The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik explored with Mr. Ramin Guluzade, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan, cooperation possibilities between ICESCO and the Azerbaijani Ministry in the fields of technology use in education and culture and in building the capacities of young innovators in the Islamic world.
The discussions were part of the meeting held on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies in the capital Baku. The delegation of ICESCO’s heads of sectors, accompanying Dr. AlMalik in his current official visit to Azerbaijan, attended the meeting. Mr. Vasif Eyvazzade, Secretary-General of the Azerbaijan National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture and several Ministry officials also took part in the meeting.
After exchanging expressions of gratitude, the two parties expressed their willingness to build practical cooperation and partnership between them. They then explored the suggested fields of cooperation including the use of modern technology in education as a way to address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that caused the lockdown of educational institutions for long periods and triggered a rush to adopt distance learning. They also discussed the possibility of sharing Azerbaijan’s expertise in the program of building smart cities with ICESCO Member States.
Both parties designated a joint committee to prepare for a conference on cyber security that ICESCO and the Azerbaijani Ministry will co-organize. The topic is a key element in the digitization that all sectors have undertaken. The joint committee will also follow up on the design and implementation of cooperation programs in the fields of education, sciences, and culture.
Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, received Dr. Salim M.
AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and his accompanying delegation of Heads of
ICESCO Sectors. The reception took place today, Wednesday, January 13, at the
Presidential Palace in Baku, in the presence of Mr. Anar Karimov, Minister of
Culture, President of the Azerbaijani National Commission for Education, Science and Culture.
At the outset, President Aliyev welcomed
the DG, expressing his appreciation for the visit and the tours Dr. AlMalik and
his delegation made yesterday to the historic and cultural sites in the Districts of Fuzuli and Aghdam bordering the Nagorno-Karabakh Province
to take ocular verification of the extent of damage that affected the region.
The Azerbaijani President also reaffirmed his country’s
appreciation of ICESCO’s sustained support and its clear stance on the
importance of considering cultural and historical rights. He also commended the
importance the Organization accords to safeguarding and inscribing heritage,
stressing that Azerbaijan will always support ICESCO in the implementation of
its vision and action strategy.
President Aliyev reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s intent on rebuilding all
historic sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, hailing ICESCO’s announcement to provide
assistance and technical support to the major project. The President also
suggested opening a regional office for ICESCO in Baku soon.
The DG expressed his thanks to the President for inviting him and
ICESCO’s delegation to make the official visit. He highlighted ICESCO’s support
for all its Member States to safeguard their cultural and civilizational
heritage and reviewed ICESCO’s efforts in the field.
The DG also welcomed the proposal to open a regional office for
ICESCO in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, and suggested relocating the office to
the city of Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh once it is rebuilt. President Aliyev welcomed
and commended the proposal, he also noted that he proclaimed Shusha as
Azerbaijan’s Capital of National Culture.
Dr. AlMalik also stressed building institutional relations between
ICESCO and Azerbaijan. The Organization will specifically send a technical team
including international experts to examine the heritage sites in
Nagorno-Karabakh and assess the extent of the damage. The technical team will
also work closely with the Azerbaijani side to lay down a plan for restoring or
rebuilding the sites.
The meeting also addressed the special cooperation and partnership
ties between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in civilizational dialogue and other fields.
Mr. Aliyev then mentioned Baku Forum, which became a key platform for dialogue
between Europe and the Islamic world. The DG stated that ICESCO is in the
process of creating ICESCO Center for Civilizational Dialogue, which will
provide ample opportunity for cooperation with the Baku Forum.
AlMalik: ICESCO will support Azerbaijan in rebuilding and restoring
the affected historic sites in the Province
The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, and the
accompanying delegation of Heads of ICESCO Sectors, visited several historic
and cultural sites in the Districts of Fuzuli and Aghdam bordering the
Nagorno-Karabakh Province. The visit is part of the DG’s current official visit
to Azerbaijan.
Several Azerbaijani officials accompanied on Tuesday, January 12, ICESCO’s
delegation during the visit. Key Azerbaijani officials who joined the DG in the
visit included the Minister of Culture, Mr. Anar Karimov; the Mayors of the two
Districts; and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Morocco, Mr. Oktay Sudef Gurbanov. The list of
participants also included the Secretary-General of the Azerbaijani National
Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, Mr. Vasif Eyvazzade, and a host
of officials from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture.
The visit included field tours to several
historic sites on the two districts, during which the ICESCO delegation took stock
of the magnitude of damage that affected mosques, schools, centers, and cultural
and archeological buildings. The visit also highlighted the dire need to reverse
damage and safeguard the civilizational heritage.
