Category: News update

In cooperation with the Ministry of Haboos and Islamic Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Library of Al-Qarawiyyin University, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is hosting, at its headquarters in Rabat, a first of its kind exhibition of rare historical manuscripts spanning various fields of knowledge and featuring a treasure trove of Al-Qarawiyyin University Library’s most prized possessions.

The exhibition, which opens today, Wednesday 7 July 2021, features more than 20 rare manuscripts including a copy of the Holy Quran in the Kufi Script without dots or diacritical marks, which dates back to the third century A.H.; an Arabic version of the Gospel of Luke from the fifth century A.H.; and Kitab Az-Zohd by Abu Daoud As-Sejestani. The exhibition also displays Al-Hidaya Fi Tawhid by Al-Qadi Al-Baqalani; Al-Muwattaa by Yahya bin Mohamed bin Abbad Al-Lakhmi, which dates back to the sixth century A.H.; Al-Mukhtassar Al-Fiqhi by Abu Musaab Al-Zahri; Al-Jamiaa Al-Sahih by Muhammad bin Ibrahim; Al-Bayan Wa Tahssil by Ibn Rushd Al-Jadd, a copy made for the Sultan; Jarru Ath-Thayl Fi Ilm Al-Khayl by Jalal Dine As-Sayuti; and the Book of Ethics by Aristotle. Likewise, the exhibition includes a manuscript on astronomy that was written by Ptolemy and translated by Al-Farabi, in addition to a selection of knowledge treasures in various fields including religious sciences, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, and history authored by prominent science and intellect figures from the Islamic world and abroad.

The exhibition is open to visitors, concurrently with the ICESCO Scientific Symposium on the release of the First Volume of the Encyclopedia of Deconstructing Extremist Discourse. The Symposium was held in cooperation with the Mohammadia League of Scholars of the Kingdom of Morocco, as part of the Framework Partnership Agreement between ICESCO and the League aiming to intellectually shield the Muslim youth against the different forms of extremist and hate discourse in the Islamic world and beyond.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, a team specializing in manuscript restoration from the Manuscript Restoration Lab at Al-Qarawiyyin University will give a practical demonstration to visitors on the latest trends in manuscript restoration using advanced technology.

Al-Qarawiyyin Library in Fez is one of the oldest heritage libraries in Morocco. It was established in 750 A.H. and has been subject to numerous restoration and repair operations. The library has maintained its key role in the fields of science and knowledge, making it a reliable destination for researchers and students. Its collection has been enriched by Sultans, princes, and scholars who donated rare and invaluable books.

With high-level participation of officials, diplomats, intellectuals, scholars and specialists in combating extremist ideology, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Mohammadia League of Scholars, on Wednesday (7 July 2021), launched the first volume of the Encyclopedia on Deconstructing the Discourse of Extremism, entitled “Deconstructing the intellectual backgrounds of the discourses of extremism,” which is part of the partnership agreement between ICESCO and the League, for protecting Muslim youth from the various forms of the discourse of extremism and hatred inside and outside the Islamic world.

ICESCO presented the first volume during a major scientific symposium, at its headquarters, in Rabat, which began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an; then Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General, gave a welcome address wherein he reaffirmed that terrorism has become a worrisome phenomenon that obscures the major goals of our existence, which consist in peacebuilding, calling for strengthening this value to become a source of inspiration by spreading peace to become a central concept.

Besides, Dr. AlMalik noted that the Organization and the League issued this encyclopedia to invest in all the scientific efforts made in addressing the misinterpretations of religious texts to serve as a reference for researchers, scholars, university institutions, research centers, specialized observatories and international organizations to address the effects of extremism around the world.

Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of Mohammadia League of Scholars, gave the main lecture, wherein he stated that the encyclopedia aims to protect young people from the discourse of extremism as well as other related concepts. “The encyclopedia is based on the idea that religion aims to develop secure societies. The first volume of this encyclopedia is an introduction to the fundamental concepts of the complex phenomenon of extremism, while the second volume deals with the tools for deconstructing the discourse of extremism. The third volume takes into account the nature of the current reality. Moreover, there is a conflict between the real and the digital world. Thus, it is essential to have an expert in the digital field for countering the extremist ideology because its promoters are strongly active in the digital space,” he underscored.

Afterward, the participants and attendees expressed their views during which Dr. Driss Fassi Fihri, Al-Qarawiyyin University Vice-President, stated that deconstructing extremist discourse entails identifying the components under which radical ideas are being disseminated.

Mr. Mohammed Ben Ayed, Ambassador of Tunisia to Morocco, noted that Islam, a religion of moderation and middle stance, urges people to use reason. “Extremism is an extremely complex and dangerous phenomenon that can severely impact humanity. The encyclopedia touches upon the different aspects of such phenomenon,” added Mr. Ben Ayed.

For his part, Dr. Ahmad Sennouni, Assistant Secretary-General of Mohammadia League of Scholars, praised the encyclopedia as it provides a detailed description of the changes Muslim communities have undergone and has a clear vision for deconstructing extremist discourse. While Dr. Farida Zoumroud, a Member of the Executive Board of Mohammadia League of Scholars, explained that criticism is one of the most important means to countering extremism since extremists usually seek religious pretexts for their acts through misinterpretation of texts. She also added that the encyclopedia strives to correct some misconceptions for deconstructing extremist discourse while analyzing its psychological dimension.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, moderator of the Symposium, noted that Islamic civilization is the source of science and knowledge. “Understanding Arabic language and the connotations of the word “terrorism” is a key element to deconstructing extremist discourse; Al-Munjid dictionary was one of the first dictionaries to include the word terrorism back in 1960,” he added.

