As part of his official visit to the
Republic of Senegal, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), made a special
visit to Dr. Ahmed Mukhtar Ambu, former director-general of UNESCO, at
his housein Dakar, in recognition of his great services to the Islamic
world during and after his mandate at UNESCO.
During this meeting, Dr. AlMalik
reviewed the new vision and future action strategy of ISESCO, and asked Dr.
Ambu to express his opinions and make proposals so as to support this vision.
Dr. Ambu highly commended this vision given his experience at UNESCO, and made
some proposals for ISESCO’s action in Africa.
The meeting was attended from ISESCO
by Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Director of External Relations and Cooperation, and Ms.
Rahmata Almamy Mbaye, Director of Human and Social Sciences.
It is worth mentioning that Dr. Ambu had
served in many positions in the sector of education in Senegal before he was
appointed as Minister of Education and Culture in 1957. He then headed many
ministries until 1970. He was elected at
UNESCO Executive Council in 1966, and was appointed as assistant director-general
in 1970, and as UNESCO director-general in 1974. He was reelected for a second
mandate in 1980 and remained in office until 1987.
As part of the celebration of the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) on the occasion of
the World Arabic Language Day, held today at its headquarters under the theme
“Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence” in cooperation with the Saudi
Cultural Attaché in Rabat, the Association of Institutions of Teaching Arabic
Language to Non-Arabic Speakers, and the Moroccan Association of Arabic Calligraphy,
a symposium was held under the theme “Teaching Arabic Language in Digital School”.
The symposium was moderated by Dr. Abdullah
Al-Obeid, President of the Association of Institutions of Teaching Arabic Language
to Non-Arabic Speakers. It mainly discussed the relationship of Arabic language
with modern digital applications and programs and their importance in teaching
and learning Arabic.
At the outset, Dr. Mohamed El Hannach,
Teacher of General Linguistics and Arabic language at Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah
University in Fes, President of the International Agency of NLP (IA4NLP) of the
Kingdom of Morocco, made a presentation entitled “Arabic language and digital
applications: teaching platforms” wherein he tackled the digital educational
resources in Arabic language for non-Arabic speakers for keeping up with future
developments, as well as the digitalization of teaching platforms and its
benefits and drawbacks within the technological development.
Afterwards, Dr. Tarek Makhlouf,
Director of Granada Editions based in Paris, made a presentation on “the
Institution and its educational models for enhancing students’ level”. Then the
audience listened to another presentation by Mr. Reda al-Rejibi, Director of Teaching
Division at Granada Editions, on the platform of teaching Arabic language
‘Anas Digital’.
Dr. Hicham bin Saleh al-Qadi, representative
of Arabic Linguistics Institute, Assistant Teacher of Applied Linguistics at
King Saud University in Riyadh, tackled the issue of Artificial Intelligence in
his presentation on the role of AI in teaching languages in general and Arabic
language in particular.
The floor was then given to Dr. Ahmed Alaoui Abdelaoui, staff
member of the Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences of Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah
University in Fes, to make his presentation on the role of the inclusive
language in ensuring the cultural security of Arab countries. He also stressed
the importance of language as a tool for unifying society given its communication,
cultural, knowledge, historical and civilization roles that keep society coherent
and harmonious. Besides, he raised the problematic of multilingualism in the
Arab world, and stressed the need to rationalize each language in its natural
environment within the linguistic system of the Arab world.
On her part, Dr. Hakima Shami, Director of the Centre of
Documentation and Cultural Activities at the Regional Delegation of Islamic
Affairs in Casablanca, made a presentation on “Arabic calligraphy and the
Moroccan specificity”. She highlighted the emergence of Arabic calligraphy in
Morocco, the beginning of Moroccan calligraphy, and the most famous types of
Moroccan calligraphy. She concluded her presentation by reminding that “Arabic
calligraphy and the Moroccan specificity is a call for reconciling with our
mother tongue. It is a problematic of communication between the past and the
present behaviors in line with the modern era’s requirements.
