Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Faisal Akif Al-Fayez, President of the Senate of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and his accompanying delegation, who visited the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at the Organization’s headquarters.
During the meeting, held on Thursday, February 15, 2024, in the presence of Ms. Jumana Ghunaimat, Ambassador of Jordan to Morocco, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the key aspects of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, which are based on openness and partnerships for the benefit of the countries of the Islamic world and Muslim communities worldwide, highlighting the Organization’s major initiatives, programs and projects that focus on consolidating the values of coexistence and peace, confronting hatred and extremist ideas, building the capacities of youth and women, and promoting the culture of foresight.
Afterward, the ICESCO Director General took the President of the Jordanian Senate and his accompanying delegation on a tour of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, being organized in partnership between ICESCO, the Muslim World League, and the Mohammadia League of Scholars. The guests listened to detailed explanations about exhibited elements using modern display techniques to virtually showcase the biography of our Messenger, peace and blessing be upon him.
At the close of his tour, Mr. Al-Fayez expressed his happiness at visiting this great museum, which thoroughly narrates the biography of the Prophet in a simplified way and addresses all groups, thanking the three organizing parties.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are holding a scientific symposium, themed “Media Education: Prospects and Aspirations,” on 21-22 February 2024, in cooperation with the Media and Communication Sector of the League of Arab States, the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Information Ministers and the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication. The event aims to explore ways to consolidate the concepts and values of media and information education and encourage efforts geared towards integrating them into various educational curricula to develop critical thinking skills and enhance mechanisms of information collection from reliable sources.
The symposium, which will be organized in person at ICESCO Headquarters, in Rabat, and shared via videoconference, will witness the participation of ministers, ambassadors, distinguished international figures and researchers specialized in the field of media, information and security education.
The first-day agenda features the opening remarks by the guests of honor, followed by three working sessions, which will see the participation of prominent figures from the Islamic world and beyond. The first session addresses “Pioneering Arab and international national experiences in spreading media education;” and the second session focuses on the “Importance of media education in enhancing the security and ethical understanding of the expression of opinion: an analysis within the framework of Arab and international media legislations and conventions.” The third session focuses on “Educational media partnership: a strategic vision towards building a sustainable knowledge society.”
The second day features three working sessions, during which experts and speakers will discuss several topics, including “Requirements for incorporating media education in the educational systems,” “Basics of dealing with media outlets, social media and information sources,” and “Artificial Intelligence and the future of media education.” The symposium will then conclude by issuing its final report and several recommendations.
On February 11th of each year, the world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and on this occasion, for this year themed: “Women in Scientific Leadership: A New Era for Sustainability,” the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) seizes the opportunity to reaffirm the importance of bolstering the participation of women and girls in the fields of science, to contribute to building a sustainable and prosperous future, based on knowledge, creativity, innovation, and the achievement of excellent scientific research that benefits humanity.
In this context, ICESCO calls for concerted international efforts to address gender-based discrimination, support girls and women, and provide opportunities for their training in STEM fields, considered as essential levers to achieving peace and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Likewise, the Organization emphasizes that overcoming the major challenges to achieving the SDGs by 2030 requires mobilizing all human resources, including female capacities in scientific fields, especially since the percentage of female researchers worldwide does not exceed 30%.
As part of supporting its Member States’ efforts to enhance the presence of girls and women in science and scientific research, the Organization has implemented several initiatives, programs, and projects aimed at qualifying women and girls in the fields of technological entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, data science, smart and sustainable cities. Additionally, ICESCO has been providing direct financial support to women and girls in science through its scholarship programs, on top of organizing many seminars and conferences relevant to the abovementioned fields, chief among which was hosting an international conference on women and university leadership at ICESCO Headquarters, in partnership with Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to support international efforts geared towards strengthening female leadership in higher education.
In this regard, ICESCO emphasizes the importance of cooperation and coordination among countries, organizations, and relevant institutions to recognize and acknowledge women’s contributions to scientific research and innovation inside and outside the Islamic world countries throughout history. Moreover, the Organization stresses the necessity of breaking stereotypes and supporting women in overcoming the professional, social, economic, and financial challenges they face on their path toward building better societies.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences are pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 4th edition of ICESCO-Hamdan Prize for Voluntary Development of Educational Facilities in the Islamic World for 2024.
