Category: News

Benali: Women are Active in Fields of Science, Education, and Culture

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a major celebration on Thursday, 12 March 2026, at its headquarters in Rabat, to mark International Women’s Day under the theme “For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment,” aimed at promoting awareness of the contributions of women and girls within society and the importance of strengthening their capacities across various fields.

The event opened with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by an address by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, in which he conveyed greetings to all women. He noted that the civilization of the Islamic world has, since its earliest days, honored women, upheld their rightful status, and laid the foundations for the achievements witnessed today, where women serve as pioneers and leaders occupying the highest positions of influence.

Dr. AlMalik highlighted that ICESCO places women’s issues at the core of its priorities, reflected in women holding fifty percent of leadership positions within the Organization. He affirmed that ICESCO has a clear vision in which women are accorded full dignity and occupy leadership roles commensurate with those of men.

For her part, Dr. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of the Kingdom of Morocco, stressed the particular importance of the celebration’s theme, as it places women’s roles in building, development, and influence at the center of discussion. She underlined that women in the Islamic and Arab world are active in science, education, culture, and action and reform, and she reviewed Morocco’s national efforts to empower women and strengthen their dignity and status.

The ceremony then featured a screening of a short film titled “Women Making Impact,” followed by verses of Prophetic praise, and a high-level panel discussion moderated by Dr. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector at ICESCO. The session included the participation of Dr. Yousra bint Hussein AlJazairy, Chair of the Cultural Committee of the Group of Spouses of Arab Ambassadors and Heads of International Organizations accredited to Morocco, who emphasized the importance of supporting women’s success stories, which reach their full impact when transformed into sustained contributions that open broader opportunities for other women.

Dr. Yousra AlJazairy noted that women’s experiences across the Islamic world vary, with some having access to education and leadership opportunities, while others continue striving to obtain them. She called for narrowing the gaps in education and empowerment.

In her intervention, H.E. Mawadda Omar Haj Al-Toam, Ambassador of Sudan to Morocco, affirmed that Islam advocates equality in rights, referencing several stages in Islamic civilization during which women assumed leadership roles.

Dr. Sadia Faizunnesa, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Morocco, reviewed her country’s efforts to promote girls’ education, considering it essential for women’s economic, social, and leadership development and a driver of sustainable development.

The celebration concluded with an exchange of commemorative shields between Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Benali. Following this, ICESCO’s Director-General presented commemorative shields to Dr. AlJazairy, H.E. Mawadda Omar Haj Al-Toam, H.E. Sadia Faizunnesa, and Dr. Almamy Mbaye in recognition of their efforts to advance women’s roles in various fields.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received, on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, Ambassador Yu Jinsong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Morocco, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the Organization and China in the fields of education, science, culture, and civilizational dialogue.

At the beginning of the meeting, held at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik congratulated Ambassador Yu Jinsong on her appointment as China’s Ambassador to Morocco, wishing her success in her mission. He stressed the Organization’s commitment to enhancing its distinguished partnership with China, which has resulted in the implementation of several activities, programmes, and conferences in the fields of civilizational exchange and heritage preservation. The most recent initiative was a cultural celebration hosted at ICESCO Headquarters on the occasion of the Chinese Spring Festival 2026, featuring performances that reflected the harmony between Islamic civilization and Chinese culture.

Dr. AlMalik noted that, in line with ICESCO’s approach of openness, the Organization offers non-Member States the opportunity to join as “Observer Members,” extending an invitation to the Chinese side to participate with a high-level delegation in ICESCO’s General Conference scheduled for next May, which the Ambassador welcomed.

For her part, Ambassador Yu Jinsong affirmed her country’s keenness to strengthen its outstanding partnership with ICESCO in the fields of education, science, culture, and the exchange of expertise and knowledge in technology and civilizational communication.

Ambassador Yu Jinsong also delivered to Dr. AlMalik an official letter from Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), reaffirming ICESCO’s pivotal role in enhancing cooperation between the Islamic world and China in the fields of culture, science, education, youth, and the deepening of civilizational dialogue.

The meeting was attended from ICESCO by Anar Karimov, Head of the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperation; Osama Heikal, Head of the Sector of Media and Communication; Dr. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Director General’s Office and Supervisor of the Sector of Strategy and Institutional Excellence; Dr. Webber Ndoro, Head of the Islamic World Heritage Center; and Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of the Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence.

The Headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) hosted on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, the third session of the Ramadan Gathering “Excellence in Vicegerency (Istikhlaf),” organized by ICESCO, in cooperation with the Group of Spouses of Arab Ambassadors and Heads of International Organizations accredited to the Kingdom of Morocco. During the event, Dr. Khadija Abouzid, Professor of Higher Education at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, delivered a lecture titled “From Screen to Testimony: The Art of Making an Impact,” in the presence of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, a number of ambassadors accredited to Morocco, members of the Group, and a distinguished audience interested in intellectual and spiritual affairs.

The meeting kicked off with recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an, followed by welcoming remarks from Dr. Yousra Aljazairy, Chair of the Cultural Committee of the Group. She underscored that human awareness is reflected in one’s understanding that life on earth is not a silent passage but an enduring imprint that bears witness for or against its maker. She added that humans were honored not only with reason, knowledge, or capability, but also with the unique ability to create impact through conscious choice.

Dr. Aljazairy emphasized that the essence of vicegerency lies not in the act itself but in its lingering mark, stressing that vicegerency is not a granted privilege but a responsibility to create meaningful impact. She noted that every human being, willingly or unwillingly, leaves a trace, citing the noble Seerah of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who reshaped human consciousness, leaving a living presence in the human conscience more than fourteen centuries later.

Dr. Abouzid then explained the precise meaning of “impact” as the mark that endures in hearts, emotions, and minds after a person’s departure. She affirmed that the essence of human existence is tied to relationships and to the impact one leaves within one’s surroundings. This was evident, she noted, in the early years of the Islamic call, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, focused on spiritual and psychological development before rituals and obligations, an approach that should guide the upbringing of children within the family, prioritizing faith and ethics to nurture responsible individuals capable of self-accountability in their relationship with Allah Almighty and with others.

She stressed that modern technologies have become essential tools in daily life and should be used to generate positive impact and good practices in digital interactions. She outlined several principles for doing so, including knowing Allah, sincerity in action, positive expectations, generosity, wishing good for others, patience, and mastery of work.

The lecture concluded with an open discussion, during which Dr. Abouzid answered questions from the audience.