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Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), attended the opening session of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which kicked off on Monday (11 November 2024) and continue until November 22, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The COP29 features the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, the major event within the conference activities, which is an opportunity to assess the progress made in mitigating the effects of climate change and discuss the best ways to combat this phenomenon. This year Summit will focus on generating new funding for climate action.

During the opening session of COP29, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates, COP28 President, handed the COP presidency over to Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who called in his address for enhancing climate ambition through clear plans and effective financing for the benefit of developing countries. Mr. Simon Stiell, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, emphasized the importance of defining a new global climate finance goal, adding that the current challenges require global resilience.

ICESCO, which holds an observer status at COP29, is participating in the 29th session of the Conference in Baku with a special pavilion in the Blue Zone, where about 50 diverse activities is scheduled to discuss the implications of climate change on education, science and culture. ICESCO will also organize a panel discussion, in partnership with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) on enhancing water security, biodiversity and peace through innovation and Earth observation.

Dr. Al-Malik, leading ICESCO’s high-level delegation at the Conference, will participate in the World Leaders Climate Action Summit. He will also meet a number of senior officials participating in the Conference as well as the heads of relevant international organizations and bodies to discuss ways of cooperation for promoting environmental protection and countering the negative repercussions of climate change.

Following the COP29 opening session, ICESCO Director General visited the Organization’s pavilion in the Blue Zone, checked the preparations for the start of activities, and received a number of officials and ministers participating in the Conference.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Eng. Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei, Minister of Education, Chairman of the Kuwaiti National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, held a meeting to discuss ways to develop cooperation between ICESCO and Kuwait in education, science and culture.

At the outset of the meeting, held on Tuesday 5 November 2024, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Education in Kuwaiti city, Dr. Al-Malik congratulated Eng. Al-Tabtabaei on receiving the Amiri trust and his appointment as Kuwait’s Minister of Education, wishing him success in his new role.
Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main lines of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, highlighting its ongoing programs, projects, and activities. Dr. AlMalik focused particularly on efforts in developing educational systems and curricula, empowering women and youth, preparing them for future careers, promoting values of coexistence, peace, and intercultural dialogue, and encouraging investment in technology, innovation, artificial intelligence applications, and space sciences. Additionally, Dr. AlMalik stressed the importance of fostering a culture of foresight and enhancing the global standing of the Arabic language.

ICESCO DG expressed the Organization’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Kuwait, in coordination with the Kuwaiti National Commission, and other relevant bodies, through implementing initiatives, programs, and projects in ICESCO’s areas of action that align with Kuwait’s priorities in these fields.

For his part, Eng. Al-Tabtabaei praised ICESCO’s role in supporting its Member States across its fields of expertise and expressed his eagerness to leverage ICESCO’s experience in contributing to the development of Kuwait’s educational system.

The meeting also included discussions on several proposed programs and projects for joint implementation, with both parties agreeing to continue coordinating on a set of educational projects. At the end of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik presented Eng. Al-Tabtabaei with ICESCO shield.

The meeting was attended by Ms. Awatef Al-Anzi, Head of Technical Office Department to the Kuwaiti National Commission.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Bader Al-Saad, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. The Meeting focused on exploring opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest between ICESCO, the Arab Fund, and the Coordination Group of the Arab National and Regional Development Institutions, for which the fund serves as the coordination secretariat.

During the Meeting, held today, TuesdaY, November 5, 2024, in Kuwait City, Dr. AlMalik reviewed key aspects of ICESCO’s foresighted vision, highlighting ongoing initiatives, programs, and activities that emphasize youth and women capacity-building, leveraging modern technology, and contributing to social, economic, environmental, and cultural development across its Member States.

At the close of the Meeting, both parties expressed their anticipation of establishing a productive partnership between ICESCO and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, through the launch of initiatives and programs that will positively impact economic and social development in the Islamic world.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Libyan National Commission for Education, Culture and Science signed an agreement on Libya’s hosting of the 45th session of ICESCO Executive Council, due to be held in January 2025, in Tripoli.

The agreement was signed at ICESCO headquarters, in Rabat, on Tuesday (5 November 2024), by Dr. Salim Al-Habsi, Director of the General Secretariat for National Commissions and Conferences of ICESCO, and Dr. Mohammed Amari Zayed, Libya’s Permanent Representative at ICESCO, on behalf of the Libyan National Commission.