At the close of the symposium, the floor was given to the
audience, who made fruitful interventions and raised many questions.
**The Organization works with the Islamic
Development Bank (IsDB) and ALECSO to draft a reference framework for teaching
Arabic
**It is crucial to benefit from
information technology to facilitate teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers
The Director General of the Islamic
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Dr. Salim M.
AlMalik, reaffirmed that promoting Arabic in its educational, scientific, and
media dimensions is a shared responsibility, which we must all shoulder, each
from his/her position.
In his address at the opening of ISESCO’s
celebration of World Arabic Language Day, which kicked off today at the
Organization’s headquarters, under the theme: “Arabic and Artificial
Intelligence”, Dr. AlMalik stated that, as part of its new vision, ISESCO
directs attention toward renewing the curricula, methods and tools of teaching
Arabic to non-Arabic speakers. This attention stems from the Organization’s conviction
in the need to benefit from the tremendous opportunities ICT provides with
regard to facilitating teaching and learning Arabic in different cultural
environments.
In addition, the Director General revealed
that ISESCO is currently working with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and
the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) to
lay the methodological foundations and draft a comprehensive plan for devising
a joint reference framework for teaching and learning Arabic, which is hoped to
be completed in the upcoming two years. This major civilizational initiative is
expected to fill in a methodological gap in the Arabic teaching programmes, and
assess the competencies of its learners.
Dr. AlMalik also wondered if the
Islamic world sufficiently exerted efforts to allow Arabic to keep up with the
rapidly-changing changes, stressing that the Islamic world is before a
situation that requires taking cognizance and drawing lessons: despite its
distinctive aspects among major world languages, Arabic lost the head start and
leadership in disseminating sciences, knowledge and innovations.
Likewise, he warned that the digital
content written in Arabic in different fields does not exceed 3% of the total
world contents on the Internet. He added that proactive studies addressing the
repercussions of the digital revolution and the Internet of things state that
the patterns of formal, teacher-based schools will witness drastic and rapid
change in the next two decades, moving towards an educational system based on
digital software and applications, a change already taking shape in advanced
countries through digital classrooms and the system of smart and open schools.
The Director General concluded his
address with a poem he wrote on Arabic language in the hope for a brighter future
for it.
The Director
General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(ISESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, took part in the closing ceremony of the 7th
edition of the International Festival of Cultural Diplomacy and Poetry,
organized by the Moroccan Poetry Association (RMP), on Thursday 26 December
2019, at Bahnini Hall, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Rabat.
The ceremony
featured the awarding of the World Prize of the Ambassador of Cultural
Diplomacy to the poet Mr. Khaled Fateh Al-Rahman to reward his poetic works and
tireless action to bolster brotherly ties between the Sudan and Morocco
throughout his mandate as Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan to the
Kingdom of Morocco.
The ceremony
was opened with a welcoming address by Mr. Ahmed Taghi, President of RMP, who
underscored the importance of cultural diplomacy and the role of the
Association, as a cultural and artistic association, in promoting cultural
diplomacy and celebrating poetry.
Then, Mr. Hussam
El-Din Eltayeb, Chargé d’Affaires of the Sudanese Embassy in Rabat, delivered
an address thanking the RMP for having honored Ambassador Khaled Fateh
Al-Rahman to whom he wished him every success.
Dr. AlMalik
also made an address lauding Ambassador Fateh Al-Rahman, read some verses which
he composed on the occasion and presented the honor shield to the Ambassador. Mr.
Hazim Al Khateb, Ambassador of Jordan to Morocco, also presented a certificate
of appreciation to the Ambassador.
At the close
of the ceremony, Ambassador Fateh Al-Rahman delivered an address thanking the
audience and read out a poem in tribute to Morocco.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director
General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(ISESCO) concluded his first official visit to the Islamic Republic of
Mauritania, which started on 22 December 2019 and included meetings with senior
Mauritanian officials, attending the award ceremony of Chinguetti Prize 2019, and
visiting Chinguett Modern University.