Three winners from among charitable bodies, voluntary institutions and donors, who have contributed to the development of educational facilities in the Islamic world countries, will jointly receive USD 300,000 in prize money; each winner will receive the Award Shield and USD 100,000 to be allocated for the winning project or the development of new educational projects to support educational facilities.
Applications can be submitted either through self-nomination or nomination by third-party recommendation. Applicants must fill in and submit the form, in Arabic or English, no later than 31 October 2024, via the following website: https://tahkeem.ha.ae/login.xhtml .
The screening committee will select the eligible applications to allow an international jury to evaluate the applications and select the winners. Afterwards, Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences and ICESCO will hold an official award ceremony.
Those interested in applying for the prize can contact the organizing party via: hamdan.icesco.prize@ha.ae It is worth noting that the Award, which was first launched in 2017, with the support of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may he rest in peace, is part of the partnership and cooperation between ICESCO and Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences. It aims to incentivize and honor those involved in voluntary initiatives and charitable work in the field of education, and encourage voluntary efforts for the development of new educational facilities, in addition to improving educational infrastructure and facilities in the Islamic world.
Dr. Salim M. Almalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Sami bin Abdullah Al-Saleh, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Kingdom of Morocco, to discuss ways to enhance the distinguished relations between ICESCO and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the fields of education, science, and culture.
The meeting, which took place today, 7 February 2024, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, was attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, along with several sector heads and directors of departments within the Organization. Dr. AlMalik expressed his contentment with the partnership between ICESCO and Saudi Arabia, underscored by the recent hosting of the 44th session of the Organization’s Executive Council in Jeddah by the Kingdom, alongside its gracious invitation to host the 15th session of the ICESCO General Conference in 2025.
Furthermore, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the Organization’s vision and highlighted its most important programs and projects aimed at empowering youth and women and nurturing their skills to meet the professions of the future, enhancing their capabilities in strategic foresight, and promoting the values of coexistence, peace, and civilizational dialogue.
Dr. AlMalik commended the mutual cooperation agreements between the Organization and the Saudi Kingdom, highlighting notable initiatives such as the Executive Program for Hajj Routes to Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Historical Mosques Project, as well as the Culture Index in the Islamic World Project. He further expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s unwavering support for the Organization’s programs and projects.
On his part, the Saudi Ambassador in Rabat commended ICESCO’s development and modernization observed over the past four years, positioning it as a symbol of international cultural prominence. Moreover, he expressed gratitude for ICESCO’s hosting of a group of youth from the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk” for training across its diverse sectors, who voiced their appreciation for the expertise provided by the Organization’s experts from different nationalities.
Following the meeting, Dr. AlMalik took Dr. Al-Saleh on a tour of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at the ICESCO headquarters in partnership with the Muslim World League (MWL) and the Mohammedia League of Scholars. They were received by Sheikh Dr. Nasser bin Misfer Al-Qurashi Al-Zahrani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Exhibitions and Museums of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in the Kingdom of Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the fields of innovation, scientific research, foresight, education and young people capacity-building to keep up with the professions of tomorrow and organize joint activities to enhance experience sharing.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mr. Hicham El Habti, President of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, signed the memorandum, on Tuesday (February 6, 2024), at the Organization’s headquarters, in Rabat.
In his statement during the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik commended the outstanding partnership between ICESCO and Mohammed VI University, hailing the position of this university in the academic scene locally and internationally, and its branches inaugurated outside the Kingdom of Morocco, namely in France, Canada and Côte d’Ivoire.
Dr. AlMalik stressed that ICESCO, within its strategic vision, is committed to contributing to the advancement of educational fields in its Member States through a number of initiatives, most notably the establishment of academic chairs in cooperation with many universities in Member States and abroad.
ICESCO Director-General considered that this new agreement with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University reflects a shared vision towards building an innovative and creative future through a number of programs in strategic foresight and artificial intelligence to serve research and education with the view of raising a new generation of leaders capable of building a better tomorrow.
