Category: Front Page

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM), which is being held from April 20 to 28, 2026, in Meknes, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, under the theme: “Sustainability of Livestock Production and Food Sovereignty.”

ICESCO was represented at the ceremony, which took place in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Organization. SIAM is indeed a flagship international event that brings together decision-makers, economic actors, and experts from the agricultural sector from around the world to explore ways to develop agriculture and promote sustainable development in rural areas.

This edition highlights initiatives to support livestock production, given its central role in transforming food systems and developing the agricultural sector, in line with the objectives of Morocco’s national “Green Generation” strategy.
The Fair’s program includes a high-level conference on the theme “Livestock Production and the Transformation of Food Systems,” as well as a series of symposia and specialized meetings aimed at exchanging knowledge and experiences and strengthening cooperation in the agricultural sector.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has published the sixth issue of its quarterly cultural magazine, overseen by the Organization’s Poetry and Literature Center. This issue features a selection of articles, interviews, and studies addressing intellectual, literary, and cultural issues in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

The issue includes a special section celebrating Rabat as World Book Capital 2026, highlighting the city’s literary movement and cultural clubs, a historical and geographical overview of Rabat, as well as an article on the presence of Moroccan books in Africa.
It also features a special interview conducted by Dr. Ahmed Abdelbaset, expert at ICESCO’s Calligraphy and Manuscript Center, with Dr. Ahmed Chaouqui Binebine, Curator of the Royal Library of Al-Hassania in Rabat, focusing on manuscript treasures and their civilizational and cultural significance.

The issue also includes an interview with Palestinian director Fathi Abdelrahman, conducted by Omani poet and journalist Abdulrazzaq Al-Rubaie, in addition to a dialogue by Dr. Mohammed Ad-Dahy with French critic Isabelle Grell on the concept of autofiction.

In the language section, Dr. Rawiya Jamous addresses the teaching of the Arabic language to Japanese learners, while Dr. Mohammed Khalifa traces ICESCO’s journey in teaching Arabic in Africa.

The issue’s themes and articles also explore the concept of ethnic purity as viewed by writer Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Waeli, the use of history and heritage in the works of Naguib Mahfouz from the perspective of Dr. Mahmoud Kahila, and the halt of poetic time in the Timbuktu desert by researcher Mohamed Al-Ansari, expert at ICESCO’s Culture Sector.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in cooperation with the Qatari National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, held a virtual training course titled: “The Art of Arabic Calligraphy: A Journey of Creativity Among Letters,” for the benefit of 20 students from Qatari public schools and a number of teachers, from 13 to 16 April 2026.

The course featured lectures delivered by Mr. Ali Hassan and Mr. Ahmedou Mohameden, experts at ICESCO’s Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts. The lectures addressed the history of Arabic calligraphy and its civilizational significance, the main challenges it faces, and ways to safeguard and preserve it. They also reviewed the most important types of Arabic calligraphy and their artistic and aesthetic characteristics.

The course also included practical training workshops dedicated to introducing the tools of Arabic calligraphy, such as pens, inks, paper, and others, in addition to practical explanations on paper treatment, ink making, and the correct use of various tools, contributing to the consolidation of theoretical knowledge and the refinement of participants’ technical skills.

Participants also received explanations of the basic principles of Arabic calligraphy and training on how to write Arabic letters in Naskh script, the rules for connecting them, and the arrangement of words and lines, in addition to the foundations of creating artistic calligraphic works.

In conclusion, participants were given guidance and advice on improving handwriting, maintaining the skills acquired during the course, and continuously developing their artistic abilities in the field of Arabic calligraphy.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched the 4th edition of its Leadership Training in Peace and Security (LTIPS) Program during an opening meeting held on Wednesday, April 16, 2026, via videoconference, with the participation of representatives from previous cohorts and newly enrolled candidates from several countries across the Islamic world and beyond.