After being received by H.H. Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of
Mauritania, at the Presidential Palace in Nouakchott, Dr. AlMalik met the Prime
Minister, Mr. Ismail Bedde Cheikh Sidiya, and together they stressed the
importance of promoting coordination and consultation so as to implement
ISESCO’s initiatives launched for the benefit of Mauritania, including ISESCO’s
willingness to support Chinguetti Prize, schedule Nouakchott on the programme
of the Capitals of Islamic Culture, contribute to the success of the
celebration of the ancient towns in Mauritania, establish a training institute
for imams, and launch Mahdara’s initiatives while reaffirming the importance
and role of such initiatives in contributing to the development of Mauritania.
Besides, ISESCO Director General met
the Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ismael Ould Cheikh Ahmed. This
meeting explored ISESCO’s initiatives, agreed to look for strategic
partnerships to support the development projects in Mauritania within ISESCO’s
fields of action, and reaffirmed the importance of the cultural diplomacy and
multilateral cooperation in achieving the joint objectives as part of ISESCO’s
initiatives for the benefit of Mauritania.
Mr. Ismail Sidiya thanked Dr. AlMalik
for these initiatives and expressed the willingness of the official and
competent parties in Mauritania to support ISESCO in this regard.
ISESCO Director General also had
meetings with Dr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Ghaber, the Minister of Culture,
Handicrafts and Relations with the Parliament of Mauritania, and Mr. Dah Ould
Sidi Ould Amar Taleb, Minister of Islamic Affairs and Traditional Education of
Mauritania. The two meetings explored the development of cooperation between the
Organization and Mauritania within ISESCO’s fields of action.
In addition, Dr. AlMalik made a visit
to Chinguett Modern University, which receives ISESCO’s support and hosts one
of its Academic Chairs. One of the University’s Amphitheatre will be named
after ISESCO. Chinguett Modern University is a private university with four
departments, namely Islamic Studies, Sharia and Law, Islamic Economics, and
Arabic Language and Literature.
H.H. Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of
Mauritania, today at the Presidential Palace in Nouakchott, received Dr. Salim
M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (ISESCO), who is in a visit to Mauritania upon an
invitation from Dr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Ghaber, Minister of Culture, Handicrafts
and Relations with the Parliament of Mauritania, to attend the award ceremony
of Chinguetti Prize 2019 as a guest of honor.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik
thanked President of Mauritania for the warm welcome, commended Chinguetti
Prize and its role in supporting and encouraging scholars and intellects to be creative,
and reviewed ISESCO’s new vision, which pays special attention to the cultural
heritage and scientific research as two foundations of development.
Besides, Dr. AlMalik highlighted a
number of initiatives that ISESCO intends to launch in Mauritania, including
the importance of Mahdara in the Islamic world as it constitutes a great and
unique heritage of Mauritania.
The meeting also tackled ISESCO’s initiatives
to proclaim Nouakchott as a Capital of Islamic Heritage given its rich heritage
and history as well as its intellects and historians.
Dr. AlMalik stated that the four
ancient towns in Mauritania have had their share of ISESCO’s attention through
their preservation to be an exemplary model for Muslim countries. “Five Mauritanian
heritage sites have been inscribed by the Islamic World Heritage Committee. We
are hopeful that we will inscribe more tangible and intangible heritage”, he
added.
H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani also expressed his appreciation of
ISESCO’s initiatives while reaffirming his country’s willingness to cooperate
with the Organization in their implementation so as to embody the partnership
of the two parties.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Sidi
Mohamed Ould Ghaber, Minister of Culture, Handicrafts and Relations with the
Parliament of Mauritania; as well as Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Director of External
Relations and Cooperation; and Mr. Adel Bouraoui, Supervisor of the Directorate
of Education from ISESCO.
