Category: News update

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Farhan Nizami, Director of Oxford Center for Islamic Studies, signed a memorandum of understanding to promote and develop constructive cooperation in the fields related to education, science and culture.

The signing ceremony was held during the visit of Dr. Al-Malik, today, November 17, 2021, to the Center headquarters, in Oxford, England. Dr. Al-Malik explored with Dr. Nizami the developments in cooperation between ICESCO and Oxford Center, and the proposed partnership programs and activities between the two parties, which are outlined in the signed memorandum of understanding, most notably building the capacities of young people, developing scientific research, enhancing the use of modern technology, and providing scholarships for Muslim countries’ students at Oxford University.

The memorandum of understanding also stipulates cooperation in meeting the educational needs of young generations in Muslim societies, developing cooperation in the fields of health, and enhancing ICESCO’s contribution to the Center’s Young Muslim Leadership Programme.  The initiative is organized every year in partnership with Prince Charles’ Charitable Foundation, to enhance the proper understanding of the Islamic civilization among the peoples of the world.

The signing ceremony is also attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy DG of ICESCO, and Dr. Richard Makepeace, former ambassador and researcher in international relations at the Centre.

The Director of Oxford Center for Islamic Studies then took the DG of ICESCO on a tour of the Center’s facilities, including the Center’s gallery and library. Dr. AlMalik commended the outstanding role of the Center in publicizing the Islamic civilization through pioneering research works that depict the true image of Islam in the West.

Oxford Center for Islamic Studies is a research center affiliated with Oxford University, established, in 1985, to encourage studies on the Islamic culture and civilization and its development needs, under the auspices of Prince Charles of Wales. It is the first center of its kind to receive the patronage of a member of the British Royal Family.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Margaret Casely-Hayford, Chancellor of Coventry University in the United Kingdom, and explored avenues of cooperation between ICESCO and the University in areas of common interest, particularly in fields of science and research.

During the meeting, ICESCO DG reviewed the main axes of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations as well as its roles in entrenching values of civilizational dialogue and coexistence between different cultures, building the capacities of women and youth, contributing to the promotion of a culture of foresight to build a more prosperous future for humanity, and supporting the use of new technology in all fields in different countries of the Islamic world to achieve sustainable development.

The meeting continued over a luncheon organized by Coventry University in celebration of Dr. AlMalik’s visit after awarding him an Honorary Doctorate in Arts on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, in appreciation of his significant contributions, at the international level, in areas of education, elimination of poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, extremism, and peacebuilding in the Middle East. The luncheon was attended by Dr. Ian Marshall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Coventry University, several faculty members, and Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy DG at ICESCO.

Following the luncheon, Dr. AlMalik held an open meeting with a large number of students at the University during which he reviewed ICESCO’s projects and programs, highlighting those aimed at young people, notably the Leadership Training Program for Peace and Security from which 30 young ambassadors of peace representing 22 countries graduated in 2021, and that will continue in the coming years.

Dr. AlMalik held a rich discussion with the students and answered their questions during an open meeting attended by Dr. Michael Hardy, Professor at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) at Coventry University, and Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy DG at ICESCO.

In a huge conferment ceremony with high-level participation, held at the headquarters of Coventry University, on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, the British University awarded the Honorary Doctorate in Arts to Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in appreciation of his efforts in the fields of education, culture, peacebuilding and the consolidation of the values of coexistence.

Dr. Michael Hardy, Professor at the Center for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, began the ceremony with a speech wherein he underscored that the Academic Board of Coventry University had decided to award the Honorary Doctorate to Dr. AlMalik in recognition of his great contributions in the fields of education, eradication of poverty, illiteracy and extremism, and building relations of peace in the Middle East.

After receiving the degree, ICESCO DG delivered an address wherein he expressed his gratitude and pride for such a degree from a prestigious and age-old university in arts and science given its leading role in developing societies and contributing to sustainable development goals by qualifying students and promoting education, research and innovation in the cultural, social, scientific and economic fields.

Dr. AlMalik also expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince, and Saudi Arabia for the unlimited support he has received throughout his educational and vocational career and their constant support for the development of the various levels of the educational process in Saudi Arabia.

ICESCO DG stressed the urgent need for excellence and accuracy in the academic field through the promotion of constructive criticism, independence of thought, and the development of innovative educational methods and new research skills aimed at building capacities. He also called for adopting foresight to counter the current challenges and crises and turn them into opportunities to achieve development and prosperity.

