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The Science and Technology Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the German-Jordanian University (GJU) in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, held an international seminar on the impact of digital currencies on international trade and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as a training session on blockchain technology and its role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, to contribute to supporting digital transformation and encouraging the Islamic world countries to join the digital economy.

During the seminar, which was held on Monday, May 15, 2023, with the participation of several local and international experts in the fields of technology, digital financial services and economics, Dr. Adel Smeda, Expert at ICESCO Science and Technology Sector, highlighted the importance of introducing the potential of cryptocurrencies and finding innovative solutions to enhance the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and help them in keeping pace with the developments and challenges of the digital era.

In his address during the training workshop, which was held on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, Dr. Smeda delivered a presentation on the Fourth Industrial Revolution opportunities and challenges as well as the promising prospects it provides to youth, pointing out ICESCO’s efforts in supporting several projects in the fields of digital transformation and information technology, as part of the Organization’s conviction in the pivotal role they play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Workshop aimed at training youth on ways and mechanisms to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitization in the fields of economy, entrepreneurship and innovation, and introducing the concepts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the key technologies, mainly artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of things and blockchain technology.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) announces the appointment of Mr. Anar Karimov, former Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as Head of the Partnership and International Cooperation Sector of the Organization.

Mr. Karimov was chosen to assume this position due to his successful experience and career. He holds the highest diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan in 2000, where he held various diplomatic positions at the Embassy of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Belgium and in its Mission to the European Union. He held the position of Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to UNESCO in Paris for 6 years starting in 2014 before being appointed Deputy Minister of Culture and then Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan until December 2022.

Mr. Karimov will lead ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector to enhance the Organization’s partnerships with various institutions in its Member States, as well as with international organizations and bodies, to contribute to increasing its outreach worldwide and mobilize the necessary financial resources to support its programs in the fields of Education, Science, Culture and communication.

ICESCO’s General Directorate congratulates the Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector on assuming this position, wishing him success in his mission to contribute to the achievement of the Organization’s noble goals.

The Education Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is holding in Dhaka, capital of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, a workshop on education for global citizenship and sustainable development, in cooperation with the National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Education in Bangladesh. The event is aimed at equipping 100 teachers from religious schools in the capital with fundamental knowledge pertaining to the workshop’s thematic focus and introducing them to innovative educational and cultural approaches.

The opening of the three-day workshop, held on Tuesday, 16 May 2023, witnessed the notable attendance of distinguished officials, experts and stakeholders in the field of education. The event highlighted the importance of integrating principles of tolerance into the daily lives of individuals and societies, exemplifying this through the teachings of Islam and the remarkable life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which abound in ethical values and virtues.

The attendees lauded ICESCO’s commendable endeavors to advance educational systems, bolster expertise, refine teachers’ competencies and promote the integration of information technology in education. They also underscored the need to cultivate an understanding of the foundations and concepts of education for global citizenship and sustainable development among students, and encourage them to apply these principles in their daily lives to ultimately foster a prosperous world and achieve peaceful coexistence among societies.

On 18 May of each year, the world celebrates International Museum Day, which was proclaimed by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in 1977 to highlight the importance of museums, raise awareness about their role in achieving sustainable development and strengthen links between museums and society through various cultural activities. This Day is an occasion for the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) to reiterate its commitment to support museum institutions in the Islamic world.

Under this year’s theme: “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”, ICESCO reaffirms its support for the efforts of its Member States to strengthen policies for the safeguarding and valorizing museum collections and calls on the competent authorities to develop display methods and enhance the pivotal role of museum institutions in preserving identity, strengthening social cohesion, consolidating the values of solidarity and highlighting cultural diversity, which contributes to the well-being of societies, that has become an urgent demand in light of the accelerating challenges the world is witnessing.

In this context, ICESCO is hosting, at its headquarters in Rabat, the International Museum and Exhibition of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, in partnership with the Muslim World League and the Mohammedia League of Scholars of the Kingdom of Morocco, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, which was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay El Hassan, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Morocco. The Exhibition documents the origins of the true religion and the details of the Prophet’s Seerah (PBUH) and Islamic values ​​based on mercy, justice, coexistence and peace through using the latest display technologies with more than one-and-a-half million visitors in five months.

In line with the importance of museums in the countries of the Islamic world, where there are nearly 3,000 museums, as functioning institutions in preserving social memory and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development, ICESCO confirms, as part of its vision and strategic orientations, the continuation of implementing its programmes and initiatives of capacity-building for heritage professionals and expanding the network of museums in the Islamic world to facilitate knowledge exchange and multicultural dialogue.

