Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Abdelmalek Hibaoui, Professor of Higher Education at the University of Tübingen and President of the German-Moroccan Council in Germany, on the occasion of the publication of the new book of the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue entitled, “German Orientalism.”
During the meeting, held on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at ICESCO’s Headquarters in Rabat, the two parties discussed the book’s overall academic and philosophical vision, its focus on the German orientalist path and its distinctive elements which set it apart from other European orientalist studies, thus constituting a distinguished academic breakthrough that greatly enriches human thought.
The meeting also discussed the leading roles that Muslim communities can play in Europe, in a spirit of a civilizational will that highlights the values of Islamic tolerance and moderation. It also shed light on the efforts undertaken by ICESCO in this regard within the framework of its new vision, which embraces openness and strategic orientations.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, and Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of the Civilizational Dialogue Centre.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) declares its solidarity with the State of Qatar and affirms its unwavering support to the country in facing the suspicious campaign against it for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Organization underlines that Qatar has provided all the resources and conditions required for the success of the World Cup, and has ensured absolute compliance with all requirements for organizing this major international event as testified by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
In this regard, ICESCO calls upon all its Member States and other peace-loving countries to condemn this unprecedented campaign that no host country has ever faced, and stand alongside the State of Qatar in these circumstances that require equitable support, given that this campaign affects the peoples’ cultural rights and specificities and does not respect the cultural diversity which various international conventions and treaties preserve and which falls within the areas of competence of multiple international organizations, namely ICESCO.
The Organization calls for detaching this global football event from all polarizations that could affect its course to serve narrow interests aimed at diverting the world’s attention to minor issues that dissent from international consensus. It is worth stressing that Qatar has met all the necessary requirements for hosting the 2022 World Cup in an atmosphere imbued with authentic Arab hospitality, animated by the country’s pride in its Gulf and Arab neighbors, and reflective of the human dimension in such endeavors, making Qatar a worthy host that deserves all support and appreciation.
The Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers of ICESCO is holding a training session on writing African languages in the Arabic script, in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Yusuf Al-Khalifa Center for Writing Languages in Arabic Script at the International University of Africa (IUA) in the Sudan and Khartoum International Institute for the Arabic Language, for the benefit of a number of participants speaking different African languages.
The training session, which kicked off on Monday (October 31, 2022), at Khartoum International Institute for the Arabic Language in Sudan, aims to enhance the participants’ skills in the fields of linguistics, language computing and educational sciences using the latest developments in modern technologies, identify educational strategies and procedural steps for computing the oral languages in the Arabic script, and present research projects in local languages in the Arabic script on various topics.
The three-week training will be supervised by Dr. Boubaker Hassan Qadrmari, Director of Yusuf Al-Khalifa Center, and Dr. Saber Abdullah Mohamed, Head of the Training Department at the International University of Africa, in addition to experts specialized in the field of education, linguistics and media. At the end of this training, the participants will present their projects on writing local languages in the standard Arabic script.
The International Forum held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) on the future of teaching strategies in light of current developments, kicked off on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, with the participation of a host of education ministers, experts and prominent figures from several countries, to cast light on the importance of adopting modern teaching strategies and explore the new trends in the field.
During the inaugural session of the two-day virtual forum, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), delivered an address, in which he noted that the Organization is particularly keen to bring excellence and creativity to the educational process in order to keep pace with developments to achieve the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4).
Dr. AlMalik emphasized that we must draw upon the recommendations emanating from the ‘Transforming Education Summit,’ held last September at the United Nations Headquarters, in aligning teaching strategies with current developments mainly by digitizing education, integrating creative skills into school curricula and affording greater attention to distance learning.
“Building a robust educational system requires the decentralization of education and its association with cultural influences to keep pace with developments in society. This should be coupled with the generation of funding means with greater responsiveness to local and global economic fluctuations,” added ICESCO DG.
He concluded his address by noting that ICESCO endeavors to play its part in forging effective partnerships between educational institutions in Member States and donor institutions and providing the desired expertise in developing forward-looking teaching strategies and enabling the exchange of experiences between educational systems in Member and Non-Member States.
For his part, Mr. Marwan Awartani, Palestinian Minister of Education, underlined that school is a second home for students, therefore, it is paramount to invest in teachers, understand the students’ perception of school and develop education strategies accordingly.
In her address, Ms. Mariatou Koné, Minister for National Education and Literacy of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, stated that it has become imperative to rethink the future of education after the COVID-19 pandemic and advance education in African countries through the establishment of open educational institutions that use modern teaching methods.