Following the signing, Dr. Al-Habsi expressed his confidence in the ability of the competent parties in Libya to ensure the success of ICESCO Executive Council, noting that it will feature a consultative meeting of Member States to tackle the opportunities and challenges facing the Islamic world.

For his part, Dr. Zayed affirmed that the Libyan authorities will spare no effort to successfully host and organize ICESCO Executive Council in Tripoli, commending the distinguished cooperation relations between ICESCO and the State of Libya in the Organization’s areas of competence.

It is worth mentioning that ICESCO Executive Council is convened on an annual basis, bringing together its members and the delegations of ICESCO’s 53 Member States, with the Secretaries-General of National Commissions heading their delegations, to examine and approve the activity reports and action plans submitted by ICESCO’s General Directorate.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), emphasized that the profound transformations currently shaping global society demand an unprecedented focus on advancing and modernizing educational systems, policies, and orientations. These changes, driven by the emergence of knowledge economy, rooted in intellectual capital and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence with its implications for education, call for a comprehensive evaluation of the education reforms undertaken over the past two decades, discarding elements no longer aligned with the needs of the modern era.

This statement was made as part of the DG’s address today, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, during the opening session of the Fourth International Educational Conference, titled “Transforming Education: Opportunities and Challenges to Enhance the Future of Education in the Gulf Countries.” Organized by the Gulf Arab States’ Educational Research Center, under the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, the two-day conference in Kuwait City is held under the patronage of Kuwaiti Minister of Education Eng. Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei. The Event is attended by heads of academic institutions, international and regional organizations that focus on education, and a selection of esteemed international experts.

Dr. AlMalik highlighted that advancing education in the Gulf requires consideration of several key factors, including the demographic impact of the education sector, with students making up 17% of the population, and the need to reevaluate reform methodologies, especially as Gulf studies have questioned the effectiveness of imported curricula as substitutes for national efforts. He stressed the importance of developing a new educational thinking that embraces the philosophy of digital transformation and addresses digital literacy challenges.

He also noted the critical role of the family in the educational process, acknowledging the unique cohesiveness of families in the Gulf region, and the central role of teachers. Furthermore, Dr. Al-Malik commended Gulf countries on their achievements in teacher training and development.

Moreover, ICESCO Director-General recognized significant disparities in the quality of education among Islamic countries, while praising the Gulf states for supporting educational systems in less developed nations. He urged further collaboration with ICESCO to assess the educational needs of the Islamic world, leveraging the Organization’s in-depth knowledge of its Member States’ conditions.

Dr. AlMalik concluded by encouraging a thorough review of the UN questionnaire on transforming education, suggesting its adaptation to the Region’s educational and cultural framework in order to glean important insights.
At the close of the Conference’s opening session, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik was honored with the Conference’s commemorative shield, presented by Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Assimi, DG of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, in the presence of Mr. Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Engineer Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei, the Kuwaiti Minister of Education.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received a delegation of content creators and influencers from the Kingdom of Morocco, during their visit to the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat.

During the meeting, held on Friday, November 1, 2024, Dr. AlMalik highlighted the main axes of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and talked about the Organization’s key initiatives, programs and projects, especially in the field of youth capacity building. He further explained that the Organization has dedicated an entire year to celebrating young people, in firm belief of their key role in developing their societies and building a better future for the Islamic world.

Moreover, the Director-General mentioned key initiatives, notably Youth Training Project on Creating Small Projects in the Fields of Technology and Innovation, Can-Sat training workshop, held in Morocco, Burkina Faso and Türkiye, and Leadership Training for Peace and Security Program (LTIPS), through which 180 young men and women graduated as ICESCO Young Peace Ambassadors.

For their part, the delegation expressed its appreciation of ICESCO’s programs and projects targeting the youth of the Islamic world, conveying its keenness to take part in the Organization’s activities and contribute to the promotion of its leading roles within its areas of competence, as well as its efforts to support young people and prepare them for the professions of the future.

Afterwards, Dr. AlMalik took the delegation on a tour of the Exhibition and Museum, where they received detailed explanations on the content of its pavilions and sections, which all employ modern technology and capitalize on AI and augmented reality’s applications to transport the visitor to the time of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him.