Category: News

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, organized an international workshop on “Modern Methodologies in Language Teaching,” benefiting 198 male and female trainees from among educational professionals working in the teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers, representing 15 African and Asian countries. The workshop was held on Wednesday and Thursday, 7-8 January 2026, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat.

The workshop featured an academic presentation delivered by Dr. Habib Magharaoui, an educational training expert, on the latest methodologies in language teaching and ways to integrate their strategies in curricula and educational programs, with a focus on practical procedures designed to support teachers in enhancing their performance and transitioning from traditional approaches to methods more closely aligned with modern communicative approaches.

The program also included hands-on sessions dedicated to training participants in the integration of technology into program design and curriculum planning, drawing on the latest trends in language teaching.
This workshop forms part of the annual “Mishkat Educational Leadership” program for the 2025–2026 academic year, which aims to prepare educational cadres to assume leadership roles that contribute to the development of Arabic language teaching for non-Arabic speakers in beneficiary countries.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), visited the Indonesian Embassy in Rabat, where he was received by Mr. Yuyu Sutisna, Extraordinary Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kingdom of Morocco, on Thursday, 8 January 2026.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed ways to enhance cooperation and invigorate the relationship between ICESCO and the Indonesian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.

At the outset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik emphasized the prominent position Indonesia holds within ICESCO, stressing the importance of its active representation in the Organization’s activities, programs, and initiatives. He also commended Indonesia’s efforts in the scientific, environmental, educational, and cultural fields.

Dr. AlMalik called for enhancing cooperation and coordination between ICESCO and the Indonesian National Commission, noting that the Organization has adopted an approach of communicating with its Member States through national commissions to develop programs and initiatives that address the needs and aspirations of these countries.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik expressed his anticipation of Indonesia being represented by a high-level delegation during the upcoming General Conference of the Organization, scheduled to be held in Morocco in the coming months.

For his part, Ambassador Yuyu Sutisna affirmed his country’s keenness to strengthen cooperation with ICESCO, praising the latter’s role in developing its areas of competence across the Islamic world.

The meeting also included discussions on the potential organization of a high-level international conference hosted by ICESCO in Indonesia, and an official visit by an ICESCO delegation to Jakarta to conduct in-depth talks with senior officials on ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two sides.

The meeting was attended on ICESCO’s side by Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector; Osama Heikal, Head of the Sector of Media and Communication; and Dr. Fahman Fathurrahman, Expert in the Science and Environment Sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met on Tuesday, 6 January 2025, with participants in the 2nd Young Professionals Program for 2025. The program offers promising young men and women from within and outside the Islamic world the opportunity to spend 24 months in professional training across ICESCO’s specialized sectors, divisions, and centers.

In his address during the meeting held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik congratulated the 13 selected participants from 11 countries, chosen from nearly 7,000 applicants. He expressed his conviction that bringing in new talent supports the Organization’s efforts to foster innovation and creativity in its programs and initiatives for Member States.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik highlighted ICESCO’s flagship initiatives, programs, and projects aimed at preparing youth for future careers and encouraging innovation in fields such as modern science and technology, environment, culture, and education.

Dr. AlMalik also shared several pieces of advice to ensure a successful professional journey, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and knowledge-seeking, diligence and fact-checking, viewing mistakes as learning opportunities, and benefiting from the cultural and intellectual diversity offered by both the program and the Organization. He encouraged participants to leverage modern technologies for learning and skill development and to present their ideas and innovations.

During the meeting, participants introduced themselves, shared their educational backgrounds, professional interests, and aspirations. The session also featured an open discussion between the DG and the young professionals, during which Dr. AlMalik answered their questions and inquiries.

In observance of the World Arabic Language Day, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), through its Training Pole for Excellence in Arabic Language in the Republic of Benin, and the ICESCO Chair of Research and Pedagogical Innovation for the Development of Arabic Teaching in Guinea, held a series of scientific and educational activities to promote the role of Arabic language in Africa, with the participation of ambassadors, academics, researchers, professors, students, and those interested in linguistic and cultural affairs.

In Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the ICESCO Chair of Research and Pedagogical Innovation for the Development of Arabic Teaching organized training workshops and scientific lectures for students, educational leaders, and Arabic language teachers, focusing on educational supervision and language teaching skills based on a competency-based approach.

These activities benefited 137 educational officials between 11 and 18 December 2025, as part of a program aimed at improving professional performance in the classroom and enhancing teaching competencies, while providing practical approaches to dealing with the challenges facing Arabic language teaching in the country.

During the same period, a two-day “reading competition” was organized for university students in Guinea, resulting in the recognition of 17 students to encourage reading and excellence in Arabic language learning.

In Benin, the ICESCO Training Pole for Excellence in Arabic Language, with the support of the Hamdan bin Rashid Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, organized a national scientific conference in Porto-Novo, from 18 to 20 December 2025, under the theme “Towards the Valorization of the Arabic Heritage in Benin.”

The conference discussed the historical dimensions of the presence of Arabic in local culture, its place in educational and training institutions, the contributions of scholars to writing local languages in Arabic script, as well as issues related to transcription of the Qur’an, writing tablets, contemporary creations, and challenges associated with digital transformation.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the international conference titled “Protecting Children in the Digital Environment: Modern Tools and International Cooperation” held under the patronage of Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation by State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in the capital Baku.

During the conference, which was attended by a number of officials from international organizations and international experts and specialists, Dr. Amira Al-Fadhel, Advisor to the Director-General (DG) for External Relations, delivered a speech on behalf of Dr. Salim AlMalik, ICESCO DG. While reviewing the Organization’s initiatives, programs, and projects to protect children and youth, Dr. Al-Fadhel underscored that digital transformation is radically reshaping childhood.

In her speech, Dr. Dinara Guliyeva, Head of the Human Development Division at ICESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector, said that the Organization attaches great importance to children’s mental health and the protection of their rights in the digital space through activities and projects for the benefit of children, their families, and teachers in educational institutions.

The conference sessions featured rich discussions on the most prominent digital risks facing children, the importance of raising awareness of the ethics of using artificial intelligence, and the need to eradicate digital illiteracy among parents.