Moments ago, the
headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (ICESCO) saw the opening of ICESCO Future Forum, which is
organized by ICESCO, in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation.
The Forum brought together more than 30 renowned experts in strategic foresight and artificial intelligence (AI)
from all over the world.
The opening session includes the respective addresses of Dr.
Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General; Mr. Steffen Krüger, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
Foundation Representative in Morocco; Dr. Hatem Ben Salem, Minister of
Education and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of
the Republic of Tunisia; and Mr. Said Amzazi, Minister of National Education, Vocational
Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The opening of the Forum saw wide participation including
high-level experts, diplomats, media professionals and students. After the opening session, the
two-day Forum will include the following four sessions: “Foresight by 2040”; “Future
Literacy”; “Positionning Artificial Intelligence in its right perspective”; and
“The Future of Sciences”.
As for the second day, six strategic workshops will handle the theme “Horizon 2040”, namely “Education: Major trends”; “Culture: Need for intercultural dialogue; Sciences: Future challenges”; “Artificial Intelligence: Towards ethical technology in service of societies”; “Human and social sciences: Development and Foresight”; and “Future literacy laboratory”.
The headquarters of the Islamic
World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), today
morning, saw the opening of ICESCO Future Forum, which is organized by ICESCO,
in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation. The Forum brings
together more than 30 renowned experts in strategic
foresight and artificial intelligence (AI) from all over the world.
The opening session of the two-day Forum featured the respective addresses
of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General; Mr. Steffen Krüger, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
Foundation Representative in Morocco; Dr. Hatem Ben Salem, Minister of
Education and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of
the Republic of Tunisia; and Mr. Amzazi Said, Minister of National Education, Vocational
Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The programme of the first day includes four sessions, namely
“Foresight by 2040”; “Future Literacy”; “Positionning Artificial Intelligence
in its right perspective”; and “The Future of Sciences”.
As for the second day, six strategic workshops will handle
the theme “Horizon 2040”, namely “Education: Major trends”; “Culture: Need for
intercultural dialogue; Sciences: Future challenges”; “Artificial Intelligence:
Towards ethical technology in service of societies”; “Human and social sciences:
Development and Foresight”; and “Future literacy laboratory”.
The organization of this Forum comes as part of the ICESCO’s
new vision of foreseeing the future and handling the changes and challenges
facing the Islamic world. The aim is to turn the Forum into a platform for
debate and exchange of views with the interested stakeholders and foresight
experts to explore regional and international foresight capacities and define
possible futuristic visions.
The choice of AI and its applications as the theme of discussion at the Forum is motivated
by the fact that it is the tangible aspect of the digital evolution that
reshapes and influences international relations, namely the changes affecting
the approach to sustainable development. In this reagard, AI experts will gave
presentations in order to put into perspective artificial intelligence and its
ability to advance societies and discuss its possibilities and potentials.
Moreover, the Forum’s programme features a gallery of virtual pictures and
digital drawings and an exhibition of physical models reflecting the
sector-related challenges of the future.
The Director General of the Islamic
World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M.
AlMalik, along with several officials from the Organization, met with Dr. Ramazan
Abdulatipov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to OIC, and his
accompanying delegation to explore cooperation prospects between ICESCO and
Russia, ICESCO Observer Member, in the fields of education, science and
culture.
At the outset of the meeting held at
ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik welcomed the visiting delegation to
which he reaffirmed that the Organization’s new vision promotes openness to and
cooperation with all world’s countries in the Organization’s fields of competence
for the benefit of Member States and Muslim communities in Non-Member States.
He added that the vision seeks to ensure that Observer States play a larger
role in the action of the Organization, which ushered in a new stage toward the
attainment of this objective; and transmit the true image of the Islamic
civilization and culture that promote world peace, hence its new modified name
“Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization”.
By the same token, ICESCO Director
General stated that cooperation with the Russian Federation, as an ICESCO
Observer Member, is of paramount importance, thanks to the outstanding
relations between Russia and the Islamic world and Russia’s progress in the
areas of higher education, scientific research and new technologies and long-standing
culture which tremendously contributed to human civilization. In this regard,
Dr. AlMalik pointed out that ICESCO is ready to inscribe some Islamic historic
sites in Russia on the Islamic World Heritage List (IWHL) which now includes
140 sites from 23 countries.
For his part, Dr. Abdulatipov lauded
the new vision and its openness and the progress being made by the
Organization, while expressing his delight at the meeting and the steps to be
taken to coordinate the development of cooperation between Russia and ICESCO in
its fields of competence and foster relations with Islamic world countries.
In addition, Dr. Abdulatipov underlined that
cooperation between Russia and ICESCO can cover higher education, modern technologies
and strategic foresight given the large number of Russian scientific centers
operating in the field of sustainable development and cultural fields, while
reaffirming his commitment to give shape to this cooperation.