The Education Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) holds a training session for Arabic-Islamic education staff in Conakry, Republic of Guinea, in cooperation with the Guinean National Commission for ICESCO, for the benefit of a number of counselors and inspectors.

The session, which kicked off on Tuesday (May 16, 2023) and lasts for four days, aims to rehabilitate Arabic-Islamic education staff, including teachers, counselors, and administrators, provide them with the necessary skills, address the obstacles to the development of Arabic-Islamic education, and modernizing teaching methods in relevant institutions as well as strengthening its role in education on peace, coexistence and social cohesion, and devising a unified vision on the mechanisms of investment in information and communication technology.
During the opening session, Mr. Ibrahim Bah, Assistant Secretary-General for Religious Affairs, Mr. Ibrahim Sanusi, Representative of the Minister of Pre-University Education and Literacy, Mr. Malik Bah, Director of the Institute of Curricula and Pedagogical Activities in Guinea, and Mr. Mohamed Ali Sow, National Correspondent of ICESCO in Guinea, member of the Organization’s Executive Council, commended the roles that ICESCO fulfills in its Member States to advance and develop educational systems, including the Republic of Guinea.

In his statement, Dr. Youssef Abou Dakka, Programs Manager at ICESCO Education Sector, stressed the importance of the workshop, hoping that it would achieve its goals of promoting the roles of Arabic and Islamic educational institutions in raising awareness and strengthening their roles in education on peace, coexistence and social cohesion, and serving as a means of cultural and civilizational outreach.

The Science and Technology Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is holding a training workshop on addressing food security challenges in the Sahel region, in partnership with the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Islamic Organization for Food Security. The workshop is also held in cooperation with the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel, with the participation of 12 countries from the region.

The five-day workshop, which kicked off on Monday (May 15, 2023) both in person in Niamey, Republic of Niger and via videoconference, aims to exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of food security, cooperate in developing innovative strategies to overcome food-related challenges in the Sahel region, and discuss ways to disseminate best practices to address the impact of climate change.

During the opening session of the workshop, Dr. Alambedji Abba Issa, Nigerien Minister of Agriculture, highlighted his country’s sustained efforts to enhance food security and contribute to achieving community solidarity and sustainable development.

For his part, Dr. Muhammed Sharif, Advisor at ICESCO’s Science and Technology Sector, stressed the need to find sustainable solutions to achieve food security as it is a key element in achieving peace and sustainable development, highlighting ICESCO’s endeavor to deal with food security challenges through several initiatives in the fields of climate change, smart agriculture and resilient cities.

A number of directors of research centers, officials, experts and specialists in the field will participate in the workshop to assess the food security situation in the Sahel region, discuss sustainable agricultural practices and techniques to enhance food production and improve adaptability to climate change, and review regional policies for food security management.

The Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) released the second series of academic studies in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, as part of the Center’s supersized “specialized studies” project.

The project aims at enhancing ICESCO’s presence in the field of scientific research and publication, consolidating scientific and educational research, keeping pace with educational and cognitive developments in Arabic language teaching curricula, courses and educational means, and strengthening the Center’s relationship with researchers specialized in teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers from inside and outside ICESCO Member States.

The ten publications of the second series revolve around the topic of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, from various aspects and different perspectives co-authored by a group of experts from different universities representing nine countries: Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Japan, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Qatar and Malaysia.

These publications are titled are follows:- Arabic conjugation and its importance in teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers.

– Contextual dictionary of feminine words in Arabic for non-Arabic speakers.

– Teaching Arabic culture to non-Arabic students: issues, experiences and applied models.

– Teaching Arabic for health purposes for non-Arabic learners: a theoretical study and designing a model educational unit.

– Strategies for developing morphological awareness among non-Arabic learners.

– How to transfer non-Arabic learners from the beginner level to the distinguished level in light of the standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).- Arab-Islamic education in Nigeria: its developments and future bets.

– Enrichments of the levels of reading text in virtual reality applications and their mechanisms for language use: the application of Second Life as a model.