Following the visit, the DG stated that
ICESCO will work closely with Azerbaijan to restore and rebuild the sites,
which are part of human heritage at large. He announced that the work is part
of ICESCO’s new vision and strategy, which both accord great importance to
safeguarding and inscribing heritage.
Dr. AlMalik also commended the commitment
of the Azerbaijani officials he met with, to rebuild, restore, and preserve the
historic sites and cultural landmarks in the Nagorno-Karabakh Province, including churches given their
significance in Azerbaijan’s memory and identity.
The
Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and
Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, on the first day of his
visit to Azerbaijan, met with Mr. Emin Amrullayev, Azerbaijani Minister of
Education, to explore ways of fostering cooperation and partnership between
ICESCO and Azerbaijan in education.
In a meeting
held today at the Ministry of Education in Baku, the two parties touched on the
challenges that faced education last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the
imperative need for solutions to countering such crises. The goal is to ensure
the continuity of education and reduce educational loss that the longtime
closure of education institutions has caused.
The two
parties examined cooperation proposals in education, namely those relevant to
scholarships for students in ICESCO Member States and exchange between
Azerbaijani universities and the Member Universities of the Federation of the
Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW). The officials also explored cooperation
in the teaching of Arabic to non-Arabic speakers between ICESCO Center of
Arabic for non-Arabic speakers and the Arabic-teaching Azerbaijani schools and
the development and implementation of the programs of the training,
qualification, and capacity-building for teachers.
The meeting
discussed cooperation in scientific research between research centers in
Azerbaijan and their counterparts in ICESCO Member States. The measure includes
conducting research that meets the true needs of Member States and yields
practical and economically viable outcomes to achieve development. The parties
also considered establishing ICESCO chair in an Azerbaijani university, under
ICESCO Chair Program.
The
participants in the meeting from the Azerbaijani side included Mr. Oktay Sudef
Ogly Gurbanov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Morocco; Mr. VasifEyvazzade, Secretary-General of the Azerbaijan National Commission for
Education, Science, and Culture, and several officials from the Ministry of
Higher Education.
In attendance
from ICESCO were Amb. Kahlid Fathalrahman, Supervisor of the Sector of
Partnerships and International Cooperation, Head of the Department of Dialogue
and Cultural Diversity; Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Sector of Culture
and Communication; Dr. Raheel Qamar, Head of the Sector of Science and
Technology; and Mr. Samy El Kamhawy, Supervisor of the Department of
Information and Institutional Communication.
At the start of his official visit to
Azerbaijan on Monday, January 11, 2021, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General
(DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO),
met Mr. Anar Karimov, Azerbaijan Minister of Culture. The meeting explored the
promotion of the outstanding relations between ICESCO and Azerbaijan.
At the onset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik
and his delegation congratulated Mr. Karimov on his appointment as Minister of
Culture and President of Azerbaijan National Commission for Education, Science,
and Culture while wishing him every success.
Mr. Karimov welcomed Dr. AlMalik and his
delegation stating that the political leadership in Azerbaijan highly
appreciates the historic and timely visit. He also praised ICESCO as the first
international Organization to conduct such visit, which includes many tours of
historic sites in Azerbaijan.
Dr. AlMalik reviewed the salient
developments in ICESCO in terms of the organizational structure, the working
mechanisms, and the strategic vision, which promotes further communication with
Member States. The goal is to develop programs and projects based on Member
States’ needs and priorities and hold partnerships with non-Member States for
the benefit of all Muslim communities worldwide.
The meeting also touched upon the areas of cooperation and partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in the field of culture, particularly preserving and inscribing historical sites and cultural elements on the Islamic world Heritage List, as well as promoting the civilizational dialogue and accurately presenting Islamic culture to the world.
At the end of the meeting, the two parties agreed to sustain joint action to strengthen the partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan through practical programs likely to make major achievements.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) begins on Monday, 11 January 2021, an official visit to Azerbaijan, during which he will meet with several senior officials in the country, to discuss ways to promote cooperation and partnership between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in the fields of education, science, and culture.
The agenda for the visit of Dr. AlMalik and his accompanying delegation of ICESCO’s sector managers includes a field tour of multiple historical and cultural sites.
Dr. AlMalik affirmed that the visit is part of the distinct relations between ICESCO and Azerbaijan, and the two sides’ keenness to develop them in light of ICESCO’s new vision. The visit also comes amid the special attention ICESCO attaches to the valorization, preservation, and inscription of cultural and historical treasures in the Member States on the Islamic World Heritage List. It is within the framework of the Organization’s commitment to revive the Islamic heritage in its various aspects to link generations and build shared historic accounts to allow for future anticipation.
