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Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Moussa Faki Mohamed, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the Organization and the Union in areas of common interest.

During the meeting, held in New York, on Monday (September 19, 2022), on the sidelines of the United Nations Transforming Education Summit, organized in parallel with the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main axes of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and its major initiatives, programmes and activities to consolidate the values of peace, coexistence and civilizational dialogue, build the capacities of youth and women, encourage Member States to invest in modern technology, and benefit from their opportunities in developing education, science and culture.

The meeting also touched on the areas of common interest and points of convergence between the priorities of ICESCO and the African Union. The two parties stressed their willingness to build a fruitful partnership and agreed to sign a cooperation agreement, which includes the implementation of joint practical programmes and activities, and the participation in international conferences and forums of each party.

The meeting brought together Dr. Mohamed El-Hassan Ould Labat, President of the Cabinet, Advisor for Strategic and Political Relations; and Ambassador Fatima Kyari, Head of the African Union Mission to the United Nations; as well as Dr. Barry Coumbou, Head of ICESCO Education Sector; Ms. Amira Al-Fadil, Head of ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at ICESCO Science and Technology Sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Albert Ouedraogo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Burkina Faso, held a meeting to review the latest developments in cooperation between ICESCO and Burkina Faso and discuss the implementation of several partnership programmes and activities in the future.

The meeting, which was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Education of Burkina Faso, came on the sidelines of the participation of Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Ouedraogo in the United Nations Summit for Transforming Education in New York, where ICESCO and Burkina Faso reviewed the key results of their joint programmes, projects and activities and reaffirmed the continuation of their constructive partnership.

The two parties agreed to cooperate in holding a symposium on space sciences and a training session for youth in Burkina Faso on how to design and manufacture an educational satellite “CanSat,” to implement several projects in the preservation of the environment, inscription of several historical sites and cultural elements in Burkina Faso on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List and organize training sessions for heritage officials in Burkina Faso on preparing inscription files and protecting and maintaining archaeological sites.

The meeting also touched upon the problem of dropping out of school, Burkina Faso’s success in addressing and reducing the effects of this phenomenon and the possibility of transferring this experience to other ICESCO Member States.

For his part, the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso commended ICESCO’s new vision and strategic orientations and expressed his gratitude for the Organization’s interest in cooperating with his country and supporting its efforts in developing education, science and culture, stressing that his government will pay the arrears of Burkina Faso’s contributions to ICESCO’s budget.

The meeting brought together from ICESCO: Dr. Barry Koumbouo, Head of the Education Sector, Ms. Amira El-Fadil, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor in the Science and Technology Sector, and Dr. Sungbong Kim, Expert at the Education Sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called on the global community to implement several reform policies to usher in a new era of education that meets the world’s needs for inclusive and equitable quality education. He stressed that countries need to raise the share of education in their general budgets, set up a world fund for supporting education during disasters and in conflict zones, and urge global corporates specializing in the field of education to provide technical and technological support to educational sectors in developing countries. He also called on educational organizations to cooperate in conducting studies on the latest educational development and set up a plan for the ensuing needs.

Dr. AlMalik made this statement Monday, September 19, 2022, at the Transforming Education Summit Leaders Day, held by the United Nations at its headquarters in New York, concurrently with the organization of the 77th General Assembly. This major educational event aims to pool efforts, align ambitions and promote solidarity to find solutions to compensate for the hits that struck the education sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reimagine its future. The Summit saw high-caliber participation including heads of states and governments, ministers, leaders, international organizations and world-renowned experts in the field of education.

At the outset, Dr. AlMalik commended the organization of the Transforming Education Summit, which represents the start of a new era in education. He also highlighted the key roles of education in supporting the development and building world peace and security, noting that SDG4 stresses the importance of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality lifelong education. He added that education was one of the fields most impacted by the pandemic repercussions, as its system has become a standard for measuring our success or failure in preventing disasters and overcoming crises.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik stated that ICESCO places education at the forefront of its priorities, guided by its new and forward-looking vision which focuses on women, children and young people and capitalizes on modern technology to build the youth’s capacities to keep up with the sciences and jobs of tomorrow. He reaffirmed that the educational process goes beyond memorization to reach competencies, talents, intelligence and creativity.

