Category: Front Page

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), sent a congratulatory cable to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi immediately following the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum. In his message, Dr. AlMalik expressed his great pride in this unique historic achievement, which reaffirms Egypt’s leading position in the fields of culture, civilization and human heritage.

He emphasized that the Grand Egyptian Museum is not only a source of pride for Egypt but also for the entire Islamic world and for humanity as a whole, as it embodies within its halls the depth and interconnectedness of human civilization across the Islamic world.

Dr. AlMalik noted that the museum’s magnificent design, along with its collection of rare archaeological treasures being displayed for the first time, makes it a universal beacon of civilization, especially as it is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization. He further highlighted that all its artifacts originate from the land of Egypt, with no items brought from abroad or taken unlawfully from other countries.

This, he stressed, is a source of immense pride, reflecting Egypt’s historic integrity and commitment to preserving its authentic national heritage, as well as its enduring civilizational strength and creative vitality. Dr. AlMalik added that the museum sends a clear message to the entire world that Egypt, the heart of history and the memory of humanity, continues to illuminate the path of humankind with civilization, knowledge, and beauty.

On this occasion, ICESCO, along with all its staff and personnel, extends its warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Arab Republic of Egypt and its great people on the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, this global cultural landmark that embodies the genius of the Egyptian people and the depth of the civilization Egypt has contributed to the world over millennia.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held its sixth workshop on the applications of artificial intelligence in cultural and creative industries “ICESCO Immersiv’Art” (IIA), under the theme “AI and Graphic Creation: The Case of Video Mapping.” The workshop took place at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat as part of the Organization’s efforts to explore the growing intersection between modern technology and contemporary arts and to strengthen the presence of digital creativity within the cultural landscape of Member States.

The workshop, organized on 30 October 2025, opened with an address by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture Sector, who emphasized that digital creativity has become an essential tool for cultural transformation, contributing to the development of educational methods, artistic interaction, and heritage preservation in the digital age. He stressed that ICESCO attaches great importance to creating new spaces for dialogue among artists and experts in the fields of art and technology.

During the session, Elyes Rebaï, Creative Director at Designlab and Expert in Digital Technologies, gave a presentation on the potential of artificial intelligence techniques in video mapping, an innovative visual art form that transforms architectural facades into interactive spaces. He also addressed the technical, artistic, and ethical challenges associated with integrating artificial intelligence into graphic creation. The workshop featured insightful discussions among several cultural experts, including Mr. Mohamed Amine Hammami, Ms. Manuela Nicoletti, and Ms. Zineb Bougrine, who raised key questions about the concept of creativity in the era of artificial intelligence.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the International Conference on Combating Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property, organized by the Heritage Commission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 29 to 30 October 2025 in Riyadh. The conference brought together a distinguished group of experts, officials, and representatives of regional and international organizations concerned with the protection of cultural heritage.

ICESCO was represented at the conference by Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Director of the Department of Legal Affairs and International Standards, and Dr. Asmaa Mehdioui, Expert in the same department. Dr. Mehdioui presented a research paper titled “Strategy for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property in the Islamic World,” in which she outlined the main pillars of ICESCO’s strategy to strengthen Member States’ capacities in the legal protection of heritage and the efforts of the Organization to establish an Advisory Committee for the Recovery of Cultural Property in the Islamic World.

On the sidelines of the conference, Mr. Shili held several bilateral meetings with representatives of INTERPOL, The Carabinieri Force, the UNIDROIT Institute, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Saudi Heritage Commission. The meetings discussed ways to enhance cooperation, coordinate joint efforts, and exchange expertise and best practices in the field.

This participation is part of ICESCO’s ongoing efforts to implement its Regional Project for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property, launched to implement the resolution of the 12th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World (Doha, 2023). The project aims to strengthen national legislation, support international cooperation, and build the capacities of institutions in charge of cultural heritage protection.

Rabat: 29 October 2025

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, with Dr. Ahmed Toufiq, Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat. The meeting explored avenues of cooperation across several areas of shared interest.

Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration in the study and promotion of the noble Prophetic Biography, in line with the contents of the Royal Message delivered by Minister Toufiq, which underscores the importance of highlighting the civilizational and human values derived from the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The two parties also considered the possibility of organizing an international conference on the Prophetic Biography from a civilizational perspective, with the participation of leading scholars and researchers from across the Islamic world.

The meeting further addressed the role of waqf in community development, emphasizing the need to preserve and enhance its status. Both sides commended Morocco’s pioneering experience in waqf management and investment, and agreed to foster cooperation between ICESCO and the Moroccan Ministry of Endowments in this field, in support of joint efforts to advance sustainable development in the Islamic world.