For his part, Mr. El Habti expressed his happiness with the cooperation between Mohammed VI University and ICESCO to support the Organization’s mission aiming at contributing to the development of science and education in its Member States and the Muslim communities worldwide, adding that the university’s new branches inaugurated outside the Kingdom of Morocco have enhanced the feeling of pride as the South is heading North, which affirms our ability to compete in line with the best international standards.
The memorandum of understanding sets forth cooperation between ICESCO and the University in implementing a number of programs and initiatives, including “Skills and Jobs of Tomorrow Project,” which aims to identify the necessary skills for the future workforce, and the “Regional Foresight and Human and Local Development Project,” which aims to anticipate and address development needs at the local and regional levels, as well as the establishment of ICESCO Chair at the University, which will serve as a cooperation platform for intellectual exchange and research between the two institutions.
The memorandum also includes cooperation in implementing the “Peace and Stability Project,” the “Agricultural Value Chain Project,” and organizing the training sessions of specialized master’s, executive master’s and educational programs in foresight and future studies.
The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) hosted an award ceremony for the winners of the first edition of ICESCO’s competition to develop a process to transform bio-waste into food bars to ensure zero hunger. This initiative aligns with the second goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Organization’s Member States. The Event featured the participation of the five teams qualified for the final round of the competition, who presented their projects to a jury of experts, in a bid to secure their position as one of the top three winning teams.
The Ceremony, attended by a number of Member States’ ambassadors, officials, researchers, and students from international universities, was held today, Thursday, February 1st, 2024. It kicked off with the recitation of some verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, in which he commended the awarded projects in a world beset by the two-fold challenge of ensuring food security and managing organic waste.
Moreover, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik praised the qualified teams’ work, emphasizing their innovation and renewal in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time, i.e., food insecurity. Dr. AlMalik also acknowledged the teams’ wise contributions to achieving the second SDG, which aims to achieve zero hunger, not merely through ending hunger itself, but also by confronting the environmental challenges posed by waste proliferation.
The Director-General highlighted that the winning teams’ work embodies the focus of ICESCO’s vision and its belief in the power of education, science, and culture to bring about positive change and sustainability, considering the selected youth projects as a testament to the transformative power of modern science and technology when aligned with the human vision to combat food waste.
In his speech, Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of ICESCO’s Science and Environment Sector, highlighted the importance of ensuring food security in light of the current challenges that the world is witnessing, which perpetuate the suffering or a significant portion of the world’s population from hunger and malnutrition-related issues, stressing the need to provide solutions likely to help in eradicating this scourge, which is the goal of ICESCO’s organization of this competition.
On his part, Dr. Ismaila Diallo, expert at ICESCO’s Science and Environment sector, gave a recap presentation of the award, highlighting its broad outlines and objectives. The presentation also included the various stages of submitting nominations, the participating countries, the number of nominations received by ICESCO, project eligibility criteria, ending it with details surrounding the selection of the five qualified teams.
The jury deliberations resulted in the project “Organic and Secondary Food Waste as a Mechanism for Ensuring Food Security” from Egypt winning the first place, thus receiving $22,500 in prize money. The second place was secured by the project “Borneo” project for food bar production from Malaysia, earning its team $12,500 in prize money, while the third place went to the project bio-waste sourced food bar production from Brunei Darussalam, with the team receiving $5,000 in prize money.
The jury then decided to award the Pakistani fourth-place team $2,500 in winnings, for their project on producing food bars from chickpeas. At the same 4th place, the team from Malaysia was equally awarded $2,500 for their project “Beco Food Bars’ Healthy Snacks.”
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Amb. Nazim Samadov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Morocco. The meeting focused on the ongoing preparations to celebrate the city of Shusha as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2024, as well as arrangements for ICESCO’s participation in the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29), hosted by the Republic of Azerbaijan later this year.
During the meeting, held Tuesday 30 January 2024 at the ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik praised the distinguished partnership between Azerbaijan and the Organization in areas of mutual interest, evidenced by the close collaboration on various programs and activities, particularly concerning youth capacity-building and training, development of scientific research, in addition to the promotion of space sciences and their applications.
