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Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), took part in the International Scientific Symposium, themed “Andalusia: Traces and Readings,” organized by the Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities and the University of Kairouan, at the Roman archaeological site, in Sbeitla, Tunisia. On Monday, April 29, 2024, Dr. Benarafa delivered ICESCO’s keynote speech during the opening session and presided over the first scientific session.

Dr. Benarafa delivered a lecture on Tuesday, the second and final day of the Symposium, titled “The Andalusian Model and the Civilizational Revival Project,” which tackles the importance of drawing inspiration from the Andalusian model to formulate a project for civilizational revival and peaceful coexistence, by investing in the historical civilizational aspects in architecture, thought, literature, arts, social relations, linguistics, and Islamic sciences.

The lecture also highlighted Andalusia’s pivotal role in human history, pointing out that the Islamic civilization was founded on the principle of civilizational communication internally and externally. This principle was reinforced by the Hajj routes and other civilizational routes, including the Andalusian routes by land and sea, and peoples’ efforts to maintain them. The lecture concludes that evoking these routes is necessary for the future of humanity, serving as a reminder of their role in peace-building and knowledge dissemination by facilitating the sharing of ideas and the transit of persons and goods.

The scientific event, which aims to ramp up interest in Andalusia and its Islamic civilization, saw the participation of prominent researchers from several countries, who presented their scientific papers in three areas, namely the Andalusians’ creativity in architecture, agriculture, traditional industries and foods, arts, sciences, music, Al Muwashahat poems, and literature, as well as the presence of Andalusian culture and heritage in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in Rabat, hosted, on Monday, April 29, 2024, a cultural lecture themed “Cultural Scene of Women in Yemeni Civilization,” organized by ICESCO in cooperation with the Yemen Embassy in Rabat and the Group of Spouses of Arab Ambassadors and Heads of International Organizations accredited to the Kingdom of Morocco. Dr. Amida Sholan, Professor of Archaeology and Ancient Arabic Scripts at Sana’a University delivered a lecture on women’s contributions to shaping the cultural, intellectual, and civilizational scene throughout Yemen’s history.
The Lecture witnessed high-level participation of ambassadors, experts and public figures.

The opening session initiated with the address of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, delivered on his behalf by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO Culture and Communication Sector, which asserted the historical, cultural, and civilizational richness of Yemen and the distinguished role of women throughout eras, not only in governance and ruling but also in shaping the Yemeni cultural, intellectual, and civilizational landscape.

Dr. AlMalik reiterated ICESCO’s pride in women and their role, noting the Organization’s championing of the rights of women in the fields of education, science, and culture. This commitment is reflected in numerous programs and initiatives implemented in collaboration with Member States, including ICESCO’s supervision of the “Girl Dropout Reintegration Project,” which benefited 21,500 girls in Yemen, funded by Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief).

For her part, Ms. Rania Shobaki, Chairwoman of the Group, exhibited Dr. Amida Sholan’s distinguished academic career and commended ICESCO’s efforts and hosting of this cultural event as part of the ongoing cooperation and joint event between the two sides to strengthen the presence of women amid growing challenges.

In his speech, H.E. Dr. Ezzedine Al-Asbahi, Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to the Kingdom of Morocco, said that Yemen cannot be independent and a pioneer unless its women are empowered. He stressed that Yemen is going through critical moments, but its unwavering pillar remains women, creators of stability and peace, who have played a leading role in Yemen’s progress throughout history.

During the Lecture, moderated by H.E. Dr. Ezzedine, Dr. Amida Sholan reviewed the outstanding presence of Yemeni women in their society through various archaeological inscriptions. Dr. Amida highlighted the high status of women, which reflected the high status of social and economic life in Yemen at that era, and demonstrated the empowerment of women and their freedom to manage their property.

The cultural lecture was followed by a discussion session in which Dr. Amida Sholan answered several questions from the audience, which further enriched the discussion.