– Critical thinking and its applications in teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers: a vision in theory and practice.- Applications of language blogs in learning and teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is delighted to announce its Year of Youth under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. This year-long initiative will encompass a wide range of initiatives and activities implemented by ICESCO starting from the year’s official launch through a major international celebration soon to be organized in Egypt. The program will focus on enhancing the capabilities and skills of youth in ICESCO Member States, in coordination with competent authorities in each country.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), conveyed gratitude and appreciation to President al-Sissi for graciously endorsing the Organization’s Year of Youth, commending his unwavering support for youth empowerment and skill development in Egypt and beyond, as exemplified by his remarkable proposal during the 14th session of ICESCO’s General Conference held in December 2021 in Cairo. The proposal included the establishment of the Education and Talent Support Fund in the Islamic World, along with the provision of scholarships in Egyptian universities, Al-Azhar University and private universities for young individuals hailing from ICESCO Member States.

Dr. AlMalik pointed out that the detailed program for ICESCO’s Year of Youth will be announced during its official launch, adding that this initiative aims to equip the younger generation with the necessary skills for future professions and enable them to keep pace with global technological advancements and contribute to the consolidation of values such as coexistence, peace and civilizational dialogue. He noted that the Organization has dedicated a year to young people in recognition of their pivotal role in achieving sustainable development and building a better future.

It is worth mentioning that ICESCO, in line with its vision and strategic orientations established three years ago, attaches particular importance youth and implements several ambitious programs and projects geared towards enhancing their capacities in coordination with National Commissions for Education, Science, and Culture in the ICESCO Member States. Notable initiatives include the Young Professionals Program (YPP), the Leadership Training in Peace and Security (LTIPS), model satellite design (CanSat) workshops, the program for training and supporting young people in establishing and developing projects in the field of technology and innovation and the “Ebda3” incubator for cultural and creative projects.

The Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is holding a training session in the Union of the Comoros on the use of electronic platforms and digital resources in teaching Arabic for non-Arabic speakers, for the benefit of more than thirty educational officials and teachers of the Arabic language from various regions.
The session, which kicked off on Monday (May 8, 2023) and will last for four days, in Moroni, is organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the National Commission for Education, Science and Culture of Comoros as well as Imam Shafi’i University.

The opening session saw the presence of Mr. Suleiman Saleh Hamad, Secretary-General of the Comoros Ministry of Education, who gave an address wherein he commended ICESCO’s role in supporting educational staff in his country through its training sessions, activities and programs. Dr. Abdulra’uf Abdu Omar, Rector of Imam Shafi’i University, Sayyid Muhammad bin Ali, ICESCO Delegate, and Dr. Ali al-Sayyid Ahmed, Secretary-General of the Comoros National Commission, also attended the opening session along with several personalities.

The training, which is supervised by Dr. Anas H. Saeed, Expert at ICESCO Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, aims to provide participants with educational knowledge and experience and develop their educational skills in employing modern technologies and digital resources in teaching Arabic for non-Arabic speakers.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie announce the call for applications to participate in the cultural and creative project incubator, “Ibdaa,” launched by ICESCO and the Agency to support entrepreneurship in the fields of culture and the creative economy.

The Ibdaa incubator covers four countries, namely Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania, where 40 pioneering project ideas will be selected to receive support on business creation skills, networking and exchanging experiences with experts in the field of entrepreneurship, and training in the digital field.

The “Ibdaa” Incubator aims to promote creative entrepreneurship, foster social, cultural and regional inclusion of entrepreneurial artists and support professionals in the Maghreb region, as part of a partnership between ICESCO and the Agency, which provides for supporting youth, women and communities to tap into their creative potential and enhance economic growth rates by supporting the cultural and creative sector.Over the course of a year, the incubator will witness the organization of a series of training courses for the benefit workers in the field of cultural economy and creative industries.

These courses will capitalize on the rich and diverse cultural assets of the Maghreb countries, and focus on creative industries as tools for promoting their national image and culture and a mechanism for achieving development and enhancing social and cultural cohesion.

The incubator initiative, which will conclude its activities with a training camp in Tunisia, seeks to contribute to the development of national cultural policies in line with the local reality of each country, in addition to promoting the cultural and creative scene through networking among existing entrepreneurship ecosystems in order exchange experiences, and support the growth, competitiveness and economic potential of cultural and creative projects.

Participation is open to Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian and Mauritanian nationals until Friday, June 16, 2023. Applicants must submit their applications in French, which include the nomination form (duly filled in) available via the link: https://enquetes.auf.org/129982, a scanned copy of a valid national identity card or passport (for the candidate and project team members), a CV (for the candidate and project team members), and a file on the history of the artworks.For all questions and inquiries, please contact us via e-mail: ebda3@auf.org.