Category: News update

ICESCO Global Space Science Forum (GSSF), in its first edition, will be launched on Monday, November 1, 2021, under the slogan “Exploring the Space Science Future Together.”  The Forum, which will be held by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Space Foundation, will gather officials from specialized international organizations and institutions, astronauts, experts and researchers in space sciences to share experiences and visions about space sciences innovations and related industries.

The two-day Forum, which will be held face-to-face at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat and through videoconference, aims to contribute to raising the awareness of industrial stakeholders of the space science importance, highlight the opportunities offered by space knowledge and their applications, and provide opportunities for capacity development in the Member States. It also aims to exchange knowledge aimed to overcome challenges, increase national productivity, accelerate economic growth and explore job opportunities for young graduates in aerospace industries.

The Forum aims to motivate university and academic researchers through sharing space science success stories, holding seminars where officials and directors of space agencies present their experiences, establishing an institutional network and building cooperation between ICESCO Member and non-Member States in the field of space and producing knowledge about the latest developments related to international space activities and their dissemination.

The agenda of the first day of the Forum includes opening remarks, followed by the first session, which will deal with the Space Ecosystem Significance for the Islamic world, while the second session will address Space Sciences – Earth – Environment – Humans, and the third session will discuss the Role of Space Agencies in Applications of Space Science-Driven Knowledge. The first day’s activities will be concluded through a round table on Space Science Significance-Limit the Disaster Risks, Humanitarian Crisis and Reduce Poverty. The second day of the Forum will also include several specialized sessions.

To Join the Forum via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RCToKdkiRfekRgioipkCLw 

The Forum activities will also be transmitted live on the official page of ICESCO on Facebook, through the link: 
https://www.facebook.com/ICESCO.En/live

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Mohamed Shili, Director of ICESCO Department of Legal Affairs, participated in the opening session of the International Symposium on “Provisions of International Humanitarian Law in Islam” that the Moroccan National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, affiliated to the Head of Government’s Office, held in partnership with the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, to provide an academic framework for reflection, discussion and exchange of views on the high status of humanitarian principles in Shariah law.

The two-day symposium, which kicked off today October 27, 2021, at Dar al-Hadith al-Hassaniya headquarters in Rabat, aims to highlight the humanitarian values and principles stressed in Shariah law to provide protection of armed-conflict victims and properties, look for commonalities between the International humanitarian law and Shariah law, which is based on respect for human life and individual dignity in all circumstances, and shed light on historical instances and models showing Muslims’ compliance with humanitarian principles during armed conflicts.

The symposium tackled four different themes, namely an introduction to the relationship of international humanitarian law with Islam, the categories and properties protected in Sharia law and international humanitarian law during armed conflicts, the reality of armed conflicts and the need to renew jurisprudential consideration, and applied models for the provisions of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts throughout the Islamic history.

The symposium was marked by the participation of many professors and experts specialized in international humanitarian law and Shariah law from the Kingdom of Morocco and beyond.

The Science and Technology Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated today, Wednesday, October 27, 2021, in a symposium on “Smart Cities: Global Perspectives on Digital Transformation” organized by the ICT Standardization Observatory and Support Facility in Europe, to explore ways of using technological developments to build sustainable cities and achieve digital transformation.

In his videoconference intervention in the Webinar which gathered several specialized representatives from organizations working in the field of developing smart and sustainable cities and specialized experts, Dr. Foued El-Ayni, Expert at ICESCO science and technology Sector, reviewed the Organization’s efforts to spread awareness on the concept of smart cities. He reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to supporting its Member States’ efforts in building smart, resilient, and sustainable cities that attach importance to environmental issues in achieving comprehensive development. He also reviewed the Organization’s action plan and its implemented programs and projects, in addition to the scholarships and research grants it provides in this field.

