Category: Front Page|News

ICESCO Center for Islamic World Heritage, in partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in the Kingdom of Bahrain (ARC‐WH), and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), held a symposium on the Islamic world heritage from 21 to 31 July 2024 in New Delhi, India, in parallel with the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee. The event saw a high-level participation from specialized international organizations.

In his pre-recorded speech, transmitted at the opening session of the symposium held on Wednesday (24 July 2024), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), stressed that the common heritage is not only a collection of archaeological sites and monuments, but also a living testimony to the history and creativity of humanity, adding that in an evolving world, it is imperative to preserve the treasures of this heritage, which faces multiple threats and challenges.

He also affirmed that since 2020, ICESCO, through the Islamic World Heritage Centre, has been working to implement programmes and initiatives to value and preserve the sustainability of heritage in the Islamic world, and to develop plans and strategies to confront the illicit trafficking of cultural property, and the effects of climate change and conflicts on archaeological sites.

He concluded his speech by pointing out that ICESCO aims to register no less than a thousand archaeological sites and cultural elements on the Islamic World Heritage List, which currently includes 624 sites and elements, and to increase the number of Islamic world heritage sites registered on the World Heritage List.

For his part, Dr. Webber Ndoro, Head of ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Centre, reviewed the Centre’s activities, strategic vision, and role in upgrading the capacities of human resources working in the field of heritage, as well as its efforts to preserve and enhance the heritage of the Islamic world, underlining the importance the Centre attaches to supporting endangered sites in ICESCO Member States.

The Participants stressed the importance of enhancing international cooperation to contribute to the valorization and preservation of cultural and natural heritage, and to pool efforts to build a safe and secure world.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received a delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), headed by Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural, Social and Family Affairs, after the close of the second meeting of the ICESCO-OIC Joint Coordination and Cooperation Committee.

During the meeting, held on Wednesday (17 July 2024) at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director General of ICESCO, and a number of heads of sectors and directors of departments at the Organization, Dr. AlMalik underlined the strong relations between ICESCO and the parent Organization (OIC), thanking the Committee for its efforts to consolidate the partnership between the two organizations to serve the Islamic world and Muslim communities around the world.

For his part, Ambassador Bakheet thanked ICESCO DG and the OIC team, highlighting the success of the second meeting of the Joint Coordination and Cooperation Committee.

The delegation members also commended ICESCO’s achievements in its areas of competence, as well as its initiatives, programs and distinguished projects, and appreciated the improvements to ICESCO’s headquarters, as well as the modernization of the Organization’s working mechanisms.

During the meeting, the two parties affirmed the need to continue their mutual coordination to follow up the partnership programs and projects, and discussed the proposal to open an office of ICESCO at the OIC General Secretariat’s headquarters, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and an office of the OIC at ICESCO’s headquarters, in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco.

As part of the partnership between the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Libyan Ministry of Education, an initiative to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the educational and pedagogical process in Libya was launched in Tripoli. This initiative supports efforts to transform education by keeping pace with digital transformation in the educational system.

This joint initiative was launched by ICESCO, the Ministry of Education, the Libyan National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, and the Libyan Delegation to the Organization. It included the convening of a three-day training, by ICESCO’s Foresight and Artificial Intelligence Centre, on strategic foresight for decision-making. This training is tailored for several officials and employees of the Libyan Ministry of Education, and aims at equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to keep pace with educational transformation and to establish a foresight unit within the Ministry. The launch also includes the development of a system for integrating AI into the educational process, with the participation of several international experts in the field.

In his remarks at the opening of the training on Monday July 15, 2024, Dr. Musa Muhammad Al-Maqrif, Minister of Education, President of the Libyan National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, expressed his gratitude to ICESCO for its cooperation with the Ministry in assessing the current situation and anticipating the future. This cooperation lays the groundwork for the initiative to integrate AI into the educational process.

For his part, Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO’s Foresight and Artificial Intelligence Centre, emphasized the importance of adopting a foresight approach within institutions to make proactive and informed decisions while considering ethical implications. Dr. Hammami highlighted that this training is part of ICESCO’s efforts to enhance knowledge and innovation in the Islamic world.

Through its practical workshops, the training aims to provide participants with a deep understanding of strategic foresight tools and techniques, future thinking trends and theories, and to enhance their capabilities in planning and identifying and analyzing key factors influencing change.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) seizes the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day, celebrated globally on July 15 every year, to emphasize the importance of raising awareness of the role of youth in building a brighter future, and the necessity of qualifying young people, upgrading their skills, and benefiting from their potentials to promote sustainable development in their communities, and motivating them to unleash their creative energies in various fields.

In view of the ongoing rapid technological development and the ensuing challenges, ICESCO calls for the necessity of investing in building youth capacities and providing them with methods and tools to develop their professional skills in order to build a workforce capable of contributing to economic growth, through intensifying international and regional efforts and cooperation with civil society, universities and technical and vocational training institutions, which ICESCO places at the top of its priorities as part of its new vision and action strategy.