Dr. AlMalik also explained that ICESCO and Coventry University share the same vision and approach aimed at developing the educational process and ensuring the right to education for all to achieve peace, coexistence and harmony among societies and cultures, and build a better world for future generations. He also elucidated on ICESCO’s initiatives, which provide support for the efforts of Member States in the fields of education, science and culture.

Coventry University is one of the long-standing British universities, established in 1843 AD, and offers various disciplines such as arts and humanities, engineering, environment and computing, health and life sciences, business and law, and art and design. The University also has many international branches in China, Kenya, Nigeria, and Pakistan, as well as numerous research and scientific partnerships worldwide.

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Mokhtar Ould Dahi, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports and Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, to explore ways to develop cooperation between ICESCO and Mauritania in the Organization’s areas of action.

The meeting, held in Paris, today, November 13, 2021, on the sidelines of their participation in the 41st Session of UNESCO General Conference, touched upon the major cooperation programs between the Organization and Mauritania, and proposals of new programs and activities between ICESCO and the competent authorities in Mauritania, including the inscription of the Mauritanian Mahdara on the Islamic World Heritage List as a cultural intangible heritage, organizing the Old Towns Festival, which celebrates the Mauritanian culture to preserve historical cities, and considering the proposal of the establishment of ICESCO Regional Educational Center for the Development of Traditional Education in Nouakchott and ICESCO training programs for imams and religious preachers.

For his part, the Mauritanian Minister stressed his country’s willingness to continue the constructive cooperation with ICESCO and support its initiatives and new vision, commending the Organization’s outstanding efforts to support Muslim countries.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG, and Ambassador Cheikhna Moulaye Zeine, Permanent Delegate of Mauritania to UNESCO, also took part in the meeting.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called for promoting the culture of peace and building constructive civilizational dialogue to achieve justice between human communities in the fields of education, health, culture, energy, and environment protection. He also called for overcoming the shortcomings that the crises revealed on managing world affairs, curbing certain impulses that some states exhibited during these crises such as self-indulgence and medicine and vaccine monopoly, stressing that we all share the same fate and are destined to live and work together.

Dr. AlMalik made the statement in the address he gave today, Saturday, November 13, 2021, at the 41st UNESCO General Conference, during which he congratulated Ms. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, on her election for a second term and expressed his best wishes to UNESCO on its 75th anniversary. 

Dr. AlMalik stated that there is a need for renewing visions, working mechanisms, and mindsets and reaffirmed that international organizations are key stakeholders in this new human approach to managing world affairs as they are expected to anticipate the future and conduct studies that present effective solutions suitable for states’ contexts and situations, noting that ICESCO managed to develop its working mechanisms in service of its Member States. He added that the Organization proclaimed 2021 as the Year of Women, a year-long event full of major activities and programs, as part of ICESCO’s efforts to empower women as key agents in addressing Member States’ challenges, a role women proved capable of assuming during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DG stressed the need to focus on novel fields, noting that ICESCO addressed new and future-oriented topics such as space science and AI and held ICESCO Global Space Science Forum. He stated that these new interests reflect the Organization’s firm belief in the premise that not investing in these fields will deprive many countries of benefitting from practical applications in agriculture, environment, climate change, energy, medicine, border control, etc. 

At the close of his address, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s willingness to partner with international organizations, reiterating the pride the Organization takes in its cooperation relations with UNESCO in areas of common interest.

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met Ms. Madiha Bint Ahmed Al Shaibaniyah, Omani Minister of Education and President of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. The two parties explored the latest developments in cooperation between ICESCO and the Sultanate of Oman in the Organization’s fields of action and ways to strengthen this relation.

The meeting, which took place on Friday, November 12, 2021, in Paris, on the sidelines of the 41st Session of the UNESCO General Conference, touched upon the arrangements for the 42nd Session of the Executive Council and of the 14th Session of the General Conference of ICESCO, due to be held in the Arab Republic of Egypt, on December 6-9, as well as the sideline activities during these two major events.

The two parties also discussed the outlines of the forthcoming visit of ICESCO DG to the Sultanate of Oman to strengthen their cooperation in education, science and culture.
Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG, also took part in this meeting.