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The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a first-phase workshop in preparation for drafting the Islamic World Charter for Artificial Intelligence. The outcomes of the said workshop will aid in making provisions and sharing insights on the future of AI applications and contributing to enhancing the use of modern technology in full respect of universally shared humanitarian ethics.

The workshop was held at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat under the supervision of ICESCO Centre of Strategic Foresight and Legal Affairs and International Standards Department on Friday 15 September 2023, under the banner “Drafting the Future of Artificial Intelligence” and with the participation of several university students, tech experts and CSOs representatives.

At the workshop’s opening, Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Head of the Legal Affairs and International Standards Department, stressed the importance of the ethical framework that ICESCO strives to place while developing AI tools and highlighted the need to abide by these ethical principles.

Following this, Dr. Marc-Antoine Dilhac, Director of Algora Lab and Professor of ethics and political philosophy at Université de Montréal, presented a definition of artificial intelligence, touched on the ethical and social challenges it poses and highlighted the most critical and binding ethical principles that will aid in preparing our societies to face the digital transformations, while preserving the human ability to create.

The workshop concluded with a practical part, supervised by Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Centre of Strategic Foresight and Dr. Marc-Antoine Dilhac, in which the participants were divided into four groups to formulate different visions aimed at enhancing the role of artificial intelligence in the fields of education, science, culture and human sciences and discussing ethical issues. These insights were the topic of the final session of the workshop.

The second humanitarian caravan, launched by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) from its headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, towards the earthquake-affected regions in Taroudant province, Morocco, reached its destination today, Friday 15 September 2023, to provide relief materials to the earthquake victims there.

ICESCO’s second humanitarian caravan carries essential food items, lighting equipment, tents, children’s clothing, blankets, mattresses, as well as medical supplies. This effort is organized in partnership between the Organization and the Islamic Center for Trade Development.

The relief materials shipped through four trucks, were handed over to the Mohammed VI Foundation for Solidarity. The leading humanitarian and relief organization, in cooperation and coordination with local authorities, will distribute these aids to the remote villages severely hit by the earthquake, which are difficult to reach.

ICESCO General Directorate emphasizes that organizing humanitarian caravans is part of the Organization’s humanitarian solidarity efforts aimed at supporting the efforts of the Kingdom of Morocco and intervention teams present in the earthquake-affected areas. It also underscores the values of solidarity and cooperation advocated by the Organization to alleviate the impact of the earthquake on the neediest of the affected groups.

The Islamic Center for Trade Development points out that this initiative carried out in partnership with ICESCO, reflects the Center’s solidarity dimension in its efforts to achieve social and economic development for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Member States.

ICESCO General Directorate had previously taken several urgent decisions to affirm the Organization’s and all of its employees’ solidarity with the Kingdom of Morocco and those affected by the disaster. It launched its first relief caravan on Sunday 10 September 2023 towards the affected areas in Haouz province, providing humanitarian assistance to the affected population in 12 remote villages along a 70 km stretch in the Amghras commune.

This caravan was organized and supervised by a number of the Organization’s employees who volunteered in response to the call by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, to volunteer, provide assistance, and head to the disaster-stricken areas to lend a helping hand to earthquake victims.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) extended its most heartfelt condolences to the state and people of Libya, and to the victims who lost their lives as a result of Storm “Daniel” which wreaked havoc and resulted in floods that struck the country most recently. ICESCO extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and beseeches the Almighty Allah for a speedy recovery of the injured and the safety of the missing.

ICESCO reaffirms its full solidarity with the State of Libya in the face of this devastating natural disaster, and its full readiness to cooperate with the competent Libyan authorities to provide necessary support and assistance in its areas of competence; evaluating the damage endured by some Libyan heritage sites, and their restoration and reservation.

Having coordinated with the National Commission for Education, Science and Culture and the High Committee for the Celebration of Benghazi as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World, ICESCO decided, in solidarity with the families of the victims, the injured and the missing, to postpone until further notice the opening ceremony of celebrating Benghazi as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2023, which was scheduled for the 16th of this September.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is holding two workshops in Chad and Yemen, aimed at building the capacities of professionals in the field of heritage and museums. This initiative is part of ICESCO’s broader project to promote the right to culture by developing the skills of professionals in the fields of culture, arts, and heritage.

ICESCO’s Culture and Communication sector, in partnership with the Chadian National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, is hosting a workshop in favour of 40 young professionals in the heritage field in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena. The workshop is designed to train them in the preventive conservation techniques specifically those applied to archaeological collections.

The workshop activities kicked off on Friday (8 September 2023), and will extend over four days at the National Museum. Its primary objective is to acquaint participants with the latest methods for identifying, documenting, and managing reserve collections, along with monitoring techniques to anticipate artwork degradation. At the workshop’s conclusion, a reclassification of the collections of Chad’s National Museum will be undertaken, with the aim of enhancing collection protection against climate-related threats.

In Yemen’s Aden province, ICESCO and the Yemeni National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, in collaboration with the General Organization of Antiquities and Museums in Yemen, organized a workshop dedicated to enhance the skills of 35 participants working in Yemeni museums.

The workshop, held from 5 to 7 September 2023, at the headquarters of Medalah Foundation in Aden, aimed to equip museum professionals with tourism promotion skills and knowledge on the preservation of archaeological artifacts and historic pieces. It also covered an array of concepts related to the establishment and types of museums in Yemen, provided guidance on handling archaeological artifacts, and emphasized the importance of learning their history.

The workshop’s inaugural session was attended by Dr. Hafiza Saleh Nasser Al-Sheikh, the Secretary-General of the Yemeni National Commission. In her speech, she expressed the significant role of ICESCO in promoting Yemeni heritage. Dr. Ahmed bin Ahmed Batayeh, the President of the General Organization of Antiquities and Museums in Yemen, also attended the workshop, alongside several officials from the Ministry of Education.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization offers condolences to the king, government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco following the devastating earthquake that struck Friday late at night (8 September 2023) and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured.

The General Directorate of ICESCO extends its sincere condolences to the families of victims and beseeches Allah Almighty to have mercy on the deceased and give compassion and solace to their families.

ICESCO reiterates its unconditional solidarity with the Kingdom of Morocco, the seat country, and expresses its full readiness to cooperate with the Moroccan competent authorities to face the damage caused by the earthquake, especially in its areas of expertise; the restoration and conservation of historic monuments that were affected in some cities.