The meeting marked the induction of 45 new Youth Ambassadors for Peace from 41 countries, a step that expands the program’s network and reinforces its standing as a key initiative aimed at preparing young people to play effective roles in promoting peace and stability. The meeting also served as an orientation and networking platform, enabling new candidates to familiarize themselves with the program’s objectives and practical pathways and to benefit from the experiences of previous cohorts.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Social and Human Sciences Sector, affirmed that the Organization continues to strengthen its commitment to empowering youth and engaging them in peace and sustainable development issues, noting that equipping young people with leadership, dialogue, and collaborative skills is a fundamental pillar in addressing current challenges.

She added that the launch of this new edition brings the total number of program network members to 227 Youth Ambassadors for Peace from 81 countries, reflecting the initiative’s growing reach and impact. She also explained that the designation of 2024 as ICESCO Youth Year forms part of a broader strategic vision that positions youth as key partners in shaping the future and fostering the values of peace and development.

For his part, Mr. Alioune Ndiaye, Head of Peace Division at ICESCO, reviewed the program’s organizational and operational aspects, including its structure, objectives, code of conduct, and operational framework, with a view to enabling candidates to understand their responsibilities as Youth Ambassadors for Peace.

The session concluded with an interactive exchange among candidates, during which they shared introductions and experiences, while representatives of the three previous cohorts presented testimonials highlighting the program’s impact in building a growing international youth network.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) published a new book titled “The Secrets of Mastery in Contemporary Moroccan Sufi Poetry: Irfani Illuminations in the Poetry of Ahmed Mufdi”, by Moroccan researcher Dr. Abdelkrim Errhioui. This publication is part of the first releases of the Program of Research Excellence in Arabic Language and Literature, supervised by the ICESCO Center of Arabic to Non-Arabic Speakers.

The book explores the experience of Moroccan poet Ahmed Mufdi, as one of the most prominent voices in contemporary Moroccan Sufi poetry, focusing on what distinguishes his texts in terms of symbolic density, semantic richness, and the ability to combine heritage with contemporaneity, as well as artistic beauty with gnostic knowledge. The author also approaches this poetry from a critical perspective that seeks to highlight its expressive specificity and the broad possibilities it offers for interpretation and for exploring the spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of poetic discourse.

This publication brings to light the notion of “mastery” in this poetic genre, not as mere linguistic skill, but as the fruit of a profound existential and epistemological experience, one in which language becomes an instrument of unveiling, poetry a space for generating meaning, and the Sufi symbolic expression a vehicle for passage from the outward expression of words to the inward depths of signification.

This work aims to contribute to enriching literary and linguistic studies and to open new horizons for thinking about contemporary Moroccan Sufi poetry as a living discourse capable of renewal and creativity.

Access the publication via the following link:
https://icesco.org/vgsj

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) recorded a distinguished presence at the fourth edition of Gitex Africa Morocco 2026, with the ICESCO delegation contributing high-level engagements addressing key issues such as cybersecurity, future labor markets, digital education, and skills development aligned with the AI-driven economy.

The exhibition featured a series of prominent activities and interventions by the ICESCO delegation, coordinated by the Organization’s Department of Digital Transformation. Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at the Science and Environment Sector at ICESCO, participated as a keynote speaker in a specialized panel discussion on cybersecurity and digital identity, alongside a select group of leading experts. In his intervention, he highlighted the critical role of secure and inclusive digital identity systems in enhancing the efficiency of public service delivery, strengthening citizen trust, and advancing digital governance across Member States.

For her part, Dr. Sally Mabrouk, Head of the Director-General’s Office and Supervisor of the Strategy and Institutional Excellence Sector, and Head of the Department of Digital Transformation, took part in a dialogue session entitled “What Does the Future of Work Mean for Africa?”. She highlighted the importance of transforming African education systems into advanced, data-driven digital platforms aligned with future labor markets. She also emphasized how AI-powered learning can play an effective role in reskilling the workforce and preparing it for the jobs of the future.

Dr. Adel Smeda, Supervisor of the Science and Environment Sector, also contributed scientific insights during a panel discussion on work and upskilling for the AI economy, stressing the urgent need for a qualitative shift in education systems, moving away from rigid traditional curricula toward flexible, skills-based frameworks.

It is worth noting that the international exhibition was held in the city of Marrakech under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, from 7 to 9 April 2026, under the theme “Catalyzing Africa’s Digital Economy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”