Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic
World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) appointed Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa as
Deputy DG of ICESCO.
Since joining the Organization in 2003, Dr. Benarafa has
held several positions, the last of which was the Cultural Advisor to the DG
before his appointment as Deputy DG of ICESCO.
Dr. Benarafa obtained the General University Diploma in
literary studies from Mohammed V University in Rabat, the B.A. degree in
linguistics from the University of Paul-Valéry Montpellier, France, and the Advanced
Diploma in general linguistics as well as the PhD degree in semantics from
Sorbonne University, Paris.
Dr. Benarafa has many intellectual and literary works and academic reviews. He published a set of books, novels and studies, including: a study on concepts formation in French, and reviews of “a’Shihab Maw’ida li Uli al-Albab” by Abu Ahmad Jaafar bin Sayedbona, “Limada Nafrah Bil-Mustafa,” “Biography of Abu al-Hassan a-Shashtarihis Biography, works and doctrine.” His novels include “Jabal Qaf,” “al-Junaid: Pain of Knowledge,” “Khnatha” and “Idris.”
Dr. Benarafa enjoys extensive relationships in the
Islamic world.
The Islamic World Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) won the “3G Leadership Award for Public Sector
and Multilateral Institutions” for 2021, from Cambridge-IFA in the United
Kingdom (UK), in recognition of the Organization’s initiatives that attach great
importance to the values of social responsibility and good governance.
ICESCO received this Award at the 6th session
of 3G Awards, held today, May 25, 2021, through videoconference, during which
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), gave an address wherein he highlighted
the Organization’s efforts to support quality education, promote culture, preserve
heritage, and contribute to the development of science and innovation.
Dr. AlMalik indicated that ICESCO is committed to
spread the values of tolerance and coexistence and contribute to building a
bright future for mankind by launching initiatives and implementing programs
and activities to achieve sustainable development and meet the needs and
priorities of the Organization’s various Member States.
ICESCO DG thanked Cambridge-IFA for its support of the
Organization’s efforts through the 3G Leadership Award for Public Sector and
Multilateral Institutions for 2021.
The ceremony also featured a video on ICESCO’s history,
objectives and key initiatives and programs in the fields of education,
science, culture, and communication.
Cambridge-IFA, a non-profit organization based in the UK,
grants 3G Awards every year, which include many categories, to promote the
values of social responsibility and good governance among individuals and
public and private institutions and rewards the organizations and institutions that
prioritize these values.
In addition to ICESCO, the Republic of Indonesia won
the Governance and Policy Award while the United Overseas Bank from Singapore
won the Excellence in Corporate Governance Award. The Friends of Cancer
Patients Association also won in one of the Award’s categories.
The
International EDU-HACK: Quality Education Hackathon that the Islamic World
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) co-organized, in
cooperation with the
Youth Association for Sustainable Development, concluded its proceedings. The
event is an international virtual competition open to young people from the
Islamic world and beyond. The Hackathon is part of the global efforts to
achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and promote the 2030 Agenda by
implementing innovative projects and initiatives in 2021.
The co-organizers
of the three-day Hackathon, which started on May 21, and ended on May 23,
included Hamad Bin Khalifa University, the International University of Rabat,
Maker Majlis and World Merit, Nubox Lab, Riyada Innovation, Mind Set News,
Global Opportunities, School 1337, and Isachamp Initiative.
Through the
EDU-HACK, the partners seek to provide an international platform for young men
and women to become entrepreneurs and actors of change. The first edition of
the Hackathon saw the development of 18 projects, five of which won the
following challenges:
Challenge A:
Eradication of illiteracy, especially among women and girls;
Challenge B:
Integration, equity, and gender equality
Challenge C:
Effective and systematic learning
Challenge D:
Assisting educational curricula and institutions
Challenge E:
Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
Representing
60 countries, 100 participants took part in the international competition
specialized in education and innovation and designed 18 projects under the
supervision of 40 experts, entrepreneurs, and academicians from different
countries. The selection was based on the nature of the proposed projects which
aim at improving the quality of education, enhancing knowledge and skills
acquisition, promoting gender equality, investing in available digital
resources, and developing new curricula to help young people learn tomorrow’s
skills.
Under the
supervision of educational program designers and social entrepreneurs, the
participants learned teamwork spirit and the necessary skills for success in
their innovative and effective projects. The event also aimed at engaging young
influencers and innovators in the field of education to reflect on how to make
curricula more appealing and accessible.