In this regard, ICESCO has launched a number of initiatives and programs for the benefit of youth, namely the launch of ICESCO Year of Youth, which focuses on building the capacities of youth within its Member States and honing their skills, the ICESCO Youth Training Program on how to create and develop small projects in the field of technology and innovation (a-Hub Accelerator Program) designed for training youth on how to create and develop small projects in the field of technology and innovation, and the International Entrepreneurship Summit and the international training workshops on designing an educational satellite (CanSat), the Youth Climate Leadership Training Camp, and the Leadership Training for Peace and Security programme(LTIPS), which nominates ICESCO Youth Ambassadors for Peace.

On World Youth Skills Day, ICESCO reaffirms its commitment to contribute to training a generation of young leaders capable of working with the different components of their communities to achieve prosperity and sustainable development.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched its ‘Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture’ Initiative aimed at enhancing the biotechnology-related knowledge and skills of experts and specialists to contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture through scientific activities and training sessions to enhance agricultural productivity and optimize the use of natural resources.

ICESCO called on all partners and stakeholders concerned to cooperate in implementing this initiative, which includes organizing a series of activities to build the capacities of workers in agriculture to use modern biotechnology mechanisms to resist pests and diseases, adapt to climate change, reduce environmental pollution, and contribute to achieving food security.

The initiative was announced during ICESCO’s Webinar on ‘Utilizing the Potential of Biochar for Soil Improvement and Sustainable Farming,’ held in cooperation with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), via Zoom, on Wednesday (10 July 2024), with the participation of 80 experts from the Islamic world countries and beyond, to discuss the major research works on biochar production technology and its role in improving soil quality.

In his statement during the opening session, Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of ICESCO Science and Environment Sector, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to contributing to the development of sustainable agriculture in its Member States through capacity-building programs and promoting the use of smart technologies, noting that the “Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture” initiative highlights ICESCO’s endeavor to support efforts geared towards devising practical solutions to environmental challenges and developing sustainable agriculture in countries of the Islamic world.

The Culture and Communication Sector at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a meeting for the ICESCO International Chairs Network for Thought, Heritage, Letters, and Arts. The meeting brought together the supervisors of the Network’s nine chairs to review their achievements and future projects.

The meeting, held on Monday, July 1st, 2024, both in-person at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat and virtually, was attended by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector at the Organization, who thanked the Chairs’ supervisors for their continuous efforts. The ICESCO official urged the Network to work together to address the challenges facing the Islamic world in culture, heritage, thought, literature, social inclusion, and peacebuilding.

Likewise, Dr. Zinelabidine emphasized the role of ICESCO’s academic chairs in promoting creativity and scientific research, in line with the Organization’s vision to open new horizons and help the Islamic world keep pace with global transformations.

In his remarks, Dr. Patrick Mouguiama Daouda, Head of ICESCO’s Chairs, Scholarships, and Prizes Center, outlined the new vision for ICESCO Chairs, which aims to form a network that rethinks the world in a better way and encourages scientific research. He also called for joining efforts to develop innovative projects and programs.

Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of ICESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector, highlighted the need to intensify cooperation among the Chairs to achieve the desired results of ICESCO’s program, launched in June 2020 (Societies We Want), in order to create new models for peace, security, and development in an inclusive and sustainable way.

Following these discussions, participants reviewed the results of the Network Chairs’ work over the past three years, and presented suggestions to enhance connectivity among the Chairs to build a better future for the Islamic world.

With the participation of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Tunis witnessed the launch of the 24th Arab Radio and TV Festival, along with the opening of the ASBU Exhibition for Technology, Equipment, and Software Market. The event is jointly organized by the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia, in cooperation with Tunisian Television, the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), and Tunisian Radio. The Festival runs from June 26 to 29, 2024, under the theme: “Free Palestine.”

The opening ceremony of the Festival, held at the Carthage Amphitheatre on Wednesday, 26 June, 2024, was marked by the high-profile attendance of officials, media professionals, and artists from various countries. Representatives from regional and international media organizations, as well as media production companies, were also present. The Festival honored the guests of the 24th edition, and celebrated several Arab stars. The event concluded with a musical performance by Lebanese artist Ragheb Alama, with proceeds dedicated to supporting the resilient people of Palestine.

Moreover, the Festival program includes several important seminars, namely: “War Media or War on Media: The Case of Palestine,” “China-Arab States Broadcasting and Television Cooperation Forum,” “Engaging the Audience Using Artificial Intelligence,” and “Digital Stardom and Influencing Public Opinion.”

On 27 June 2024, the ASBU Exhibition for Technology, Equipment, and Software Market was inaugurated at the Chedli Klibi City of Culture in Tunis. The Exhibition features participation from major production and technology companies in the media field, broadcasting organizations from various countries, and several international organizations, including ICESCO.

