Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) met with Dr. Abdul Karim bin Abdulrahman Al-Zaid, Deputy General Supervisor at King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL) to explore prospects for partnership between the Organization and the Library in ensuring accessibility to knowledge sources and developing the Islamic world library vision to accommodate artificial intelligence advances and adopt virtual queue management systems.
During the meeting, held on Thursday, November 25, 2021, the two parties agreed to foster their partnership through the adoption of more enriching approaches in the cultural and civilizational fields by organizing book fairs showcasing scientific books and manuscripts and holding seminars and fora on issues related to publishing, training and exchange of expertise.
Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called on the international community to place education at the heart of development efforts, stressing that ICESCO undertakes to address all forms of exclusion, marginalization and inequality in access to educational opportunities, and urges the civil society organizations to cooperate with the ministries of education to support of remedial education programs.
This statement was part of the address delivered on his behalf by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG, via videoconference, on Thursday, November 25, 2021, at the 12th Conference of Arab Ministers of Education, held by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, under the theme “Catch-up education: a second chance,” in partnership with ALECSO and the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.
In his address, ICESCO DG indicated that the Organization calls for a real revolution in the philosophy, types, curricula and methods of education to expand its scope to include digital, life and vocational skills, continuous learning skills, creativity and sound citizenship to achieve real development in lifelong education for all, stressing that ICESCO is preparing educational reference documents for catch-up education to contribute to its richness.
He added that ICESCO’s educational projects and activities hinge on the fact that education is a basic human right, rather a priority, even in times of crisis.
“ICESCO is keen to provide appropriate catch-up educational programs, which aims to integrate students into the educational process in a scientific and sound manner, especially after long periods of school dropout. This type of education represents an effective mechanism for improving learning outcomes, reducing school dropout and learning loss, and combating illiteracy and child labor. It is a flexible, fair and just school system that guarantees equality for all,” He underscored.
ICESCO DG underlined that the Organization supports the efforts of its Member States in providing second-chance programs to secure catch-up education for children and youth who are out of school, and those whose circumstances prevent them from access to educational opportunities, thus helping to achieve the fourth SDG. ICESCO also supports its Member States in building their educational policies and strategies, strengthening their national capacities, and developing curricula, teaching methods and assessment mechanisms.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held the first workshop on visual and contemporary arts for the students of the School of Architecture, Design and Town Planning, on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, at Euromed University of Fez (UEMF), as part of the second phase of ICESCO International Open Days, within the framework of ICESCO Chair for Arts, Science and Civilizations, and in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Ms. Madiha Sabani, a Moroccan artist, supervised the workshop. She touched upon the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic on the artistic community, especially the precautionary measures that required social distancing and the suspension of all artistic activities, relying on her intellectual and creative approach to interactive digital technologies.
Ms. Sabani stated that she aspires to redefine contemporary arts, questioning the artistic medium and expression associated with the plastic gesture.
She added that the performance begins when the artist presents an interactive or even solo concept. She also highlighted the role of monologue in Moroccan society, particularly its contribution as a basic material for contemporary visual expression in recent years and the interaction it creates in artistic and cultural institutions as it focuses only on the presence of an artist, citing some previous artworks inside and outside Morocco.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held in Fez, Morocco, the edition of ICESCO International Open Days, in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Network of ICESCO International Chairs for Thought, Letters and Arts. The second edition features a series of lectures in observance of the International Day of Islamic Art, an annual celebration on 18 November, which was adopted by UNESCO upon the proposal of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General (DG), opened the lecture series, held at the headquarters of the Euro-Mediterranean University on Wednesday, November 24, 2021, and addressed the sense of loss and anxiety about the future, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the suspension of cultural activities further exacerbated the pandemic’s impact and brought to light the major role of culture in regaining trust and helping face the challenges of the future.
Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, gave a lecture in which he highlighted the role of young people in expressing the value of culture in the Islamic world to publicize its specificities at the international level, develop minds, sciences and creativity. He stated that the aim is to move from the consumer status to that of active contributors to the advancement of thought and employment of modern technology to make culture a true lever of human development.
Taking the floor next was Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to ICESCO DG for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), who stressed the need to promote the presence of culture in societies, stating that promoting culture among university students is a means to reforming and developing higher education training.