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.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called for giving proper attention to Sufi or mystical poetry, considering it a stream of Arabic poetry, in the same vein as Madeeh (eulogy of the Prophet Muhammad), noting that despite its importance in the lives of Muslims throughout history, it has not received the attention it deserves in the books of Arab literary history and public education.

This came in a scientific paper titled “Sufi Poetry as a Translator of Divine Knowledge,” presented by Dr. Benarafa on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the scientific seminar of the World Poetry Festival program at the Faculty of Arabic Language affiliated with Al-Qadi Ayyad University in Marrakech. The festival is organized by the House of Poetry in Morocco, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, ICESCO, and the Marrakech City Council, as part of the celebration of the Ochre City as the capital of culture in the Islamic world for 2024, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

After reviewing the major historical milestones of Madeeh poetry, Dr. Benarafa drew a clear distinction between Madeeh and Sufi poetry, emphasizing the characteristics of the latter and its prominent figures. He also indicated that Sufi poetry is an expression of States, Stations, Openings, Tastings, stages of spiritual education, and wayfaring. It may ascend and transcend, under the guidance of the realized ones among the Knowers (of Allah), until it becomes a purely mystical poetry, gravitating around the stages of true knowledge, and the levels of existence.

The World Poetry Festival, held over three days under the theme “Marrakech: The Renewed Poem”, features broad participation of poets from Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Türkiye, Bahrain, Senegal, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Mauritania, Yemen, Mali, Djibouti, and Morocco.

The festival’s agenda includes two scientific seminars, as well as a number of cultural, artistic, and educational activities at historical sites in Marrakech, in addition to the launching of two poetry competitions for students.

Responding to an invitation from the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB Group), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), headed a delegation from the Organization during the proceedings of the annual meetings of the IsDB Group for 2024, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The meetings commenced today, Saturday April 27, 2024, and will continue until the 30th, coinciding with the golden jubilee celebration of the IsDB, marking 50 years since its establishment.

This year’s meetings are held under the theme: “Cherishing our Past, Charting our Future: Originality, Solidarity, and Prosperity,” with the high-level attendance of ministers of economy, planning, and finance from the Bank’s Member States, as well as representatives of various financial institutions, Islamic banks, the private sector, development agencies, and international and regional organizations.

ICESCO’s participation in these meetings comes within the framework of the strong and robust partnership it shares with the IsDB Group, and its commitment to deepening this effective partnership in service of its Member States, in areas of mutual expertise, and in support of developmental programs in the Islamic world, engaging its youth in development and equipping them with the necessary future leadership skills in the fields of education, science, and culture.

The annual meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group aim to provide a global platform for decision-makers to discuss the most pressing economic challenges facing Islamic countries, and to explore current and future opportunities to advance social and economic development in these countries, through organizing a series of seminars, sessions, and meetings focusing on social and economic development, as well as regional and international cooperation.

The delegation from ICESCO participating in this year’s meetings includes Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Dinara Guliyeva, an expert in the sector.

The training session, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, in collaboration with the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) affiliated with ICESCO, was launched as part of a program to enhance educational and digital skills for faculty members in universities and higher education institutions. The Program aims to train 600 professor-researchers from 12 Moroccan universities in the use of digital tools and open educational resources in teaching.

During the launch ceremony at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat on Thursday, April 25, 2024, Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the Director-General for FUIW, emphasized that this Program provides a valuable opportunity for new professors and researchers to acquire digital educational skills and be equipped with innovative educational tools aimed at enhancing the quality of higher education.

The Program’s launch comes in implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed by ICESCO and the Ministry last February. Beneficiaries will undergo four full-year training courses covering five key areas: educational sciences and university teaching methods, digital teaching methods, e-learning, teaching on remote learning management platforms, media coverage basics for studio production, open education and open educational resources (OER), copyright and open license, and professional ethics and scientific integrity.

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.