ICESCO is showcasing a special pavilion to present its digital productions in education, science, and culture, including educational and intellectual programs, training courses, and publications such as books, studies, and poetry collections. This content is accessible for free viewing and downloading on ICESCO’s website and social media platforms.

ICESCO representatives, Mr. Samy El Kamhawy, Head of the Department of Information and Institutional Identity, and Ms. Soukaina Azzabi, Member of the media team, provided insights to visitors on the Organization’s key initiatives and programs, reflecting its new vision and strategic directions. Noteworthy among the initiatives were ICESCO’s efforts to support Palestine in the fields of education, science, and culture, including financial scholarships for Palestinian students at Moroccan and Egyptian universities.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), welcomed Mr. Ahmed Adam Bakhit, Minister of Social Development of the Republic of Sudan, and his accompanying delegation. The Meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between ICESCO and the Ministry in the fields of social protection and psychological healthcare through the implementation of joint programs and projects.

During the Meeting, held on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Benarafa emphasized the Organization’s commitment to partnering with Sudan and addressing the Country’s needs in its areas of expertise, particularly education and social care. He highlighted the challenges facing Sudan, which have impacted development and permeated throughout all segments of society.

Dr. Benarafa reviewed the initiatives and activities carried out by ICESCO in Sudan, including supporting women’s entrepreneurship, mitigating the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizing a socio-medical caravan, and conducting training sessions on writing African languages in the Arabic script.

Mr. Bakhit, in turn, provided an overview of the situation in Sudan, noting that the number of displaced people has reached 10 million, affecting the social and economic landscape of the country and requiring an intensification of international efforts geared towards resolving the currently bleak state of affairs. Furthermore, the Minister praised the extensive cooperation between ICESCO and Sudan in various fields and expressed a desire to further develop this cooperation and implement future programs aimed at advancing education and building youth and women capacities.

 A delegation of ministers and senior officials from the Ministries of Social Affairs, Solidarity and Family from a number of Member States of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) visited, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet's Seerah and Islamic Civilization, currently housed at the Organization's headquarters in Rabat.

During his reception of the delegation, Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, stated that the Exhibition and Museum, in its first stop outside Saudi Arabia, is the outcome of the strategic partnership among ICESCO, the Muslim World League and the Muhammadia League of Scholars. He added that since its opening to the public in November 2022, the Exhibition and Museum has attracted an unprecedented number of visitors from citizens and visitors of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Dr. Benarafa took the delegation, visiting Rabat to participate in the First International Conference on Care Economy and Social Protection, on a tour of the Exhibition and Museum, explaining that it adopts the latest technological display methods, along with the traditional display forms in the section on the Moroccan connection to Prophet Muhammad.
The members of the delegation commended this key initiative, praising ICESCO’s efforts to raise awareness of the life of the Prophet (pbuh).

Following the visit, the Deputy Director General held a meeting with Ms. Bahar Muradova, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where they discussed ways to promote cooperation between the Organization and Azerbaijan. Talks focused on humanitarian fields and capacity building for women and youth, as part of the celebration of Shusha as the 2024 Culture Capital in the Islamic World, and in furtherance of the special relations between ICESCO and Azerbaijan.

For her part, Ms. Bahar Muradova commended ICESCO’s efforts in its areas of competence, stressing her country’s keenness to further develop cooperation relations with the Organization.

Every year, on June 20, the global community commemorates World Refugee Day. The year’s theme is “For a world where refugees are welcomed”, which underlines the importance of solidarity with people forced to flee their countries. It also seeks to promote solidarity and support for their right to safety, dignity and social inclusion to help them fulfill their dreams.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) seizes this opportunity to call on the international community to work together to support refugees worldwide, and stresses the need for greater solidarity and humanitarian efforts to ensure that refugees have access to all their fundamental rights, with economic a focus on social and cultural dimensions. It also calls for providing these vulnerable groups with fair and comprehensive education and employment opportunities suited to their skills, in order to preserve their dignity.

In this context, ICESCO has launched its Medical and Social Educational Caravans, an initiative aimed at providing basic social and medical assistance inside and outside the Islamic world, particularly in rural and remote areas. The caravan organized in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, for example, targeted Palestinian refugees by providing mobile medical services and organizing community outreach programs. The caravan supported vulnerable groups by providing medical consultations, check-ups, vaccinations and basic medicines.

In addition to medical support, ICESCO stresses the key role of education in breaking the cycle of poverty and the refugee phenomenon. In this regard, the Organization has launched a scholarship program for students from vulnerable groups so that they can pursue higher education and fulfill their dream of building a brighter future.

On World Refugee Day 2024, ICESCO reaffirms its commitment to helping build a future where everyone can achieve success and prosperity, including the most vulnerable, and calls for joint efforts to end the suffering of refugees and honor their resilience and courage.