In his address, Dr. Abderrahman Tankoul, Supervisor of ICESCO Chair for Arts, Sciences and Civilizations at the Euro-Mediterranean University, talked about the fruitful cooperation between ICESCO and the University through the Chair he supervises, which plays a role in understanding social change through arts, culture and sciences. As for Dr. Mostapha Bousmina, President of the Euro-Mediterranean University, he underlined the necessity of opening higher education training to culture and arts to train a generation of intellectuals, reaffirming the importance of cultural diversity in building a prosperous society.
At the close of the lecture series, the university’s students and professors asked many questions on the issues addressed in the lectures to which the lecturers provided detailed answers.
ICESCO International Open Days are part of the activities of the ICESCO Roads for the Future, a year-long event to be held in the universities, research centers and cultural institutions of several countries. ICESCO Roads for the Future kicked off on 14 October 2021 under the theme “Culture for Rethinking the World.”
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the meeting of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia and the Islamic World”, being held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in Jeddah, under the theme “Dialogue and prospects for cooperation.” His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region, opened the meeting, on Thursday, November 24, 2021, in the presence of H.E. Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Strategic Vision Group, as well as several ministers, officials and scholars from the Russian Federation and the Muslim countries.
In his intervention during the three-day meeting, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of ICESCO Center of Strategic Foresight, stressed that ensuring a sustainable future, in the context of the rapid pace of change worldwide, requires considering the possible scenarios, avoiding the past mistakes and setting the future trends that will shape the future of the Islamic world.
He also indicated that ICESCO is mobilizing its expertise and resources to support its Member States and has made great efforts since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic to mitigate its repercussions, help the Member States overcome this crisis, and enhance their efforts to achieve sustainable development and build prosperous societies.
He added that ICESCO, within the framework of its new vision, adopted a proactive and anticipatory approach, from foresight to strategic planning, to promote a culture of foresight and support the efforts of Muslim countries in developing their various systems. This further stresses that foresight goes beyond the conventional development models to consider any signals, the emerging trends and the potential development paths as foresight’s ultimate objective consists in guiding decision-making by exploring future trends and potential challenges.
Dr. Hammami underlined that the forward-looking and flexible policies aim to develop new development models to achieve further development in the Islamic world.
Violence against women and girls impedes building prosperous, developed societies where peace and knowledge prevail. Women and girls are still vulnerable due to armed conflicts, forced displacement, natural disasters, and discrimination in education. Convinced of the role of women in establishing balance in society and preserving its identity, values and mental health, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) calls for strengthening societal, national and international mechanisms for the protection, education and empowerment of women and girls, as well as the development of their leadership skills.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25), ICESCO warns that despite international efforts to combat this type of violence, the figures revealed by UN Women are alarming as they indicate that globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to domestic and/or other violence at least once in their lifetime and that the social, economic and psychological reverberations of the Covid-19 pandemic increased the vulnerability of girls and women.
To address violence against women and girls and achieve substantive progress in their empowerment and protection of their rights, ICESCO calls for concerted international efforts to protect women and safeguard their rights, counter the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on them, especially that they have confronted the pandemic on the front lines, and enhance their participation as decision-makers and contributors to sustainable development, to overcome challenges in the educational, health, scientific, social and cultural fields.
ICESCO reiterates that, within the framework of its new vision and action strategy, it attaches great importance to safeguarding women’s rights and proclaimed 2021 as the “Year of Women” to contribute to raising their standing and enhancing their role in building a more prosperous future, by acting to end all forms of inequality and injustice that women face, building more sustainable peace, and providing more comprehensive psychological, social and economic support systems.
ICESCO also reaffirms that it will pursue its efforts to foster cooperation with the Member States and international organizations, bodies and institutions to eliminate all forms of violence against girls and women, reinforce their roles as peacemakers, and enhance their participation in achieving sustainable development.
The Science and Technology Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is organizing a regional training workshop on Halal Standards, Certification of Conformity and Marketing, in the Tunisian capital, in partnership with the Tunisian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture and in cooperation with Tunisia’s National Agronomic Institute, for the benefit of youth, women, and entrepreneurs in the field of food industries, agriculture, and halal industry.
At the outset of the two-day workshop, held on Monday, November 22, 2021, Dr. Ismaila Diallo, expert in ICESCO’s Science and Technology Sector, reviewed the enormous economic potential of the halal industry, which responds to the needs of Muslim and non-Muslim consumers around the world, highlighting the role of this industry in supporting female and young entrepreneurs in the Islamic world. He equally reviewed ICESCO’s efforts to strengthen youth capacities and rehabilitate women in the field of economy and trade in the Member States through launching and implementing several initiatives, activities, and workshops.