The Islamic World
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is taking part in
the organization of EDU-HACK: Quality Education Hackathon, in cooperation with
the Youth for Sustainable Development Association. The major event is part of
the global efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and promote Agenda
2030 through the implementation of innovative projects and initiatives in 2021.
The Hackathon will kick
off in partnership with Hamad Bin Khalifa University, the International University
of Rabat (UIR), Maker Majlis, World Merit, NoboxLab, Riyada Innovation, Mind
Set News, Global Opportunities, School 1337, and Isachamp Initiative. Through
the Hackathon Program, partners will work towards providing an international
platform for young people to be agents of change.
The global event aims to
guide young influencers in the field of education towards thinking about ways
to harness technology in the service of education and make curricula more
compelling and easy to understand. The Hackathon Program is an international
virtual contest open to young people across the globe. Participating teams will
be overseen by a group of young people trained in the fields of teamwork and
innovation tools.
The Hackathon will be the
first event of this kind to be organized in the region and will be held on
21-23 May 2021. Winners will be selected on innovation and merit basis from
among 200 participants representing 60 countries. Participating teams are
expected to face several challenges relevant to the field of education such as
literacy, inclusion, quality, gender equality, effective learning and education
for citizenship.
Organizers will provide
human resources and international capacities and expertise in the field of
education for team orientation to present their ideas before the jury to select
the winning team, which will get the opportunity to present their innovative
projects and ideas to prominent sponsors, donors and investors in the fields of
quality and innovation.
Secretary-General of the Muslim World League: The Charter Unified Muslim Scholars
Secretary-General of the Muslim World League: The Charter Unified Muslim Scholars
The Islamic World
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held on Friday, May
21, 2020, at its headquarters, in Rabat, a scientific symposium in partnership
with the Muslim World League (MWL) under the theme: ”Makkah Charter:
Achievements and Perspectives.” The event, during which Dr. Mohammad Bin
Abdulkarim Al-Issa delivered the main lecture, enjoyed high-level participation
and witnessed rich discussions with the aim to achieve the goals of the
Charter, which scholars and intellectuals coming from 27 Muslim sects and
schools of thought approved.
The symposium
began with the recitation of some verses from the Holy Quran, followed by an
address Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO
Director-General (DG), delivered during which he welcomed Dr. Al-Issa and his
delegation. Dr. AlMalik stressed that the symposium is an opportunity to
exchange views and explore ideas on the Makkah Charter hoping that the efforts
of Arab and Muslim countries will put an end to the sufferings of the
Palestinians and help restore Al-Quds Al-Sharif and Al-Aqsa Mosque, after
having reached a truce in the occupied territories.
Dr. Abdelilah
Benarafa, Cultural Advisor to ICESCO DG, highlighted in his introduction the
urgent need for issuing the Makkah Charter from the Qibla that unifies all
Muslims to disseminate enlightened Islamic thought and respect all religions.
During the
symposium’s main lecture, Dr. Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa explained the
achievements and perspectives of the Charter that was able to unify Muslim
Scholars. He noted that Muslim intellectuals were well aware of their
scientific and intellectual duty to issue the Charter which was signed by more
than 1200 Muslim Muftis and Scholars representing various Muslim sects and
schools of thought. More than 4500 Muslim intellectuals attended the conference
which issued it.
MWL
Secretary-General stressed that the Charter tackled several key contemporary
issues, raised awareness and transmitted enlightened Islamic thought,
especially to the youth of the Muslim world. The document was based on the
Madina Charter that the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) signed, which calls for the
respect of religious and civil rights. The Makkah Charter is considered an
extension of that historical document.
Dr. Al-Issa added
that Makkah Charter reinforces the need for religious, cultural and
civilizational dialogue for coexistence, mutual understanding, development and
fighting corruption.
The
Secretary-General also praised the roles that ICESCO plays, hoping that the
Organization will carry on its mission of publicizing the Makkah Charter, which
was approved by Muslim World Countries during the Meeting of Foreign Ministers.
Following the main lecture, the participants expressed their views during
which Dr. Ahmed Sennouni, Secretary-General of the Mohammedia
League of Scholars, reaffirmed that the Makkah Charter should be a source of
inspiration, both at the personal and collective level, for it is regarded as a
humanist document considering its goals and functions.
Dr. Khalid Samadi,
Director of the Moroccan Center for Studies and Educational Research, noted
that the Charter corrected some misconceptions, enshrined various values, and
developed skills to overcome differences.