In this regard, the Director-General announced that, in its capacity as an international organization with a civilizational outreach, ICESCO reaffirms its support for sustainable educational development goals, led by the UN, adding that ICESCO is aware of the dire situation of girls’ education and intends to set up digital labs for girls, along with a digital library for children’s education.

Likewise, the Director-General stated that the educational challenges caused by the pandemic necessitate smart and unconventional solutions that make use of modern educational methods, focus on the role of the teacher and highlight the importance of family in the educational process.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Dauren Abayev, Minister of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to discuss ways of improving cooperation between ICESCO and Kazakhstan in the fields of culture.

During the meeting, held on Thursday (September 15, 2022) at the Ministry’s headquarters, in Nur-Sultan, in the presence of the Deputy Minister and the Director of International Relations as well as a number of the ministry officials, Dr. Al-Malik reviewed ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, which contribute to laying the foundations for cultural policies in Muslim countries and ensuring the protection and preservation of heritage, highlighting the Organization’s key initiatives and programmes implemented to valorize the cultural heritage of Muslim countries, promote digital culture, spread awareness about the importance of sport as a driving force for building peace and dialogue between societies, uniting peoples and breaking down barriers of hatred, as well as developing the educational process and maintaining students’ health.

For his part, the Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sports commended ICESCO’s remarkable roles in its areas of competence and the distinguished relations between the Organization and Kazakhstan, stressing his willingness to continue and develop this partnership.

Moreover, the meeting tackled the proposal of organizing cultural weeks by the competent parties in Kazakhstan, Rabat, Cairo, and Yaounde, which are celebrated as Culture Capitals in the Islamic World for 2022 with a view to introducing Kazakh culture and promoting cultural exchange.

The two parties also agreed to strengthen cooperation through many programmes and activities, including Kazakhstan’s submission of files of heritage sites and cultural elements for their inscription on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List, co-organize a training session for young people on the restoration and preservation of cultural property, and an international symposium on Al-Farabi’s contributions to human civilization, and take the necessary measures to sign a memorandum of understanding on the formula of cooperation, at the Organization’s headquarters.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the tree-planting ceremony, organized at the Peace and Harmony Park, in Nur-Sultan.

This ceremony, held on Thursday (September 15, 2022), as part of the 7th Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, saw the participation of the President of the Kazakh Senate and the Mayor of Nur-Sultan, along with the heads of delegation and leaders of religions taking part in the Congress, as a symbol that religions call for peace and unity.

Afterward, the participants in the Congress took a group photo.

Dr. Salim Al-Malik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), on the sidelines of their participation in the seventh session of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan the capital of Kazakhstan. The two sides explored ways to enhance cooperation between ICESCO and the Alliance of Civilizations in the field of peacebuilding and the consolidation of the values of coexistence and civilized dialogue.

During the meeting, which took place today, Thursday (September 15, 2022), Dr. Al-Malik reviewed ICESCO’s comprehensive vision in the field of peacebuilding under which ICESCO implements several initiatives and programmes, including ICESCO’s program for training youth and women in leadership for peace and security, which aims at qualifying and mobilizing young people to become ambassadors of peace in their communities through equipping them with the tools of knowledge and leadership skills by exchanges with inspirational leaders and expert trainers.
The meeting reviewed ICESCO’s partnership in organizing the high-level conference to be held by the Alliance of Civilizations in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, which will be attended by religious leaders.

For his part, Mr. Moratinos praised the roles played by ICESCO in building peace and promoting civilizational dialogue, stressing the keenness of the Alliance of Civilizations to cooperate with ICESCO.