtual schools. He added that this compels us to develop innovative curricula and alternative school programs and education paths to pave the way towards the digital schools of the future.

“In line with the sustainable development plan, and considering that education is a human right, ICESCO has sustained its efforts to support its Member States since the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing school closure,” Dr. AlMalik stated. He further explained that ICESCO’s efforts were geared towards ensuring the continuity of the education process and guaranteeing the right to education for all.

Dr. Al-Malik noted, ICESCO provided its Member States with the necessary technological equipment and devices to help them transition to the new learning model. He added that the Organization prepared a document on the guidelines for re-opening schools in Member States, launched many initiatives as part of “ICESCO Digital Home” to help address the issue of “educational loss,” and provided support to 25 Member States to set up education and training e-platforms.

The DG also revealed that ICESCO is currently working on some key studies relevant to AI and smart data in education.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, met Today, July 13, 2021, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, with Mr. Leslie J. Baja, Ambassador of the Philippines to Morocco. The two parties explored cooperation prospects between the Organization and the Philippines in the fields of education, technology, culture, anchoring values of coexistence and civilizational dialogue.

During the meeting, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main axes of the Organization’s vision and action strategy, which adopt an open-door policy and promote partnerships to benefit the Member States and Muslim communities around the world. The DG highlighted the potential for cooperation between the two parties to serve the Muslim communities of the Philippines.

ICESCO DG explained that since the beginning of COVID-19, the Organization has played a key role in supporting a number of its Member States in countering the negative impact of the pandemic through launching and implementing several initiatives, programs and projects in cooperation with Member States’ competent authorities.

For his part, the Ambassador of the Philippines to Morocco commended ICESCO’s significant efforts and welcomed the development of cooperation with the Organization in its areas of competence. Mr. Baja stated that Muslim Filipinos represent a significant proportion of 11% of the total population and that his country strives to overcome certain issues facing them. He also noted that there are several institutes and research centers at Filipino universities specialized in the field of Islamic Studies.

The meeting touched upon several fields of cooperation between ICESCO and the Philippines, such as contributing to deconstructing extremist discourse, participating in peace and counter-terrorism conferences, sharing Filipino expertise with the countries of the Islamic world in teaching Medical sciences, and collaborating on artificial intelligence.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy DG; Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Center of Strategic Foresight at the Organization; Dr. Ahmah Said Ould Bah, Advisor to ICESCO DG for Partnerships and International Cooperation and Ms. Monera Fatima Siriban, Philippines Vice-Consul in Rabat, attended the meeting.