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The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) mourns the passing of the Royal Advisor, Dr. Abbes Jirari, the eminent scholar, noble thinker and dean of Moroccan literature, who passed away on Saturday, 20 January 2024, after an accomplished career full of achievements in the fields of academia, thought, culture, literature and humanitarian heritage.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, for himself and on behalf of all the Organization’s staff, expresses sincere condolences to the family, the king, the government, and the people of the Kingdom of Morocco, beseeching Allah Almighty to bestow his mercy on the late intellectual and grant him the highest paradise.

At this sorrowful moment, ICESCO Director-General commended the great role the deceased fulfilled in enriching the Arab library with almost a hundred valuable works and solid studies in thought, culture and literature, mainly “Althqafa fi maʿrkat t-tghyir”, “thqafat l-sahrā’”, “Al’adab l-mghrbi mn khlal zwahirih wa qdaiah”, “Mʿjam mstlhat l-mlhun l-fniy” and “Alnagham l-motrib bin l-andalus wa lmgharib”, lauding the significance of the cultural club hosted in the house of the late, which was founded by his father, the scholar and writer Abdallah Jirari, and continued for over 90 years.

Dr. AlMalik appreciated Dr. Jirari’s admiration for ICESCO’s efforts and his interest in following up with the Organization’s progress over the past four years, including its initiatives and programs, which he expressed during his visit to the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO Headquarters.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik underlined the keenness of the Organization’s General Directorate to celebrate Dr. Jirari and impart his thought and wealth of knowledge to future generations as Dr. Jirari was the guest at the first edition of ICESCO Cultural Forum, on October 22, 2019, and lectured on the “Future Cultural Challenges in the Islamic World,” which was issued later by ICESCO in a book bearing the same title, making it the first edition in the series of Cultural Forum Encounters.

It is noteworthy that on December 10, 2019, Dr. AlMalik presented a certificate of appreciation and the Organization’s honorary shield to Dr. El Jirari for his remarkable contributions to enriching Arabic literature.

The participants in the 44th Session of the Executive Council, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, sent two letters of thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister, in recognition of their support for ICESCO and efforts to promote Islamic joint action in education, science and culture.

The letter sent to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, co-signed by Dr. Salim AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General and Dr. Dawas Tayseer Dawas, Chairman of ICESCO Executive Council, conveyed the utmost gratitude and appreciation of the Member States’ delegations and representatives of prominent regional and international organizations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The letter also commended Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s remarkable and steady progress in global performance indicators relevant to education, scientific research, innovation, university rankings, inscription of sites on heritage lists, achieving green transformation and consolidating the foundations of sustainable development.

Likewise, the participants sent a letter to HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expressing their deepest appreciation and highly commending His Royal Highness’s wise leadership of the pioneering developmental achievements underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The participants hailed the Kingdom’s significant feats and strides towards a bright future, as inked in its 2030 Vision, the latest of which is winning the hosting of World Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034.

Moreover, the participants sent a letter of gratitude to His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Culture, President of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, for the warm reception and hospitality extended to the delegations of the Member States taking part in the 44th session of ICESCO’s Executive Council in the prosperous city of Jeddah.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote cooperation in the areas of blended education, community development, women empowerment, early childhood care, financial inclusion, and the Prince Talal International Award for Human Development.

The MoU was signed on Wednesday 17 January 2024, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, AGFUND Chairman, President of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Open University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The signing took place during the opening session of the 44th ICESCO Executive Council hosted in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Over the course of four years, the MoU outlines collaboration between ICESCO and AGFUND in implementing projects and activities related to knowledge exchange and enrichment through human development, empowering women and children in ICESCO Member States, promoting innovation and professional and personal skills for youth through higher education, and sharing best practices for the development of local communities.

It also provides for organizing joint activities such as workshops, seminars, conferences, and training courses.

Dr. Salim Al-Malik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), visited the historic island of Gorée in the Republic of Senegal, and the House of Slaves Museum there, where he was received by several members of the municipal council and Mr. Eloi Coly, the museum’s curator who provided some details about the history of “Slavery Island,” that was discovered in the fifteenth century A.D. and registered on the World Heritage List in 1978.

During the visit, on 9 January 2024, ICESCO Director-General toured the different sections of the Museum, which embodies the history of the charming island located off the coast of the Senegalese capital, Dakar, whose strategic location was the reason for its successive occupation by four colonial powers: Portugal, France, the Netherlands, and England. Its unique buildings still bear witness to this colonial era.

Dr. Al-Malik expressed his admiration for the Museum and the historical importance of the island, which, despite its small surface, was the largest center for the slave trade on the African coast, as more than 15,000 Africans were deported from it to Europe and the Americas between 1726 and 1848. He urged the museum curator to submit a file to register the Island on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List.

At the conclusion of the visit, Dr. AlMalik expressed the Organization’s readiness to cooperate in developing the Island, as part of partnership with Senegal in the cultural fields, and signed in the golden record of the Museum.

Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to host the meetings of the 44th session of the Executive Council of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and the second consultative meeting of the Organization from 16 to 18 January 2024. These meetings, organized by ICESCO and hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, will see the participation of delegations from the Organization’s Member States, as well as representatives from major regional and international organizations and bodies.