The training workshop saw the participation of many officials from different backgrounds, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries in the Tunisian Republic, experts and specialists in the field of food industries, agriculture, and halal industry, and many university professors. They explored the most prominent ways and mechanisms for developing the halal industry, and its importance in achieving sustainable development in the countries of the Islamic world.
The Social and Human Sciences Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the first International Youth Forum organized by the Moroccan Body for Royalist Sahrawi Youth, on 19-21 November 2021, in Laayoune, Morocco, under the theme ‘Youth and Civil Society Contribution to the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals for the Promotion of Peace and Stability in Africa’.
In his intervention during the session on Youth, Citizenship and Peace, Mr. Alioune Ndiaye, Program Manager at ICESCO Social and Human Sciences Sector, noted that the Organization’s new vision and action strategy attach great importance to young people, emphasizing their instrumental role in achieving peace, security and prosperity. He also highlighted the achievements of ICESCO’s Leadership Training in Peace and Security Program (LTIPS), which benefited 30 young peace ambassadors in its 2021 edition.
For his part, Dr. Nami Salihi, Expert at ICESCO Culture and Communication Sector, stressed the need for preserving the intangible cultural heritage while explaining the concepts of environmental management, traditional techniques and technical know-how, and underlining their role in sustainable development through the optimal use of natural resources.
Ms. Aziza Laghzal, ICESCO Peace Ambassador and member of 2021 LTIPS’s cohort from Morocco, shared her experience in the program, highlighting how the training sessions enabled her to improve her leadership skills in the fields of peace, security and social cohesion.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) organizes a training workshop on developing the skills of the teachers of Arabic for non-Arabic speakers, in Libreville, Gabonese Republic, in cooperation with Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, the Gabonese Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, and the Gabonese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.
The workshop, which kicked off on Monday, November 22, 2021, is part of ICESCO’s plan for 2021 and comes in response to the priorities and needs of Member States. It is also within the framework of the Organization’s new vision and efforts to develop and update the strategies of teaching Arabic for non-Arabic speakers in the Member States. The measure is based on the most effective and appropriate educational approaches to the local learning environment and benefits from the technological means in teaching Arabic in non-Arab cultural environments.
The four-day workshop aims to develop the participants’ competencies and teaching skills by discovering the latest developments in educational linguistics and the educational strategies and procedural steps in teaching various subjects to develop the four basic language skills (listening – speaking – reading – writing), and learning the evaluation mechanisms and how to prepare auxiliary and complementary educational materials in teaching various language subjects.
Twenty-five educational officials and Arabic language teachers from different regions of Gabon participate in the workshop, which will include educational interventions and presentations on five axes: introducing the challenges and difficulties in teaching Arabic in Gabon, reviewing the major educational strategies in teaching language skills, diversifying the strategies of teaching language skills according to educational levels, highlighting the tools for evaluating learning levels in Arabic for non-Arabic speakers, and how to prepare remedial lessons to enhance skills development strategies.
Dr. Youssef Ismaili, Expert at ICESCO Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, moderates the workshop and supervises its organizational aspects with the help of Gabonese experts.
The Education Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the regional forum on enhancing and integrating the common Arab and human values in educational curricula in the Arab world, held by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), to strengthen the role of education in spreading positive values, guide learners’ behaviors, civic role, and intellectual belonging, exchanging good knowledge and experiences in education on social values and practices, and examining their impact on young people. The forum brought together many academics, researchers, educational policymakers from Arab countries, as well as the representatives of several specialized organizations and bodies.
In his address at the opening session, today, November 22, 2021, via videoconference, Dr. Ahmed Zanfali, Programs Manager at Education Sector, reviewed the Organization’s efforts to enhance the common Arab and human values in society to achieve sustainable development goals and spread peace, highlighting the salient projects, programs, educational activities, seminars, conferences, publications and reports that ICESCO implemented and published to support the efforts geared towards integrating the positive values into all educational curricula and support its Member States in keeping up with developments in the field of education.
He also pointed out that ICESCO, within the framework of its new vision, pays special attention to enshrining modern education and instilling the lofty values through the development of an educational model that responds to the current needs, contributes to building and promoting values, and developing scientific, critical and creative thinking skills of learners to help them build an integrated personality, and develop a culture of peace and coexistence, stressing ICESCO’s willingness to work with all parties to consolidate the common Arab and human values and to integrate them in the educational curricula.