On his part, Ambassador Samadov affirmed Azerbaijan’s full support for ICESCO’s efforts to contribute to the development of its work in the Member States, commending the Organization for implementing programs and projects in the fields of education, science, and culture in the Islamic world.
The Meeting also addressed the ongoing preparations for launching the celebration of Shusha as Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2024, expected to take place in May, under the patronage of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Likewise, the two parties discussed the arrangements for ICESCO’s participation in COP 29, to be hosted by Azerbaijan in November 2024 in Baku. The Organization has set up a committee to oversee the final preparations for its delegation’s participation in this major event.
ICESCO is also set to take part in the upcoming edition of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku.
Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, attended the meeting.
Monday, January 29, 2024, marked the launch of the first edition of specialized training sessions organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (Higher School of Teachers) in Martil, Kingdom of Morocco. The training sessions, titled, “Promoting Scientific Research through Strengthening Scientific and Pedagogical Competencies of Ph.D. Students, Youth Researchers, and Professors,” are organized in collaboration with Mohammed V University in Rabat and Abdelmalek Essaâdi University in Tétouan, with the participation of several Moroccan and international experts.
The three-day, masterclass-style specialized training sessions, conducted both in-person and through videoconference, are part of the activities of ICESCO’s Open Education Chair “For Equitable Access to Comprehensive and Quality Education,” hosted by Mohammed V University in Rabat. This initiative aligns with ICESCO’s efforts to develop scientific research in its Member States in the fields of open education, open educational resources, open educational practices, open science, copyright, authorship, licenses, open data, and personal data protection.
During the opening of this first edition, which is expected to benefit all Moroccan universities throughout the years 2024-2025, Dr. Khalid Berrada, Director of Higher Education and Pedagogical Development at the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation of Morocco, Director of ICESCO’s Open Education Chair, commended the effective role of the Organization’s Chair in supporting the national plan to accelerate the transformation of higher education, scientific research and innovation in the Kingdom of Morocco. On his part, Professor Zouhaire Lamrani, Director of the École Normale Supérieure in Martil, highlighted the importance of these training sessions and their contribution to enhancing the scientific and educational skills of Ph.D. students and newly appointed professors.
Mr. Aziz El Hajir, Program Director at ICESCO’s Education Sector, highlighted the significance of ICESCO’s specialized scientific chairs in the various fields of education, and their role in enhancing the function of universities in the Islamic world and beyond and further developing applied educational research. Mr. El Hajir also lauded the Chairs’ positive impacts on bringing together higher education and modern technology, including supporting excellence and innovation through the integration of modern technology, open educational resources, and the use of artificial intelligence and its relevant services, in accordance with international standards, and in line with current scientific developments.
The third edition of ICESCO’s International Open Days, held over four days by its affiliated International Chairs Network for Thought, Literature, and Arts, in cooperation with Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University and the Arts, Sciences, and Civilizations Chair at the Euro Mediterranean University of Fez, concluded its proceedings on Sunday, 28 January 2024.
During the opening-day scientific symposium, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO Culture and Communication Sector, delivered a presentation themed “Linkages and Connections between Environment and Technologies,” held at Euro Mediterranean University of Fez, in which he reviewed the roles and objectives of ICESCO’s International Chairs Network for Thought, Literature, and Arts, noting that the eight-chair Network operates in several Arab, African, and Latin American countries, and explores different African humanitarian, philosophical, literary, and civilizational issues. On the same day, ICESCO participated in a symposium on cultural policies for sustainable development, held by UNESCO in Paris.
The second day saw the launch of the cultural projects incubator “Ibdaa,” developed by ICESCO in partnership with the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie for North African countries to supervise the “creative intelligence” projects of more than eighty young people from Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, and Mauritania. The incubator will support 45 pioneering projects by providing a year-round training and capacity-building workshops to establish startups in the field of creative industries and digital cultural economy.
On the third day, ICESCO’s International Chairs Network for Thought, Literature and Arts held a working session, in Rabat, in partnership with the Center for Technical Study, Knowledge and Practices (CETCOPRA), affiliated to Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, in the presence of Dr. Caroline Moricot, Vice-President of the University, whereby the two parties agreed to form a joint team of study and research in areas of common interest.