The Islamic Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) adopted the inscription of Rabat, capital of
the Kingdom of Morocco; Tunis, Kairouan and Mahdia, the Republic of Tunisia; the
historical region of Cairo in the capital of Egypt; and Kasbah region in
Algiers, Republic of Algeria; as well as Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, on the Islamic
World Heritage List.
This adoption was on the Final Report
of the 11th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, held in Tunis
on 17-18 December 2019 under the theme “Toward the Development of Current
Cultural Policies in the Islamic World”, with the participation of 50 countries
and 15 regional and international organizations.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ISESCO Director General,
had requested the Ministers of Culture and the competent parties in Member
States to continue the submission of the technical files to inscribe all the
tangible, intangible, natural and industrial heritage sites in their countries
on the Islamic World Heritage List.
In his address at the Conference’s
opening session, Dr. AlMalik stated that ISESCO established a special unit for
the inscription of heritage sites in Muslim countries according to strict
scientific and international standards. ISESCO also signed a cooperation
agreement with UNESCO on the inscription of heritage sites of Member States on
the World Heritage List.
Besides, Dr. AlMalik underlined that
heritage and cultural heritage in many Member States are subject to
disappearance, destruction and looting as the List of World Heritage in Danger
includes 37 sites in Muslim countries out of 54 sites accounting to almost 70%
of the sites in danger.
ISESCO Director General also stressed
the importance of translating the cultural unity and solidarity regarding the
preservation of the Islamic cultural heritage into a programme to be supervised
by ISESCO to jointly inscribe a number of exemplary historical and
civilizational routes (Hajj route, routes of trade caravans, and the routes of
travelers, scholars, students and manuscripts, etc) on the Islamic World
Heritage List while reaffirming that ISESCO adopted this action within its new
vision.
As part of the activation of the initiative
of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to restore
the house of the polymath Abd ar-Raḥmān ibn Khaldūn in downtown Tunis,
announced by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ISESCO Director General, at the closing
ceremony of the Celebration of Tunis as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2019,
ISESCO signed a partnership agreement with the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural
Affairs to initiate the restoration and conservation works of this
architectural monument.
The Agreement, signed in Tunis, provides for the commitment of ISESCO to finance the works of restoration and conservation of the house of Ibn Khaldūn, according to the technical report prepared by the Tunisian National Heritage Institute, whereas The Ministry undertakes to use the funds provided by ISESCO in the works of restoration and conservation of the house of Ibn Khaldūn. The necessary funding shall be settled in three (3) installments, the first of which stands at 30% of the gross amount to be transferred as from the date of the signing of the Agreement.
The Agreement also provides for the
establishment of a joint committee to follow-up to the project, composed of two
representatives of ISESCO, one representative of the Tunisian Ministry of
Cultural Affairs, and one representative of the Agency for Heritage Development
and Cultural Promotion (AMVPPC). The period of implementation of the Agreement
shall be two years as from the date of the signing thereof.
The signing was attended by Dr.
Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Tunisian Minister of Cultural Affairs, and a number of
officials of the Ministry, as well as Mr. Mohamed Ghemari, Director of the
Secretariat of the General Conference, Executive Council and Specialized
Ministerial Conferences, and Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Centre of
Strategic Anticipation.
The Agreement was signed for ISESCO
by Dr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Legal Advisor to the Director General, and for the
Ministry by Mr. Faouzi Mahfoudh, Director General of the National Heritage
Institute.
It is worth mentioning that ISESCO’s initiative
to restore the house of Ibn Khaldūn, announced by Dr. AlMalik in Tunis, was
greatly commended in Member States. This initiative reaffirms ISESCO’s new
vision which keeps up with the digital cultural transformations and calls for
investment in the cultural diplomacy, promotion of the cultural capital, and
exportation of the Islamic enlightening culture to the world.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director
General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(ISESCO) stressed that “cooperation between the Organization and the competent
parties in Mauritania is special and covers the areas of education, science and
culture. ISESCO is keen to develop and expand this cooperation according to the
strategic priorities of this country in such a way as to have an impact and
respond to the needs”.