The DG indicated that cooperation between ICESCO and Azerbaijan is distinguished, covering all of the Organization’s fields of action and its future plans, focusing on civilizational dialogue and the presentation of the correct image of Islamic culture to the world.
A delegation
from the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(ICESCO) met on Wednesday, February 6, in a videoconference with a delegation
of the Diplomatic Club for Charity of Rabat to explore cooperation in areas of
mutual interest.
Dr. Mohamed
Zinelabidine, Director of the Sector of Culture and Communication, headed the
delegation, which comprised Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Advisor to the
Director-General; Ms. Rime Jirari, Head of the Division of Organizations and
Bodies at the Sector of Cooperation and Partnerships; and Mr. Bilel Chebbi,
Expert at the Sector of Culture and Communication.
Ms. Zeina
Barakat, the wife of the Ambassador of the Lebanese Republic to Rabat,
President of the Club, presided over the delegation of the Club, with the
participation of Ms. Nadia Al Hadithi, wife of the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia
to Morocco; Dr. Yousra Al Jazairy, Acting Cultural Attaché at Saudi Arabia in
Morocco; and Ms. Yolanda Jah, Cultural Officer.
During the meeting, the parties agreed to jointly translate
the book “Flavors of the World” into Arabic, to be published by the end of
February 2021. The two parties discussed the inscription of Ramadan table and
its associated rituals on the Islamic World Heritage List. The participants
also proposed publishing a book on the important role of Ramadan table and its
relevant values and principles in entrenching respect for cultural diversity
and promoting coexistence values. They examined cooperation to submit the
inscription file on the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage.
At the close
of the meeting, the Club’s members reiterated their thanks to ICESCO for its
unwavering support and efforts to protect cultural heritage in the Islamic
world.
The Director-General
(DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, and Mr. Khalil Hachimi Idrissi, DG of Moroccan
News Agency (MAP), held yesterday, talks on ways to strengthen relations
between the two institutions in the areas of common interest.
Officials
from both parties attended the meeting at MAP’s headquarters in Rabat. Dr.
AlMalik and Mr. Hachimi Idrissi expressed their shared desire to strengthen
relations between the two institutions through a partnership agreement covering
practical programs and projects with attainable objectives. The partnership
discussions focused on capacity building and training in media, particularly in
Africa, in addition to the fields of publications, culture, science, and
education.
The two
parties reviewed evolving work mechanisms in the two institutions, main
achievements in 2020, and intellectual and knowledge production.
ICESCO DG
noted that the fruitful and constructive meeting was intended to be a starting
point for reinforcing the partnership between ICESCO and MAP. He also stressed
that ICESCO, as part of its new vision, adopted an open-door policy to all and
supporting and training the youth, with the awareness of the importance of
investing in human capital. The two institutions can benefit from each other’s
potentials.
Mr. Hachimi
Idrissi affirmed that MAP is ready to foster cooperation with ICESCO through
the conclusion of an agreement with innovative formulas that benefit from the
media attributes of the Agency. He stressed the importance of consolidating a
real and tangible cultural relationship. He added that the MAP’s presidency of
the Atlantic Federation of African News Agencies (FAAPA) opens up broad
prospects for cooperation in media training at the global level.
In a
statement to Moroccan news channel “M24” after the meeting, Dr. AlMalik stated
that ICESCO intends to hold symposia and conferences in partnership with MAP
and that the Organization is committed to supporting the 7th World
Congress of News Agencies that MAP will organize in Marrakesh in 2022.
The Islamic World Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Educational Center in Malaysia,
in cooperation with the Malaysian Ministry of Education, and the International
Islamic University College in Selangor, organized on Wednesday, December 30, the prize ceremony of the 4th
session of the Students’ Arabic-Speaking Short Film Competition for the year
2020. The event was held under the theme “Creativity and Innovation, the
Pleasure of Learning”, to celebrate the International Day of the Arabic
Language.
Mr. Hassan Al Din Abdul Hamid,
Director of the Islamic Education Department at the Malaysian Ministry of
Education, Dr. Dato ‘Abdul Halim Bin Tamouri, Director of the International
Islamic University College in Selangor, and Dr. Abdul Razeq bin Zaini, Director
of ICESCO Center, the educational team in Malaysia, and representatives of the
awards’ winning teams attended the ceremony.
The session of the competition
witnessed massive participation from students of secondary and higher education
institutions from Malaysia and some Southeast Asian countries. Eighty student
teams, consisting of 480 students from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam,
participated in the competition.
