Category: Front Page

The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts paid tribute to Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on the occasion of receiving the Arab World Heritage Book of the Year Award 2024 for his book, “Ad-Diwan Al-Kabir”. The ceremony was held as part of the official celebration of Arabic Manuscripts Day, held under the theme “Our Written Heritage and the Elements of Civilizational Communication”, under the patronage of Dr. Mohamed Ould Ammar, ALECSO DG.

The event brought together a host of high-level guests, notably Mr. Mohamed El Mahdi Ben Said, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and several diplomats, scholars and cultural figures from the Kingdom of Morocco.

Held on Friday (April 19, 2024), at the National Library in Rabat, the ceremony honored prominent figures and institutions from the countries of Morocco, Palestine, Egypt and Mauritania, for their research and practical efforts in preserving and casting light on the Arab manuscript heritage. The Institute stressed that Dr. Benarfa’s book was able to conduct a conscious investigation into one of the key works of the heritage of the Great Sheikh, which holds great significance in the intellectual heritage of the Arab world and Muslim Ummah.

Following the opening ceremony, ICESCO’s Deputy DG took part in a seminar on “The Elements of Civilizational Communication in Arabic Manuscript Heritage,” where he discussed the highlights of his book, “Ad-Diwan Al-Kabir”.

The seminar was followed by exhibitions on manuscript heritage and the elements of civilizational communication, and the Institute’s scientific publications.

Following three days of rich discussions and a positive exchange of ideas, the International Seminar on the Status of Girls’ Education in the Arab and Islamic World issued a set of recommendations, at the close of its proceedings on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat. The recommendations focused on establishing gender equality at all levels of education, training educational staff on gender and equal opportunities, and providing psychological, social and financial support for groups affected by poverty, conflicts and social challenges.

The recommendations of the seminar, held by ICESCO and the Arab Women’s Organization, also included calling for strengthening the role of the media in changing the stereotypical image of women, supporting the efforts of governments in developing plans for gender and social protection issues and developing strategies to reform education to suit the multiple societal roles of women. It also recommended expanding their economic rehabilitation programs, especially in rural communities, ensuring wider participation of women in economic, social and cultural activities, calling on states to review education sector budgets, increasing allocations for the development of digital education, and organizing awareness campaigns and educational programs on the importance of learning.

The second and third days of the symposium included five sessions that presented working papers and discussed girls’ education, changing family perceptions, and devising policies to promote girls’ education, counter gender stereotypes in school curricula, and foster girls’ education in conflict and crisis situations.

Afterwards, Dr. Fadia Kiwan, Director-General (DG) of the Arab Women Organization, and Ms. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Office of ICESCO DG, honored Asmaa Benfassi in recognition of her media efforts in defending women and girls’ issues and highlighting their creative and leadership potential.

At the end of the symposium, honorary shields were exchanged between ICESCO and the Arab Women’s Organization. The symposium participants then toured the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO’s headquarters.

Each year on April 21st, the world celebrates World Creativity and Innovation Day to stress the crucial role of creativity and innovation in finding sustainable solutions to economic and social challenges, and in adapting to the rapid global transformations. On this occasion, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) sheds light on the importance of creativity and innovation in enhancing international efforts to build thriving, knowledge-based, and culturally diverse societies.

In this context, ICESCO calls for the integration of youth and women and the enhancement of their innovative capacities to broaden societal horizons and accelerate their developmental progress, by providing job opportunities and training, and implementing various initiatives and programs in science and technology.

ICESCO has launched an ambitious program to train youth in establishing small projects in technology and innovation, with the goal of promoting entrepreneurship in the Islamic world and contributing to sustainable and comprehensive development. Launched in 2021 across 19 countries, the program has already supported 54 start-up projects. Its ultimate objective is to reach 150 such companies by the end of 2025, while also enhancing the capacities of over 5,000 entrepreneurs.

The Organization has also introduced an award for converting bio-waste into food bars, aiming to support entrepreneurs and start-ups in developing innovative techniques to maximize the utilization of wasted food.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) expresses its heartfelt condolences to the Sultan, government and people of the Sultanate of Oman on the victims of the heavy rainfalls striking Oman and causing flashfloods and torrential waters.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, extends, on his behalf and that of the entire ICESCO staff, his sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and beseeches the Almighty Allah for a speedy recovery for the injured and safety for the missing.

Dr. AlMalik reiterates ICESCO’s full solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman during this tragic disaster, which resulted in the death of several students in a school in the Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi, North Al Sharqiyah Governorate.

A book recently published in the Kingdom of Morocco praised the creative, forward-looking vision and new strategic orientations of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and its pilot experience of investment in people from theory to practice through projects, initiatives and programs that place ICESCO at the forefront of international organizations investing in the future and the soft power. The book highlights the Islamic world’s dire need to benefit from the Organization’s expertise at a time great attention is paid to investment in the rich human capital.

The author, Professor Abdelkader El Idrissi, pointed out in this new book titled: “Investing in People from Theory to Practice… ICESCO as a case study,” that slogans such as (We Invest in People), (We Build the Future), and (We Achieve Sustainable Success), featuring on the walls and the elevator doors caught his eye first when he came back to visit the Organization’s headquarters, in Rabat, after over three years of absence. These expressions drew his attention to the term of investment in people and constituted the starting point for this study, which stands as a witness on the progress made within ICESCO.

Professor Abdelkader El Idrissi, who has so far authored five books about ICESCO, emphasized that investing in people has impacts on the development of societies, the progress of countries and the prosperity of human life, highlighting that investing in people refers to investing in the future, which is in line with the Organization’s strategies to contribute to the advancement of its Member States. The author lauded the vision of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General, commending the development, renewal and modernization that the Organization has witnessed since he assumed his duties in 2019.

The author devoted a separate chapter to each of ICESCO’s sectors. The first chapter is titled “Investing in Education,” the second is themed “Investing in Science, Technology and Innovation,” the third focuses on “Investing in the Social and Human Sciences,” and the fourth explores “Investing in Culture and Communication,” to which he added two chapters on “Investing in Youth and Children,” and “Investing in the Future,” respectively. In its introduction, the book presents the linguistic, economic and social significations of the concept of investment both theoretically and practically.

The book indicates the great importance ICESCOattaches to practical investment in people, by harnessing its high expertise at its areas of expertiseand translating it into innovative, productive, and forward-looking programs, projects, and initiatives aimed at enhancing the human capital to contribute to the development of the Islamic world by addressingchallenges, rebuilding civilization, building the futureand ensuring access to vital areas.

In conclusion, the author considered that ICESCO’sinvestment in its areas of competence is a duty, a right, a principle, a way of life, a responsibility and a trust, explaining that all fifty-four Member States receive their share of academic benefits and functional impacts of this unique civilizational project managed and implemented by ICESCO.

In the appendices, Professor El Idrissi added that this civilizational project, which serves comprehensive and sustainable development in the Islamic world, has a prudent engineer with a wise vision, a strong determination, and extensive knowledge in building renaissance and laying the foundations for progress in the fields of education, science, technology, innovation, culture and communication, human and social sciences, youth, and children. He has a profound sense of responsibility and diligent work. He manages a work team, which helps him handle all the workload and carries out the missions that serve ICESCO’s objectives. He is Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, since May 9, 2019, who, along with the Organization’s leadership, brought about a qualitative leap in ICESCO and join to the ranks of successful regional and international organizations.