In his address at the award ceremony
of Chinguetti Prize 2019, held today under the supervision of the President of
the Republic of Mauritania, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, at the Congress
Centre in Nouakchott, Dr. AlMalik announced a number of specific initiatives
aiming at promoting cooperation between ISESCO and Mauritania, including
ISESCO’s willingness to support and promote the international outreach of Chinguetti
Prize, schedule Nouakchott on the programme of the Capitals of Islamic Culture,
contribute with its partnerships, expertise, experiences and technical and
material potentials to the success of the celebration of the ancient towns in
Mauritania.
ISESCO Director General also announced
the establishment of a training institute for imams and Mahdara’s graduates in
Nouakchott with a view to training the religious and educations leaders to carry
out their tasks and fulfil their mission in society. As for the Mahdara, which is a unique
academic institution, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ISESCO’s willingness to prepare a
comprehensive strategic programme for its development, establish similar Mahdaras
in Muslim countries with the same curriculum adopted in Mauritania, and provide
the material and technical support therefore in cooperation and coordination
with ISESCO Regional Educational Centre, established years ago by
ISESCO in Mauritania.
The initiatives also include the inscription of Mahdara on the Islamic World Intangible Heritage List, to join the five Mauritanian heritage sites inscribed by ISESCO at the last Extraordinary Meeting of the Islamic World Heritage Committee. In his address at the ceremony, which he attended upon the invitation of the Minister of Culture, Handicrafts and Relations with the Parliament of Mauritania, Dr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Ghaber, Dr. AlMalik highlighted that “the objectives and purposes of Chinguetti Prize are consistent with ISESCO’s new vision which pays special attention to the cultural heritage and scientific research as two foundations of development. Through heritage, nations reflect upon their past, have hope in the present and look forward to the future through positive dialogue and scientific research to promote the mechanisms of progress and entrench knowledge.”
Dr. AlMalik also stated that ISESCO’s
interest in these two fields has recently yielded the inscription of 132
heritage sites in Member States on the Islamic World Heritage List of ISESCO,
as well as the initiative of restoring the house of the historian Ibn Khaldūn
in Tunis as a historical monument with a symbolic value.
As part of its new vision and future
strategies, which adopts the protection and conservation of heritage in Muslim
countries, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(ISESCO) launched an initiative to restore the house of Abd ar-Raḥmān ibn
Khaldūn in downtown Tunis.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ISESCO Director
General, announced this initiative during his address at the closing ceremony
of the Celebration of Tunis as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2019, held last
Wednesday in the City of Culture, Tunis.
Dr. AlMalik stated that “we face
enormous digital and cultural challenges and transformations that we should
keep up and deal with. We should also invest in the cultural diplomacy, promote
the cultural capital, and export our enlightening culture. The salient example
of this is our intention to restore the house of ibn Khaldūn in Tunis and
ensure the necessary financial resources therefore.”
Dr. AlMalik’s initiative was warmly
applauded by the audience of the ceremony, most notably Dr. Mohamed Zine El
Abidine, Tunisian Minister of Cultural Affairs, and the heads of delegation of
Muslim countries to the 11th Islamic Conference of Culture
Ministers, held in Tunis on 17 December 2019.
Ibn Khaldūn is one of the most famous
philosophers, historians and sociologists in the Arab history. He studied in a school
close to his birthplace in downtown Tunis, where he spent the longest period of
his life. He also lived in Egypt for almost a quarter of a century and died
there in March 1406 at the age of 76. He was buried near Bab al-Nasr cemetery close
to al-Abbassya neighborhood. He left many works and his biography has been the
subject of many studies. His works are used as references in philosophy,
history and art. The book “Muqaddimah” is still his greatest
work.
