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As part of the official program of the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development MONDIACULT 2025, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a special session titled: “Cultural Rights in the Digital Age: Inclusive Access, Fair Participation, and Rights-Based Governance.” The session highlighted the place of culture within the sustainable development agenda, cultural rights in the digital era, and the opportunities and challenges brought about by technological transformations.

The event, organized by ICESCO on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, in partnership with UNESCO, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and UN Women, aimed at strengthening international cooperation to guarantee fair and inclusive access to culture and to achieve fair participation in shaping rights-based governance policies.

The session addressed three main issues: emphasizing the centrality of cultural rights in the digital age; the cultural dimensions of digital divides related to language, accessibility, and representation; as well as presenting ICESCO’s digital initiatives, foremost among them the ICESCO Creative Platform and the ICESCO Index of Cultural and Creative Technologies.
In this context, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture Sector, and Ms. Somia Djacta, Head of ICESCO’s Delegation to UNESCO, renewed the call for the adoption of a specific goal on culture within the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 18). They stressed the importance of recognizing culture as a strategic driver of social cohesion, innovation, and sustainable development. They also underscored the need to safeguard the rights of artists, promote the creativity of youth and women, and ensure fair and inclusive governance in the digital space.

Participants in the event unanimously emphasized the importance of bridging digital and cultural divides, protecting the rights of creators, and guaranteeing fair and inclusive access to cultural technologies. The inputs also highlighted ICESCO’s innovative contributions in this field. Joint recommendations were presented, which will be incorporated into the final documents of MONDIACULT 2025 and into future pathways of cooperation among international organizations.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the international conference “AI Ethics: The Convergence of Technology and Diverse Moral Traditions,” organized by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) on 28–29 September 2025 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha. The event was attended by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, and aimed to discuss cross-border ethical foundations for AI governance.

ICESCO was represented by Dr. Kaïs Hammami, Head of the Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence, who participated in a session titled “Transnational AI Principles and Guidelines: Harmonizing Ethics Across Borders,” alongside international academics and researchers. He emphasized the importance of building inclusive ethical frameworks that embrace cultural diversity and harmonize reference points across nations.

In his intervention, Dr. Hammami highlighted the significance of the “Riyadh Charter on Artificial Intelligence in the Islamic World,” developed by ICESCO in partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), describing it as a common reference for Member States to ensure responsible, sustainable, and equitable AI governance. He underlined that the Charter places human dignity, justice, equity, and solidarity at its core, while also contributing to the global dialogue on AI ethics.

The conference addressed the impact of AI on six key sectors: healthcare, urban planning, security, education, finance, and the future of work. ICESCO reaffirmed its firm commitment to building global ethical frameworks and strengthening balanced governance that integrates innovation with respect for cultural diversity.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the third High-Level Ministerial Dialogue for Culture-Based Climate Action, held in Barcelona on Sunday, 28 September 2025, on the eve of the World Conference on Cultural Policies Mondiacult, organized there by UNESCO.

This dialogue, convened at the invitation of the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, as the host of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) scheduled for November 2025, reaffirmed the growing momentum for integrating culture at the heart of international sustainable development agendas. The event brought together ministers of culture, policymakers, and international cultural leaders to discuss the role of culture as a catalyst for climate action and sustainability. It also adopted the Barcelona Declaration, considered a significant collective commitment to strengthening the role of culture in addressing the global climate crisis.

ICESCO was represented at this event by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture Sector, and Ms. Somia Djacta, Head of the ICESCO Delegation to UNESCO, who emphasized the Organization’s commitment to supporting cultural approaches that enhance resilience to climate change, in line with its strategic vision of promoting peace, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable development in its Member States.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the International Experts Forum, held on 26–27 September 2025 under the theme: “The Great Heritage of the Past is the Basis for an Enlightened Future”, at the headquarters of the Center for Islamic Civilization in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, under the patronage of H.E. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

ICESCO was represented at the Forum by Dr. Ahmed Abdel Basset, Expert at the Organization’s Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts, who conveyed in his speech the greetings of ICESCO Director-General, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, to all the staff of the Center for Islamic Civilization and the participants in the Forum. He also highlighted the strong relations between ICESCO and the Republic of Uzbekistan, noting that last May the Uzbek city of Samarkand was announced as the Islamic World Culture Capital for 2025.

Dr. Abdel Basset further spoke about the nature of cooperation between ICESCO and the Center for Islamic Civilization, pointing out that a large space on the Center’s second floor has been designated for the inauguration of ICESCO’s Manuscripts Center, from which numerous scientific and cultural activities will be launched in conjunction with the official opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization.

The Forum served as a prelude to the official opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization next year. It provided an opportunity for more than 200 scholars, researchers, and experts from 20 countries to discover the Center’s exhibitions, sections, and collections, in addition to discussing its mission and scope of work aimed at conveying the human essence of Islam to the international community.

It should be noted that on 25 May 2025, ICESCO Director-General visited the new headquarters of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, where he met with Mr. Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Center, to discuss the arrangements for inaugurating the ICESCO Manuscripts Center, which will be hosted within the Center for Islamic Civilization.