The ministerial session on teaching strategies for quality and inclusive education subsequently began, featuring the intervention of Cheikh Oumar Anne, Senegalese National Education Minister, who detailed the major steps to be followed to develop education, and those of Mr. Kouaro Yves Chabi, Minister of Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education in Benin, and Mr. Flávio Arns, Brazilian Senator, who reviewed their countries’ adopted strategies for reforming education and keeping pace with current developments.
In an address delivered on his behalf by the Ministry’s Secretary-General, Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, Cameroonian Minister of Basic Education, praised the role of advanced educational methods in integrating students and providing the basic requirements for learning national languages and cultures. For his part, Mr. Ibrahim Natatou, Nigerian Minister of National Education, noted that countries have different educational systems and that crises contribute to creating inequalities in education, underscoring his country’s efforts to align education with current challenges.
The second session then started, featuring presentations in which various experts and professors tackled the different applications of modern teaching strategies and the challenges they raise.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the Arab SMEs, held by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in cooperation with the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), in Amman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The summit, held on October 30 – November 1, 2022, under the theme “Opportunities Beyond Borders,” witnessed the attendance of 600 participants and 50 speakers representing ministers of economy, ambassadors of Arab countries, economic bodies, intergovernmental organizations and civil society institutions, as well as entrepreneurs and investors. It aimed at exchanging experiences and knowledge to help Arab small and medium enterprises to access regional and international markets and deal with various funding sources.
In his intervention, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of ICESCO Center of Strategic Foresight, highlighted the Organization’s efforts to provide guidance, spread knowledge and share good practices aimed at developing Muslim countries and meeting the needs of its Member States, especially youth and women, underlining the Organization’s programmes to promote the establishment and development of small and medium enterprises in the field of technology and innovation in the OIC Member States.
Dr. Hammami also reviewed ICESCO’s initiatives to promote women’s entrepreneurship, digital entrepreneurship and the culture of foresight, and raise awareness of tomorrow’s professions.
The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) saw the launch of the first edition of the Young Professionals Programme 2022, which is the opportunity for young people from the Islamic world to spend a 24-month period of professional qualification at ICESCO’s sectors, departments and specialized centers. It comes within the framework of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, and aims to build young people’s capacities and provide them with new professional skills that keep pace with the current technological development.
In his welcoming speech, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, announced the launch of the first edition of the programme, which include 13 participants from 10 Member States of ICESCO, who were selected from among 1,177 candidates. He also congratulated the selected participants in the programme, which is a training opportunity for young people, stressing that ICESCO is keen to provide quality professional qualification to meet the aspirations of young people and provide them with the necessary project management skills to fulfil their roles in building a bright future.
ICESCO Director-General gave pieces of advice to the young professionals to achieve success in their practical lives, including hard work and proposing initiatives that reflect their aspirations, expressing his conviction that they will represent an addition to the Organization.
Afterwards, the young professionals presented themselves and their educational career and aspirations. During their first week at ICESCO, the young professionals will get acquainted with the work of ICESCO’s sectors, departments and centers, as well as its major initiatives in the fields of education, science and culture, through various meetings with the heads of sector and experts in addition to other activities.
It is noteworthy that the Young Professionals Programme was approved by the 14th Session of the General Conference of ICESCO, upon the recommendation of the Executive Council. The selection process included many phases, including tests and interviews conducted by a specialized committee.
The programme will enrich the participants’ experiences in the areas of international leadership through various training activities, including project management and visits to various international organizations, participation in high-level international events, and the organization of innovative participatory programmes in ICESCO’s areas of action.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Korea-Africa Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of several joint programmes and projects on youth training and capacity-building to further understand cultural and educational issues in the African continent, enhance cooperation on information and experience sharing and conduct joint research projects and studies.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mr. Lim Jae-hoon, Vice President of the Korea-Africa Foundation, signed the memorandum of understanding, on Monday (October 31, 2022), at ICESCO Headquarters, in Rabat, in the presence of the delegation of the Korean Foundation and a number of heads of sector and department of ICESCO.
Afterward, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that this agreement comes within the framework of ICESCO’s new vision and strategic orientations, which are based on cooperation with all parties for the benefit of the Member States and Muslim communities around the world, adding that cooperation and partnership agreements should include specific programmes and projects likely to achieve the best-desired results.
ICESCO Director-General pointed out that this agreement will be the start of great cooperation with many Korean institutions, especially in the fields of education and scientific research, in which Korea has made outstanding achievements.