Several ICESCO officials then took the
floor to stress the commitment of many sectors to cooperate with the Russian
Federation and reach out to Russian technical experts to hold future meetings
to agree on best modalities of cooperation. Mr. Valerian Shuvaev, Ambassador
Plenipothentiary and Extraordinary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of
Morocco, reaffirmed that the Embassy will follow up the work with ICESCO to
coordinate cooperation.
The meeting was attended from the
Russian side by Mr.Vassili Tchetchine, Advisor to the Russian Embassy to
Morocco, Director of the Russian Cultural Center in Rabat, and Ms. Alina
Danilova, Third Secretary at the Embassy.
In attndance from ICESCO were Dr.
Ahmed Said Bah, Director of Extrenal Relations and Cooperation; Mr. Najib
Rhiati, Director of Culture; Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Center of
Strategic Foresight; Dr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Chief of the Department of Legal
Affairs; Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of the Division of Dialogue and
Cultural Diversity; Ms. Zineb Iraqi, Supervisor of the Center of Planning,
Statistics and Assessment; Mr. Samy El Kamhawy, Supervisor of the Center of
Communication; and Ms. Rime Jirari, Programme Specialist at the Directorate of
External Rlations and Cooperation.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik,
Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
International Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco, today,
at the headquarters of the Moroccan Foreign Ministry to explore cooperation
relations between the Organization and the Kingdom in the fields of education,
science and culture.
During this meeting, Dr.
AlMalik expressed his thanks to the Kingdom of Morocco, represented in His
Majesty King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan Government, for their sustained
support for ICESCO. He also reviewed with Mr. Bourita the key themes of
ICESCO’s new vision, which was adopted, along with its relevant decisions, by
the 40th session of ICESCO Executive Council, held in Abu Dhabi,
UAE, on 29-30 January 2020.
In addition, the
Director General underlined that the
Organization is witnessing a fresh start to become a beacon of outreach for
Muslim countries, through promoting more communication with Member States to
implement the programmes and activities needed in these countries, thus
contributing to their respective plans to achieve sustainable development; and opening up to non-Member
States and cooperating with them in service of Muslim communities.
For his part, the
Moroccan Foreign Minister reaffirmed the keenness of the Moroccan Government to
support ICESCO, guided by the instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in
meeting the expectations of the peoples of the Islamic world; and becoming,
through its new vision, a beacon of global outreach in the fields of education,
science and culture.
Dr. Salim M.
AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (ICESCO); Mr. Abdellah Al Ghariri, Ambassador of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Kingdom of Morocco; and Mr. Mustapha Mansouri,
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, paid a
visit to the Rabat-based National Center for Rehabilitation and Neurosciences
(CNRNS) of the Hassan II Foundation for Prevention and Fight against Nervous
System Diseases to learn about the Center’s services.
During this
visit, Dr. Abdesslam El Khamlichi, President of the Foundation, provided ample
explanations about the Center and all the sorts of treatment it provides to
patients, including surgeries and radiographic procedures. He also pointed out
that the Center does not only offer treatment but also carries out studies and
research works on nervous system diseases and provides training to African
doctors to be eligible for higher specialized degrees in neurosurgery.
To consolidate
these efforts, Dr. AlMalik announced that ICESCO would allocate 10 scholarships
annually for the training and qualification of doctors from African Member
States at CNRNS in this vital specialty to be able to serve their countries
after the end of their training. Dr. El Khamlichi hailed the initiative and
reaffirmed his appreciation for ICESCO’s considerable role in its fields of
competence.
Dr. AlMalik
and Dr. El Khamlichi agreed to sign an agreement between ICESCO and CNRNS to manage
these scholarships and define their eligibility criteria, in coordination with
the Center and the Organization.
It is worth
noting that the National Center for Rehabilitation and Neurosciences (CNRNS)
was established by Hassan II Foundation for Prevention and Fight against
Nervous System Diseases, in cooperation with the Moroccan Health Ministry, and
Ibn Sina University Hospital Center. Opened in 2010, the Center was
designed to respond to the urgent need for kinesiotherapy and physical therapy for
patients with nervous system diseases at their advanced stages. It is also the
expression of the will of some international institutions such as the World
Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) and the World Health Organization
(WHO) to turn Morocco into a “model center for the training of African
neurological surgeons”.
The Director
General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, yesterday at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat,
received Mr. Harsul Azwar, Ambassador of Indonesia to Morocco, and together
they explored cooperation prospects between ICESCO and Indonesia in the next
stage.
During the
meeting, the parties explored ways to foster relations through programmes and
initiatives mutually agreed by the Indonesian ministries of education, culture
and science and ICESCO, as part of the new start of the Organization and its
new vision, which came into effect after its adoption by the 40th
Executive Council (Abu Dhabi, UAE, 29-30 January 2020).
Dr. AlMalik
reaffirmed ICESCO’s appreciation to Indonesia, as it is one of the important
Member States and commended its progress and transition toward the future, its outstanding
contribution to technological developments and its ancient monuments and landmarks
attesting to the glorious Islamic civilization.
