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The Culture and Communication Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a training workshop titled: “Artificial Intelligence to Cultural and Creative Industries,” as part of a series of lectures and workshops initiated by the Organization on leadership in cultural policies, in partnership with national commissions of Member States.

During the Workshop, held on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, via video conference, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, highlighted that this workshop, coinciding with the celebration of International Music Day, helps to establish a bridge of communication between Generation Z, Generation Alpha, and ICESCO. He emphasized the role of music in connecting languages, cultures, and generations across different countries.

Following his remarks, the Workshop commenced under the moderation of Ms. Zineb Bougrine, from ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector. She stressed the decisive role of youth in transforming the cultural sector, noting that Generation Z is reshaping cultural practices through their mastery of modern digital and technological tools.

In her presentation, Dr. Asma Abbas, a professor of political science and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Al Akhawayn University, emphasized the role of art in expressing values of freedom and justice. She pointed out that technology, throughout the ages, has compensated for human weaknesses and complemented human abilities.

Dr. Amine Hamami, an external expert at ICESCO in the field of digital creativity and digital culture, gave a presentation on immersive art, providing definitions of augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, and 360-degree video.

Following his presentation, the floor was opened for discussion, where participants posed their questions and inquiries to Dr. Hamami. The Discussion touched upon the specific characteristics of Generation Z and Generation Alpha and their relationship with technology.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has won the Arab Council for Youth Award in its second track “Enablers,” during its inaugural edition. This event was organized by the Arab Youth Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Arab Voluntary Union of the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the patronage of the League of Arab States.

The award was received by Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Social and Human Sciences Sector at ICESCO, during a ceremony held on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, in the Bahraini capital, Manama. The event was attended by several prominent figures and officials involved in volunteer work.

ICESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector was awarded this prestigious prize in recognition of its project addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting innovation and entrepreneurship for women and youth in 10 African countries. This project, carried out in partnership with Alwaleed Philanthropies, aimed to counter the negative effects of the pandemic as part of ICESCO’s efforts to empower youth across various sectors in the Islamic world.

The Arab Council for Youth awards, with a total value of USD160,000, aim to highlight youth initiatives and projects that offer creative solutions to youth challenges and social obstacles. The awards also aim to promote a culture of youth empowerment in public and private sectors as well as in civil society organizations. Furthermore, they celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to youth in various fields.

The ceremony also honored four youth-driven projects aligned with 21st-century skills and the principles of sustainable development. Additionally, influential figures who have made valuable contributions to youth in various fields were recognized under the track of “Inspirers”.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) launched the Project, “Smarter Agriculture: A Brighter Future”, in collaboration with the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU). The Project aims to support farmers, students and researchers in the agricultural sector in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, through training on the use of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics to improve traditional agricultural practices.

Dr. Adel Smeda, Expert at the Science and Environment Sector, represented ICESCO at the Projcet launch in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 26-27 September 2024. In his address, the ICESCO official stressed that the project aims to develop a strategic plan for the two organizations’ respective Member States to adopt smart agriculture technologies and promote knowledge transfer to local farmers. He further explained that the Project will kick start with a workshop on the role of IoT and data analytics in agriculture, followed by practical training for a number of participants from the target countries.

For his part, Dr. Primkul Ibragimov, KazNARU President, emphasized the importance of smart agriculture in building a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future. Likewise, Mr. Bakbergen Koishibayev, First Secretary of the Kazakh National Commission, highlighted the role of emerging technologies in enhancing productivity and food security for the Islamic world.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the 15th session of the international conference titled “The Ideals and Values of Islam: Preserving Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values in the Family, and Promoting Dialogue, Peace, and Harmony Among Religions and Ethnicities.” The Conference was organized by the Central Religious Administration of Muslims of Russia and the Russian Islamic University in Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russian Federation, on 25 – 26 September 2024. The Event was held in collaboration with several institutions and brought together a host of distinguished officials, educational researchers from Russia and the Islamic world, as well as Muslim and Christian religious leaders from various regions of Russia.

ICESCO was represented at the Conference by Mr. Adel Bouraoui, Advisor to the Director-General responsible for ICESCO’s external bodies related to the Arabic language. In his opening remarks, Mr. Bouraoui presented ICESCO’s vision, which places great emphasis on issues of social peace, family cohesion, and education on dialogue and coexistence. He highlighted the Organization’s call for enhancing the roles of both family and school in instilling values in younger generations and youth.

Mr. Bouraoui also outlined several of ICESCO’s new initiatives relevant to the theme of the Conference. These include the launch of its initiative to develop the concept of “civilizational diplomacy,” the establishment of the “ICESCO Chair for the Arabic Language in Service of Dialogue and Coexistence” at the Russian Islamic University in Ufa, and the release, in collaboration with the Mohammedia League of Ulema in Morocco, of the second and third volumes of the Encyclopedia for Dismantling Extremist Discourse.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has launched a series of lectures and training workshops for the benefit of its Member States, focusing on leadership in cultural policies. These initiatives are based on studies and research conducted by the Organization in areas such as the digital cultural economy, the purple economy, creative technologies, cultural rights and cultural indicators, as well as ICESCO’s indices for assessing cultural policies in its Member States.