The Webinar included a discussion session where the participants explored ways to develop cooperation between organizations and institutions, taking into account the special needs of different countries. They also discussed ways to strengthen South-South and North-South cooperation and partnerships and agreed to hold similar webinars.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) held a meeting at ICESCO headquarters, in Rabat, on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, to develop an action plan to enhance their areas of cooperation and explore the potential programs and projects for implementation in education, child development, building young people’s capacities and training on the skills and jobs of tomorrow and artificial intelligence technologies.

The meeting brought together experts from the Sectors of Education, Science and Technology, Culture, Social and Human Sciences, and the Center of Strategic Foresight at ICESCO, as well as several officials from UNICEF’s Office in Morocco. The two parties shared experiences and reviewed projects and programs in the fields of education, science and culture to identify the areas of cooperation.

ICESCO Science and Technology Sector and UNICEF agreed to implement ICESCO’s Program for Improvement of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services in one thousand rural schools in Muslim countries, which aims to provide safe and clean water and provide training to raise awareness about the importance of healthy practices among teachers and schoolchildren.

ICESCO Education Sector will cooperate with UNICEF to build teachers’ capacities to keep up with relevant technological developments and reduce girls’ school dropouts.

ICESCO Culture and Communication Sector will cooperate with UNICEF to promote cultural education at schools and second chance schools.
ICESCO Social and Human Sciences Sector and UNICEF will cooperate in the field of youth rehabilitation to enhance their role in peacebuilding.

ICESCO Center of Strategic Foresight also agreed with UNICEF on holding workshops on how young people envision the future to promote the culture of foresight and explore possibilities by launching the “Future from Youth Perspective” campaign, which is part of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties.

ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector took part in a symposium on “Positioning Media and Information Literacy on the International Development Agenda in the Post-Pandemic World,” held via videoconference, on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, with the participation of representatives of the United Nations agencies and civil society institutions, as well as a host of experts. The Symposium is part of UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, commemorated from 24 to 31 October 2021, in South Africa.

In her address, during the plenary session entitled “Leave no one behind in media and information literacy: Mobilizing resources for real impact,” Ms. Rime Jirari, Head of the Department of Organizations and Bodies at ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, emphasized the importance ICESCO accords to developing media and information education in the Islamic World and reviewed the Organization’s efforts in promoting best practices and relevant studies.

Ms. Jirari also unveiled some of ICESCO’s draft programs to be launched and implemented in the Organization’s efforts to contribute to protecting personal data and reducing online hate speech. These initiatives seek to facilitate the integration of media and information education into school curricula, support digital platforms and libraries, organize local and regional workshops and training sessions on the subject, and launch several awards to encourage outstanding research studies in the field.

ICESCO Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers held a meeting with the Minnesota Language Academy in Turkey and discussed cooperation prospects between ICESCO and the Academy in implementing several projects and programs in the field of Arabic for non-Arabic speakers.

During the meeting, held Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, the two parties discussed ways of cooperating in enriching scientific and academic research through writing books on Arabic for non-Arabic speakers, developing its curricula, holding training workshops for the benefit of teachers in the ICESCO Member States and abroad. The parties also discussed organizing international symposia and conferences on the culture of the Arabic language and sponsoring the immersive educational village project for teaching Arabic for non-Arabic speakers in Turkey.

The meeting brought together Dr. Majdi Haji Ibrahim, Head of ICESCO Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers; Mr. Adel Bouraoui, Advisor to the Director-General for ICESCO’s External Centers and University Chairs in the Field of Arabic Language; Dr. Youssef Ismaili, an expert at the Center; and Ms. Rajae Al Hakkouni, Program Assistant at the Center. Attendees from the Academy included Dr. Muyassar Ahmed Mekki, President of Minnesota Language Academy in Turkey; Dr. Hassan Abu Assaf, Vice President and Dean of the College of Graduate Studies; Dr. Marwan Waheed Shaaban, Dean of the Holy Quran College; and Dr. Zakai Gul, Director of External Relations at the Academy.

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Muyassar Ahmed Mekki gave the Academy’s commemorative shield to ICESCO Center for the Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, in appreciation of its role in serving the Arabic language and its students and teachers.