Dr. Mahjoub
Bensaid, a researcher in the fields of communication sciences and cultural
dialogue, presented many proposals to strengthen the universal character of the
Charter. Dr. Mustapha Zabbakh, Rapporteur of the Academy of the Moroccan
Kingdom, then praised the document’s aim to free the Muslim mentality from
misconceptions to build a renewed understanding of Islam.
The symposium’s
recordings are available on ICESCO Facebook at:
The headquarters of the
Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in
Rabat saw the inauguration of the ICESCO Gallery for Contemporary Art. The
first exhibition in the Gallery was dubbed “Painting of Hope” and was organized
in partnership with the Arab Group of the Charitable Diplomatic Circle in
Morocco and in cooperation with the Karmadi Workshop, as part of the
Organization’s celebration of the Islamic World Heritage Month, under the
theme, “United for Arts and Heritage.”
The Exhibition was
inaugurated Thursday, 20 May 2021, with the special participation of Ms. Jamila
El-Moussali, Minister of Solidarity, Social Development, Equality and Family in
Morocco; Dr. Driss Ouaouicha: Minister Delegate in Charge of Higher Education;
Ms. Nezha Ouafi, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African
Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates in Charge of Moroccan Expatriates; Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO
Director-General; leaderships at the Diplomatic Club in Rabat, and a host of
officials and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Rabat.
In his address at the
ceremony, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that ICESCO Gallery for Contemporary Art
strives to become a special destination for sponsoring arts and creativity in
Member States and keeping up with the different artistic and creative trends.
He added that through this Gallery, the Organization aims to send a
civilizational message about supporting arts and creative people and setting up
workshops for contemporary arts and creations including calligraphy,
sculptures, miniatures, photography, etc.
In the same vein, ICESCO
Director-General stated that this Gallery will be an opportunity to receive
creations highlighting aspects of beauty in the Islamic civilization through
sponsoring creators and nurturing blooming creative and artistic faculties to
evolve into creative and aesthetic talents.
For her part, Ms. Nidaa
Ezzat Sabry, President of the Arab Group of the Charitable Diplomatic Circle
Morocco, reaffirmed that the Gallery reflects civilizational intermix and
cultural diversity, two permanent sources of inspiration for artists. She
announced that proceeds from the Exhibition will be donated to Ibn Sina
Hospital in Rabat for the treatment of children with cancer.
Following the
inauguration, visitors toured the exhibitions which featured more than 130
paintings made by 28 Moroccan artists in addition to a host of Arab artists.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(ICESCO) held a virtual
symposium on “Green Initiatives, plantation of trees to combat climate change
and reduce CO2 emissions: a biodiversity preservation
perspective,” on Thursday, May 20, 2021, to discuss the global challenges
facing biodiversity, exchange experiences and ensure complementarity between various
initiatives to preserve biodiversity for the benefit of current and future
generations.
The symposium is part of ICESCO’s
celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity, which is
observed annually on May 22nd, under the theme: “We are part of
the solution.”
The symposium brought together Dr. Raheel
Qamar, Head of Science and Technology Sector at ICESCO, and several consultants
and experts at the Sector, as well as scientists, officials, experts, and
activists in the field of climate change and environmental conservation from around
the globe. The participants discussed the means to intensify efforts to achieve
the goals of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change.
During the symposium, ICESCO
representatives stressed the Organization’s commitment to supporting the
initiatives of Member States to reduce the negative impacts of climate change
by building partnerships, facilitating the exchange of experiences, and
integrating officials, civil society, universities, and research institutes in
the dialogue on confronting climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
and preserving biodiversity.
The participants tackled the impact of
climate change and biological diversity on societies and ecosystems, the role of
the Indigenous Knowledge System in the strategies for preserving biological
diversity. The speakers also discussed the strengths and weaknesses of various
measures and initiatives for preserving biological diversity and creating job
opportunities for youth and women taking into account the preservation of the environment
and the role of international organizations in promoting the integration of
initiatives and sustainable financing.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim
Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the
International Body of Muslim Scholars, who visited ICESCO Headquarters, in
Rabat, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.
The visit started with bilateral talks,
during which the two parties explored the prospects of a partnership between
ICESCO and MWL, and the potential cooperation programs in the next phase. The
meeting also discussed the organizational arrangements of the Scientific
Symposium on “Makkah Charter: Achievements and Perspectives,” due to be held on
Friday, May 21, 2021, during which Dr. Al-Issa will deliver the main lecture,
as well as the arrangements of the International Conference on Civilizational Values
in the Prophet’s Seerah, due to be held on May 27, 2021.
Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Al-Issa met afterward
with the heads of sectors, departments and centers at ICESCO, together with the
MWL delegation.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Al-Malik stressed
the constructive cooperation and highlighted the common denominators between
ICESCO and MWL as they both played key roles in supporting countries of the
Islamic World during the COVID-19 pandemic and made many achievements.
For his part, Dr. Al-Issa expressed his
happiness to visit ICESCO to continue the civilizational project between the Organization
and the League, which represents their common values and aims to publicize the
truth of Islam worldwide in its civilized dimension by ensuring interaction and
correcting misconceptions.
In the same vein, the directors at ICESCO
reviewed the most prominent axes of the Organization’s new vision as per each
sector and department, and the programs and projects that ICESCO implements, in
cooperation with the competent authorities in the Member States. They also
suggested some practical proposals to develop a partnership between ICESCO and
the MWL in the upcoming period.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), reaffirmed that
the Organization devotes great attention to the issues of cultural diversity
and civilizational dialogue as part of its new vision and strategic plan. The Organization
has implemented several initiatives that aim to promote the values of
coexistence among different cultures and enshrine the culture of dialogue.
The statement was part of Dr. AlMalik’s address
at the opening of an event that the Qatari Forum for Authors held, on Wednesday,
May 19, 2021, via videoconference, under the theme “Writing as
a cultural ambassador for the promotion of cultural diversity,” on the World
Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
The event is part of the Celebration of Doha as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2021, which saw
the participation of Mr. Salah Bin Ghanem Al Ali, Qatari Minister of Culture
and Sports; Dr. Hamada Hasan Al-Sulaiti, Secretary-General of Qatar
National Commission for Education, Culture and Science; and several professors
and experts in the field.
At the outset of his address, Dr. AlMalik reiterated
ICESCO’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and its support to Palestinian institutions
operating in the educational, cultural, and social fields, in light of the
ongoing violations committed against Palestinians for the last 73 years.
Dr. AlMalik stated that the theme of the event
is in line with the goals of the celebration of Doha as the Capital of Islamic
Culture for 2021 within the framework of ICESCO’s Programme of the Capitals of Islamic
Culture and its Declaration on Cultural Diversity.
ICESCO DG reviewed
the most prominent initiatives and projects that the Organization implemented to
promote cultural diversity, such as the establishment of ICESCO Center for
Dialogue and Cultural Diversity and the Islamic World Heritage Center. The
organization is also committed, amid the COVID-19 crisis, to guaranteeing the
right to culture for all and provide appropriate mechanisms to protect
multiculturalism through the launching of new initiatives such as “ICESCO
Digital Home” and “Distance Culture Initiative,” which have provided great
opportunities to encourage all forms of cultural and artistic expression.
At the close of his address, Dr. AlMalik
called upon all international organizations, government bodies, and
organizations working in the fields of culture and Arts to further coordinate
to agree on a global artistic and creative system focusing on the role of art,
literature, and creativity in human development, spreading peace and preserving
cultural diversity.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) called for
comprehensive development of the Islamic world education systems. He stated
that this development must address students’ and teachers’ mental health, keep
up with technological advancements and employ artificial intelligence.
Dr. AlMalik made the statement during his participation in the
World Humanitarian Forum, which kicked off Wednesday, May 19, 2021, via
videoconference. The DG was the Keynote Speaker at the session titled “Re-Imagining
Education in Global Reset Dialogue”, which was moderated by Ms. Vivian Lopez,
Executive Coordinator of the UNICEF Every Woman Every Child Movement, and saw
the participation of a host of officials representing several organizations and
institutions active in the field of education.
The DG stated that school closure in more than 120 countries as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted more than one billion learners around
the world, contributed to the increase in illiteracy rates, and exacerbated the
economic vulnerability of their families. Dr. Almalik maintained that ICESCO
launched several initiatives and implemented practical programs in cooperation
with the competent parties in its Member States to ensure the continuity of
schooling in these countries.
The DG noted that as part of its proclamation of 2021 at the Year
of Women, ICESCO launched several programs highlighting women’s contributions
during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were at the frontlines of the fight
against the pandemic, especially in the fields of health and education.
ICESCO DG noted that the Organization, in cooperation with several
universities, has set up academic Chairs to promote educational capacities, stating
that ICESCO is planning to add 30 chairs in the next five years to promote the
role of scientific research in finding innovative solutions to problems facing
humanity.
“Though its “The Societies We Want” Initiative, ICESCO joins the
global dialogue to support social projects to develop human capital and promote
the values of coexistence and dialogue,” Dr. AlMalik stated.