The ICESCO Executive Council agenda includes an inaugural session featuring speeches by Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, President of the Egyptian National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, and President of ICESCO General Conference; Dr. Dawas Tayseer Dawas, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, Chairman of ICESCO’s Executive Council; Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General; Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Bulahid, Secretary-General of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science; Additionally, guests of honor Mr. Sergio Mujica, Secretary-General of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and Dr. Nicholas Peter, President of the International Space University in France, will also deliver speeches.

Moreover, the agenda will involve the award ceremony of the ICESCO prize for girls’ and women’s literacy to the 2023 edition winners. The prize is awarded to civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations working towards achieving women’s and girls’ literacy. It will also include a presentation on the Cultural Indicators for Islamic world countries, the signing of agreements between ICESCO and several international organizations and institutions, and working sessions to review reports on ICESCO’s achievements and activities of 2023, the Organization’s action plan and budget for 2024-2025, progress made in drafting the Islamic World Charter for Artificial Intelligence and the Metaverse, in addition to the periodic reports on the Organization’s work.

The second consultative meeting of ICESCO will precede the Executive Council session under the theme: “From Quality to Excellence: ICESCO’s New Strategy.” This meeting, which brings together the Organization’s General Directorate and representatives of the National Commissions for Education, Science, and Culture, aims to identify the priorities and needs of Member States, and devise action plans and programs that align with these priorities and needs. The Meeting will include a presentation on the challenges and opportunities facing the Islamic world, brainstorming sessions and idea generation with several themes, including “Let’s Shape ICESCO’s Future Together: The ICESCO You Want,” “Innovation in ICESCO’s Strategy,” “Major Global Events Affecting Member States,” “Building Scenarios and Formulating Common Strategic Directions for the Future of the Islamic World,” and “Inter-generational Dialogue.”

In the presence of His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the opening ceremony of the twelfth session of the National Festival of Arts and Culture, in Fatick, Senegal. The ceremony also saw the presence of Mr. Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication of the Kingdom of Morocco, which is the guest of honor, along with a number of ministers and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations.

During the grand opening ceremony, organized on Monday evening (January 8, 2024), His Excellency President Macky Sall welcomed the participants, stressing the importance of culture, heritage and arts in achieving sustainable development, and announced the inauguration of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, which is supervised by the Muslim World League, in Dakar, scheduled on February 5, 2024.

In his address, Dr. AlMalik expressed his great pleasure at participating in the festival, which aims to promote cultural heritage, noting the efforts of President Macky Sall to develop the economy, promote entrepreneurship among youth and women, and develop a model for peace, social cohesion and civilizational dialogue, in order to consolidate the values of coexistence, peace and stability in the African continent and worldwide.

At the end of his address, ICESCO Director-General congratulated Senegal on its election as a member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, underscoring ICESCO’s keenness to strengthen partnership with its Member States, including the Republic of Senegal.

In the address of the Kingdom of Morocco, the festival guest of honor, Mr. Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid highlighted the deeply-rooted historical relations between Morocco and Senegal, stressing the role of culture and heritage in preserving African identity, especially among young people.

It is noteworthy that the current session of the festival, which spans over four days, is held in Fatick, the birthplace of the President of the Republic of Senegal, under the theme, ‘Macky, Arts and Heritage’. The program includes a national book fair, lectures on culture and arts, forums and workshops, in addition to a number of artistic and folklore performances to introduce the rich cultural heritage of Senegal.

The program also features artistic and folklore performances from the Kingdom of Morocco, the festival guest of honor.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Khalid Salim Bamakhalif, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they discussed ways to enhance the outstanding partnership between ICESCO and the Sultanate in the educational, scientific and cultural fields.

At the outset of the meeting, held on Thursday (January 4, 2024), at ICESCO’s headquarters, in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Ambassador Bamakhalif on his appointment as Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Morocco, wishing him every success in his mission.

Dr. AlMalik also reviewed the salient aspects of the Organization’s vision and its strategic orientations, which are based on openness and cooperation with all parties for the benefit of Member States and Muslim communities around the world, stressing ICESCO’s keenness to promote foresight culture, consolidate the values of peace, civilizational dialogue and coexistence, build women and youth capacities, and encourage Member States to invest in space sciences and support its efforts geared towards leveraging modern technologies to achieve sustainable development.

The meeting, which saw the presence of many heads of sector and department at ICESCO, touched on the major activities implemented within the framework of the outstanding partnership between the Organization and the Sultanate of Oman, and the upcoming period cooperation, in coordination with the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, particularly the Conference of Ministers of Education in the Islamic World, due to be hosted by the Sultanate, in 2024, and the agreement to establish ICESCO Chair for Artificial Intelligence Ethics at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Muscat, due to be signed at the upcoming Executive Council of ICESCO in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

For his part, Ambassador Bamakhalif commended ICESCO’s roles in supporting its Member States in its areas of competence, hailing the qualitative leap the Organization has witnessed over the past four years, and the recruitment of competent staff, who have strengthened its presence at the international level.

Afterwards, ICESCO Director-General took the Omani ambassador on a tour of the Organization’s headquarters, and the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO’s headquarters, in partnership with the Muslim World League and the Mohammadia League of Scholars.