The Series, set to run over a period of one and a half years, will feature one lecture or workshop each month, beginning today, Wednesday 25 September 2024, with the first training workshop held via video conference. The Session was chaired by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, and facilitated by Dr. Youma Fall, Minister-Counsellor to the Senegalese Presidency, along with Prof. Dr. Rim Jallouli, external expert with the Organization, specializing in cultural policies. Approximately 40 experts from ICESCO Member States participated in the session.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Zinelabidine outlined ICESCO’s new strategy for cultural policies in the Islamic world, emphasizing its importance in contributing to sustainable development efforts. He also highlighted the ICESCO indices related to cultural policies in Member States, and stressed the need for relevant authorities to adopt and implement these indices.

Following this, Dr. Rim Jallouli delivered a lecture focusing on the importance of cultural indicators and the goals of the Organization’s cultural strategy. She emphasized the need to collect and align the cultural needs and objectives of Member States, while tailoring the indicators to meet these needs and assist countries in formulating their cultural policies.

For her part, Dr. Fall underscored the significance of digitalization as a tool to support cultural development efforts by providing the data essential for shaping national cultural policies. She highlighted the necessity of training professionals in the cultural sector and raising their awareness about the importance of digitalization, commending ICESCO’s efforts in supporting cultural policy development.

The Workshop also featured rich discussions and contributions from ICESCO experts and specialists from Member States, addressing the importance of cultural indicators in sustainable development and their role in shaping national cultural policies.

On 2 – 3 October 2024, Muscat, Oman will host the 3rd ICESCO Education Ministers Conference, under the theme: “Beyond Transforming Education Summit: from Commitments to Actions.” The Event is held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in collaboration with Oman’s Ministry of Education and in coordination with the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science. The Conference will see the attendance of education ministers from Islamic countries, along with high-level delegations from 27 regional and international organizations, as well as civil society institutions focused on educational matters.

The Conference aims to strengthen the commitment to transforming education within ICESCO Member States, and to establish effective mechanisms for disseminating best practices and accelerating their implementation.

Additionally, it seeks to foster cooperation among Member States, build a network linking funding and donor bodies, develop mechanisms to monitor the outcomes of the Education Transformation Summit, and create programs that support Member States’ efforts in this field. The Conference will also highlight the ethical and value-based foundations underpinning education transformation in the Islamic world’s civilizational heritage.

The Conference will feature a scientific exhibition, with participation from leading global organizations and companies in the field of education, including NewGlobe, Avantis, Classera, Alef Education, and the Educational Testing Service (ETS). It will also involve academic partnerships with the International Baccalaureate Organization and the University of Cambridge.

Academic sessions will also be held during the Conference, addressing key educational topics such as: perspectives on global education, multilateral partnerships for transforming education, artificial intelligence in education, green education, and education during crises and emergencies. Several executive reports and technical documents will also be reviewed and adopted.

The Reports to be discussed include: ICESCO’s educational activities from January 2021 to July 2024, the current state of girls’ education, media literacy, outcomes of the High-Level Ministerial Meeting in London, early childhood education and care development, and ICESCO’s Charter on AI Ethics. Moreover, the technical documents to be presented include: progress on transforming education from commitments to implementation (2022-2024), green education in Member States, improving teaching quality, and adapting the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and digital education.

The Conference will conclude with the adoption of the “Muscat Declaration on Transforming Education in the Islamic World” and the announcement of the date and location for the next edition of the Conference.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), took part in the 20th International Islamic Forum, organized by the International Islamic Forum, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, and Russia Mufties Council. The Forum is being held from September 20 to 22, 2024, in the Russian capital, Moscow, under the theme: “The Path to Peace: Dialogue as a Foundation of Harmonious Coexistence.”

During the Conference, Dr. Benarafa delivered ICESCO’s address, in which he highlighted the Organization’s perspectives. The event brought together heads and representatives of international religious institutions, prominent scholars from research and educational institutions, and representatives of governmental bodies and social organizations from Islamic countries and traditional world religions.

As part of the Forum’s activities, ICESCO Deputy Director-General attended the opening ceremony of the “Quran of Uthman” and “Crimean Charters” exhibitions.

This year, the International Islamic Forum is being organized to mark the 1,200th anniversary of the birth of Imam al-Tirmidhi, the 200th anniversary of the historic Moscow Mosque, the 165th anniversary of the birth of Mufti Rizaeddin Fakhreddin, the 120th anniversary of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, the 30th anniversary of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, and the Moscow Islamic Institute, as well as the Year of the Muslim Family in Russia.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) seizes the occasion of the International Day of Peace, celebrated every year on September 21st, to call upon the international community to exert more coordinated efforts to guide, cultivate and promote the culture of peace for more resilient and prosperous societies in the face of the growing challenges to peace and security and the environmental, economic and social crises affecting a number of countries around the world.

On this day, celebrated this year under the theme “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”, ICESCO calls for complying with the humanitarian standards and principles during wars and conflicts to better protect vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities, and to provide to them all forms of material and moral support.

ICESCO reaffirms its commitment to cultivating the values of peace, tolerance and civilizational dialogue through ICESCO’s “Peace 360°” approach, which integrates all development-related factors to formulate a comprehensive approach to peace building through the implementation of various programs that mobilize policy makers, inspirational leaders, women and youth from civil society, based on a multidisciplinary approach that focuses on cultural, economic, psychological, social, educational and religious dimensions, and the integration of artificial intelligence and modern technologies.

In an effort to build healthy and resilient societies, ICESCO is committed to continue its efforts in the field of peace and security and renews its willingness to work with all to build strong partnerships in defense of peace and stability through synergy and coordination of efforts in this regard.