He also explained that ICESCO prioritizes youth and women capacity-building, particularly in the neediest Member States, most notably African countries, in coordination and cooperation with their National Commissions for Education, Science and Culture.
For his part, Mr. Lim Jae-hoon expressed his happiness at the signing of the memorandum of understanding, which is the result of a continuous work effort between the two parties to enhance knowledge sharing in youth capacity-building and expand the scope of cooperation between ICESCO and the Korea-Africa Foundation, adding that ICESCO is one of the major organizations working in Africa.
The ICESCO Training Pole for Excellence in the Field of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers in Nigeria held a seminar on, “The Arabic Language: Between Authenticity and Renewal,” with the participation of several university professors, researchers and students.
The seminar discussed three themes, namely, the history of the Arabic language in the Barnawi community in Nigeria: gains and challenges, the future of Arabic in Nigerian universities, and constructive cooperation to spread Arab culture in Nigeria.
The seminar was held at the Arabic Language Village Ngala, under the supervision of its Director, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad. The session by attended by a host of professors, notably, Dr. Sharif Abdelkader Abdullah, Dr. Muhammad M. Abubakar, Dr. Muhammad Saleh Jamal; Dr. Umar Yunus, and Dr. Ali Muhammad Al-Ahmar.
The first international conference on the use of emerging technologies in Arabic language learning and teaching, which was held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Open University of Libya, concluded its proceedings in Tripoli, Libya.
Held under the theme “Creative Ideas – Constructive Vision – Proposals” on October 29-30, 2022, the conference brought together a host of Libyan university rectors and researchers in scientific centers and universities in the fields of artificial intelligence, natural language processing and the application of virtual reality in Arabic language learning and teaching.
The opening session began with an address by Dr. Omran Al-Qeeb, Libyan Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, followed by the address of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), delivered on his behalf by Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to ICESCO DG for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), then an address by Dr. Masouda Al-Aswad, Undersecretary of the Libyan Ministry of Education.A delegation comprised of Dr. Omar Halli, Dr. Majdi Bin Haji Ibrahim, Head of the ICESCO Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, and Dr. Adel Smeda, Expert at ICESCO’s Science and Technology Sector, represented the Organization at the conference.
The participants reviewed a range of scientific studies on the optical recognition of Arabic printed characters and its use in teaching the language to people with special needs, Arabic text classification, and the application of virtual reality in Arabic language learning and teaching, as well as ICESCO’s contributions to the development of new technologies in the service of the Arabic language.
On the sidelines of the conference, the ICESCO delegation held a meeting with Mr. Ramadan Almadani, President of the Libyan Academy for Post-Graduate Studies, and members of his team, in the presence of Dr. Said Mhamed Al-Dabib, Libya’s permanent delegate to ICESCO, and together they discussed means to foster cooperation between the Organization and the Academy and expand its scope to include humanities, languages and scientific research.
During the meeting, the two parties stressed the need to adopt practical projects and programmes, after completing the procedures for signing cooperation agreements, and facilitating communication between FUIW and Libyan universities to launch student exchange programmes.
On 31st October of every year, the world observes World Cities Day, which is celebrated this year under the theme “Better City, Better Life.” It is an opportunity to highlight the future challenges facing cities and urban areas and raise awareness of the need to capitalize on modern technologies and the importance of building partnerships and cooperation to achieve sustainable urban development and promote green cities.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) seizes this opportunity to call upon countries, governments, international organizations, bodies and civil society institutions to work jointly towards the preservation of the environment in cities and the promotion of development policies and programmes to support the rapid transformation towards smart, resilient and sustainable cities, and increase investments in this field in such a way as to contribute to ensuring a decent life and providing clean air and usable water for cities’ inhabitants by giving priority to financing the environmental sector.
As a contribution to achieving the eleventh Sustainable Development Goal related to sustainable cities and communities, ICESCO has developed, within the framework of its new vision and strategic orientations, an ambitious action plan for the Programme of Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Cities in the Islamic World to promote these concepts in the Member States, rationalize the use of natural resources and promote the utilization of renewable energies.
Being aware of the importance of developing and transforming cities into smart, flexible and sustainable ones, taking into account the construction of new cities according to the latest specifications to improve living conditions and preserve natural resources, the Organization reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the efforts of its Member States to develop strategies in line with the best practices and contribute to joint action to support the most vulnerable groups within cities by developing and implementing ambitious programmes and projects to help adopt this new concept.