The city of Kampala, Uganda, witnessed the opening of the International Conference on “Food Systems Transformation for Climate Action,” organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) over the period spanning 28-30 October 2025. The event was held in cooperation with the Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH), through its Center for Environment and Ecosystem Restoration (CFEER), and Makerere University in Uganda. The conference aimed to develop practical pathways toward building sustainable food systems that are resilient to climate change in Africa.

During the opening session, Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor to ICESCO’s Science and Environment Sector, affirmed in his address, delivered via videoconference, the Organization’s commitment to strengthening cooperation among Member States in science, technology, and innovation. He highlighted ICESCO’s pioneering initiatives to integrate digital, space, and green technologies into agricultural transformation.

For his part, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University, emphasized the importance of sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security and enhance resilience, underscoring the critical role of science, innovation, and higher education in achieving these goals. Dr. Rosie Agoi, Secretary-General of the Ugandan National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO, explained that organizing this event falls within a national and regional orientation to build capacities, exchange expertise, and accelerate the integration of digital and green solutions into agricultural value chains.

The conference agenda includes sessions addressing global and regional perspectives on food security and climate change adaptation, in addition to discussions on digital agriculture and private-sector innovations to accelerate transformation in the agriculture and food sectors of the OIC Member States.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held the first regional training conference on Greening Education for Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries on 20–21 October 2025, in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme Learning for the Earth. The event was attended by over 30 senior officials from the Ministries of Education of Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.

In her opening address, Ms. Haddy Jatou Sey, Head of the Education Sector at ICESCO, stated that the Organization continues to advance the Greening Education agenda in collaboration with Member States and regional and international partners. She emphasized that a set of Green Education activities has been integrated into the Education Sector Action Plan 2026–2030 for implementation across ICESCO Member States.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hasan Hasanli, Deputy Minister of Science and Education in Azerbaijan, expressed his gratitude to ICESCO for supporting the Greening Education pathway, noting his ministry’s role in addressing the climate crisis within the framework of Azerbaijan 2030, which prioritizes building a clean environment and promoting green growth.

Ms. Maryam Gafar-Zada, Assistant Director of the ICESCO Baku Regional Office, highlighted that the climate crisis is a major threat to nature, the economy, and societies, necessitating the restructuring of educational approaches for future generations. She stressed that traditional lessons are no longer sufficient and that curricula must include topics on environmental protection, sustainable lifestyles, and climate adaptation skills as core components.

The Conference also featured a session chaired by Ms. Haddy Jatou Sey, with contributions from Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of the Translation and Publication Center at ICESCO; Ms. Christine Ozden, Global Director, Climate Education at the University of Cambridge; and Mr. Waqas Afridi, Expert in the Education Sector. Presentations focused on the integration of the four pillars of ICESCO’s Greening Education Framework (curricula, teachers, schools, and community engagement) into national strategic plans to respond to climate challenges in the region.

The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) hosted, on Friday, 24 October 2025, the graduation ceremony for the cohort of 2025 of the Executive Master in Counter-Terrorism Investigations Program (EMCTI).

The program is supervised by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in Morocco, in partnership with Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), with the objective of building a network of counter-terrorism specialists across Africa.

The ceremony was attended by several ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, academics, and presidents of Moroccan universities. A total of 22 students from Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Somalia completed the requirements of this specialized program, which combines investigative methodologies in terrorism cases with international human rights standards.

In his opening address, delivered on behalf of ICESCO Director-General Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Deputy Director-General Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa emphasized that preventing extremism and violence lies at the core of ICESCO’s mission. He noted that the Organization pursues an integrated approach based on promoting education, culture, science, and dialogue while addressing emerging threats stemming from the misuse of artificial intelligence, communication tools, and modern technologies to spread hatred, violence, and extremism.

The address also highlighted several key initiatives led by ICESCO in this field, notably the preparation of the Encyclopedia on Deconstructing Extremist Discourse in three volumes, developed in partnership with the Mohammadia League of Scholars in Morocco. Other initiatives include youth empowerment programs, dialogue platforms such as the Peace 360° initiative, as well as a series of conferences and capacity-building sessions across Member States, all aimed at strengthening social cohesion and safeguarding educational and cultural environments.

In his pre-recorded statement, Mr. Alexandre Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, stressed that this specialization forms part of broader efforts to reinforce counter-terrorism capabilities in Africa. He emphasized that the support provided by Morocco, China, and Portugal reflects a tangible commitment to enabling graduates to acquire advanced expertise that combines criminal investigation with respect for human rights.

Meanwhile, Mr. Amine Aboussaid, Representative of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, underscored that the growing threat of terrorism in Africa necessitates investment in human capital and the strengthening of regional cooperation.

Ms. Isabelle Valois, Ambassador of Canada to Morocco, highlighted her country’s contribution by sending 14 experts to share their expertise with participants.

For his part, the Representative of the Embassy of China in Morocco Mr. Mingming Chi called on all graduates to stay abreast of developments in this field after graduation and to contribute to enhancing institutional performance in their respective countries.