At the close of the symposium, Dr. AlMalik delivered a closing address wherein he praised all the efforts that contributed to bringing the encyclopedia into existence and thanked all the attendees and participants. He also noted that the Organization works toward incorporating the concept of peace into the primary level educational curriculum, which will be part of its recommendations during conferences and meetings with Member States’ education ministers.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Farhan Nizami, Director of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies, explored the prospects of wider cooperation between the Organization and the Center, especially in the fields of building youth’s capacities, scholarships, scientific research and ICESCO Academic Chairs.

During the meeting, held today, Tuesday 6 July 2021, via videoconference, the two parties expressed their keenness to promote partnership between ICESCO and the Center, reaffirming the importance of developing cooperation in the field of conducting specialized studies and implementing practical and goal-oriented programs and activities within the two institutions’ shared areas of interest.

Dr. AlMalik noted that ICESCO’s new vision and action strategy positions peace at the forefront of its priorities, highlighting the Organization’s numerous programs in this regard including the Program of Training Young Leadership for Peace and Security. He added that ICESCO opened up to world countries, regional and international organizations, and bodies and civil society institutions by capitalizing on its Academic Chairs Program. He further explained that in addition to chairs at universities and research centers within the Islamic world, the Program provides for setting up chairs in prominent universities outside the Islamic world in countries such as Germany and Brazil.

Dr. Nizami expressed his delight to explore cooperation prospects with a major organization such as ICESCO, which enjoys great presence and outreach within the Islamic world, conveying his honor to take part in ICESCO Conference on the Civilizational Values in the Prophet’s Seerah, held on 27 May 2021. He also reaffirmed that cooperation between ICESCO and the Center must keep up with the current changes and consider the values of quality and continuity in view of achieving the set goals, noting that joint action is the way to making a difference.

The meeting saw the participation of senior ICESCO officials, namely Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, and Dr. Said Bah, Advisor to the Director-General for Partnerships and International Cooperation.

The Oxford Center for Islamic Studies is an Oxford University-affiliated research center. It was created in 1985 under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. The Center aims to encourage Islamic studies and it is the first center in British history to specialize in this kind of study under the patronage of a member of the British Royal Family.

the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Foundation, today (5 July 2021), held a meeting to explore the joint programs and activities, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, scientific research, digital education and strategic foresight.

The meeting, held via videoconferencing, brought together Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, President of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Foundation, as well as Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO Center for Strategic Foresight, Dr. Mushira Eneizat, International Cooperation and External relations Executive Director at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Foundation, and Ms. Rim Jalloul from ICESCO Strategic Foresight Center.

At the outset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main axes of ICESCO’s vision and action strategy, which are based on renewal, modernization and openness for the benefit of the Member States and Muslim communities around the world, stressing that ICESCO is keen to cooperate with Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Foundation.

Dr. AlMalik also stated that there are many potential areas of cooperation, including strategic foresight, artificial intelligence, digital education, scientific research, and ICESCO scientific chairs, which are vital areas for Muslim countries.

For his part, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh emphasized the importance of renewing education methods in the Islamic world to develop scientific research and encourage creativity and invention to contribute to building a creative nation. He also underlined the urgent need to establish ethical oversight on artificial intelligence, underlining his willingness to cooperate on issuing a dictionary of artificial intelligence terms.

Besides, he stressed Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Foundation’s keenness to cooperate with ICESCO, stating: “We are proud to be your partner.”

Moreover, the two parties agreed to nominate two coordinators to ensure effective communication and follow up to the expert meetings in the areas of cooperation to develop operational plans for practical initiatives, programs and activities that achieve a tangible impact.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) have approved funding for a set of projects for the benefit of the State of Palestine, which will be implemented in the second half of 2021, in partnership with the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science. The 9 projects covering the Organization’s action areas in education, science and culture will benefit all Palestinian geographical locations in northern and southern governorates as well as rural communities while prioritizing and paying special attention to Al-Quds Al-Sharif, which is being subjected to all forms of systematic violations and attacks by Israeli Occupation.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, underscored the Organization’s commitment to supporting the sectors of education, culture and science in Palestine, noting that ICESCO’s contribution to such projects is in support of the Palestinian cause in light of the fierce violations committed against Palestinians, especially the recurrent violations targeting Al-Quds Al-Sharif, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as well as the forced expulsion of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah as in other regions of Al-Quds.

Dr. Ali Zeidan Abu Zuhri, Head of the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, thanked ICESCO Director-General for the Organization’s prompt approval of the Palestinian project proposals for 2021, which were the product of joint efforts and coordination with official partners, including ministries, government institutions, and competent civil society institutions.

Besides, Dr. Abu Zuhri underlined the importance of working in coordination with competent partners for the project and program implementation, which focus on ICESCO’s main areas of action, catering to people with special needs, media development, women empowerment, artificial intelligence and technical education, music therapy and supporting rural communities. He also praised ICESCO’s initiative for increasing the number of scholarships awarded to Palestinian university students.

Dr. Abu Zuhri stated that operating under the umbrella of ICESCO provides Palestine with a valuable opportunity to develop programs and projects in line with the Organization’s priorities, orientations, and national priorities in light of the current challenging circumstances.  He added that obtaining the maximum funding that the Organization may allocate to its State Members bears witness to the high level of professionalism, partnership, and coordination in preparing program and project files, which was carried out through National Commission teams, in cooperation with relevant national partner institutions, including government and civil society organizations.