The competition included
three categories, namely: the category for religious high school students, the
category for boarding and public school students (non-religious), and the
category for students of higher education institutions.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), announced the start of the preparations for holding an international conference on the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in cooperation with the Muslim World League (MWL) and Mohammadia League of Scholars. The conference, which will bring together several intellectuals, will highlight the Prophet’s unique virtues and refute allegations and offenses leveled against him.
The announcement was part of Dr. AlMalik’s address, yesterday, December 30, 2020, at the 3rd Media Forum of the Union of OIC News agencies. The event saw the participation of many permanent delegates of OIC Member States, directors and representatives of news agencies, radio stations and digital platforms; media and communication teachers, as well as the directors and representatives of OIC bodies. The 3rd forum explored the future of cultural action in the Islamic world and the efforts of ICESCO.
“The conference, which aims at highlighting the noble virtues and values of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is part of the efforts of ICESCO and its partners in defending and publicizing Islam, the Prophet, and the Islamic civilization and culture,” highlighted Dr. AlMalik.
Dr. AlMalik announced the start of the preparations for a scientific conference next year on the future of media in the Islamic world, as well as the proclamation of 2021 as Women’s Year in the Islamic world to illuminate women’s issues and support their rights.
The address also reviewed ICESCO’s efforts during the last period to fulfill its role, open new pathways for action, and implement its new organizational structure, most notably the modification of its name to the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).
Dr. AlMalik pointed out that the Organization promoted education and culture, attracted new competencies, promoted geographical diversity, and created several specialized centers, including the Strategic Foresight Center to keep up with the international developments and to anticipate the future.
ICESCO also established the Islamic World Heritage Center to inscribe more heritage sites in Muslim countries. The Organization has so far inscribed 213 sites in the Islamic World Heritage List. ICESCO also established the Center for Dialogue to lead the civilizational dialogue in the Islamic world, as well as the Center of Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers, the Artificial Intelligence Center, and the Center of Arts.
Dr. AlMalik underscored that ICESCO developed a new observer status to encourage donors and non-Member States to join the Organization as observers. “ICESCO also launched the COVID-19 Prize, ICESCO Digital Home, the academic chairs on new media in many universities as well as ICESCO Media Friends Group,” he added.
The DG explored the future of cultural action in the Islamic world and ICESCO’s projects, including the medium-term strategic cultural action plans for 2020-2030, entitled “ICESCO Roads for the Future.”
“Despite the negative repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of life, ICESCO considered it an opportunity for action and creativity based on modern communication technologies,” he stated.
In his address delivered by Mohamed Al-Yami, Assistant Director-General, Ahmad Bin Abdullah Al-Qarni, UNA-OIC DG, welcomed ICESCO DG. The host expressed the Union’s pride in having Dr. AlMalik to talk about the future of cultural action in the Islamic world and ICESCO’s efforts as the second major house of expertise in the fields of education, culture, and science after UNESCO.
Hazem Abdo, Head of UNA Foreign Affairs, moderated the Forum. The list of participants included Zayed Sultan Abdullah, UNA Assistant DG; Dr. Maher Karaki, Permanent Delegate of the State of Palestine to the OIC; Dr. Ibrahim Jallou, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Saudi Arabia, Permanent Representative to the OIC; Mokhtar Shoayb, Director of Al-Ahram office in Saudi Arabia; Ali al-Sayed, Editor-in-Chief of the Middle East News Agency (MENA); Dr. Lamia Mahmoud, Head of Sawt Al Arab Radio Network; Habib Tommi, Advisor to the Bahraini Ministry of Information Affairs; Anna Belkova, Consultant of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia-Islamic World”; Khadem Bausso, Editor-in-chief of the Senegalese Sen Arabe newspaper; Dr. Mahjoub Bensaid, Member of the Executive Bureau of the International Network of Arab and African Journalists; Dr. Othman Qazzaz, Professor at Umm Al-Qura University; Mohamed Ahmed Fal, journalist at Mauritania Radio; Hamdan Al-Rahbi, journalist at Yemen News Agency (SABA); Khaled Adenon, Professor of Information and Communication; Khadija Diarasoba, Ivorian Media Expert; Sheikh Khaled Taqi Eddine from Brazil; Dr. Said Al-Naghis, journalist at Mufakara Electronic Newspaper; Majed Al-Tal, journalist at Jordan News Agency (Petra); Haouari Kabad, journalist at Mauritania News Agency; and Ibrahim Barnawi, journalist at Al-Madina newspaper.
The forum was part of the conclusions of the 1st forum of UNA, held on May 16, 2020, under the patronage of the Saudi Acting Media Minister, Chairman of UNA Executive Council, which launched UNA’s activities and programs for upgrading the capacities of 2200 media professionals in the Islamic world.