Moreover, ICESCO Director General expressed his thanks to the Indonesian Government for its willingness to pay the remainder of its arrears to ICESCO’s budget and commitment to regularly pay its contributions.
Talks during
the meeting also touched on details of a future visit by the Director General
to Indonesia to explore the frameworks of future cooperation with senior
officials.
The meeting
was also attended by Mr. Hanung Nugraha, Counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs
at the Indonesian Embassy; Mr. Mahmudin, Counsellor for Social and Cultural Affairs;
Mr. Najib Rhiati, Director of Culture; Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Director of External
Relations and Cooperation; Mr. Mohamed Ghemari, Director of the Secretariat of
the General Conference, Executive Council and Specialized Ministerial
Conferences; Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Center of Strategic Foresight;
and Dr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Legal Advisor to ICESCO Director General.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), today at his office, received Mr Atef Abu Saif, Palestinian Minister of Culture. Together they explored ways of promoting cooperation between the Organization and the State of Palestine in ICESCO’s areas of competence during the upcoming stage.
During this meeting, the two parties discussed the support programmes ICESCO may provide to the State of Palestine in the fields of education, science and culture within the framework of its new vision that will step up communication with its Member States and identify the needs of each country in terms of programmes in line with their national sustainable development plans.
Talks also highlighted the importance of
documenting the heritage landmarks in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and inscribing
them on the Islamic World Heritage List with the aim of preserving its identity.
During the meeting, efforts made by ICESCO for the restoration of the historical
sites in the city were reviewed.
The two parties also examined the
activities to be implemented as part of the closing ceremony of Al-Quds Culture
Capital of the Islamic World for 2019, and the latest preparations for
organizing Al-Quds Cultural Weeks in ICESCO Member States. They both reaffirmed
their keenness to maintain fruitful cooperation between the Organization and
the State of Palestine in the future.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Jamal Choubaki,
Palestinian Ambassador to Morocco, Mr. Maher Abu Rida, Assistant Under-Secretary
at the Palestinian Ministry of Culture and Mr. Najib Rhiati, Director of
Culture at ICESCO.
On 17 February 2020, at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), “Future Forum” will kick off with the participation of 27 renowned experts in strategic foresight and artificial intelligence (AI) from all over the world.
The Forum will be held by ICESCO in
cooperation with the office of the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation in the
Kingdom of Morocco, as part of the Organization’s new vision of foreseeing the
future and handling the changes and challenges facing the Islamic world. The
aim is to turn the Forum into a platform for debate and exchange of views with
the interested stakeholders and foresight experts to explore regional and
international foresight capacities and define possible futuristic visions.
Through a forward-looking approach,
this session will be a journey into the future, and an opportunity for
foresight experts to give presentations in their fields of expertise on the
main trends and the challenges facing the world by 2040.
The latest AI applications and their
uses will form one of the most important themes to be discussed by the Forum as
the world is witnessing many ecological, political, social and digital changes affecting
all the sectors of development of human societies. This calls for the study and
understanding of all these developments, revision of their trends, and foresight
of the repercussions and their challenges, in such a way as to ensure a safer
transition to sustainable development. The Islamic world, whose 54 states are
members of ICESCO, is not spared from these changes since it occupies a
strategic position at the crosroads of civilizations, cultures and economies.
The choice of AI and its applications
to be a theme of discussion at the Forum is motivated by the fact that it is the
tangible aspect of the digital evolution that reshapes and influences
international relations, namely the changes affecting the approach to
sustainable development. In this reagard, AI experts will gave presentations in
order to put into perspective artificial intelligence and its ability to advance
societies and discuss its possibilities and potentials.
Thematic workshops will be included
in the Forum and will serve as a tool of strategic foresight aiming at creating
a common and participatory platform for key players in development to analyze
and ultimately predict the future of the discussed themes (education, culture,
sciences, AI, robotics) by 2040. Moreover, the Forum’s programme features a
gallery of virtual pictures and digital drawings and an exhibition of physical
models reflecting the sector-related challenges of the future.
ICESCO welcomes specialists,
university and higher institute students and the interested public to attend
the Forum and benefit from its various activities on 17-18 February 2020.
The Islamic
World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in
the coordination meeting with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Egyptian
National Commission for Education, Science and Culture as part of celebrating Cairo
as Islamic World Capital of Culture for 2020 for the Arab region, on 2-3
February 2020 as part of the preparation for this event.
During the
meeting, ICESCO coordinated with the relevant Egyptian authorities to prepare
the programme of the celebration and discuss on the activities and events to be
organized jointly with the Arab Republic of Egypt throughout this year. The two
parties also agreed to launch the official ceremony of the celebration on 5
April 2020, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director
General.
On 03
February at the Cairo International Book Fair, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture
held a press conference to announce the broad lines of the celebration. In this
regard, Dr. Inas Abdel-Dayem, Egyptian Minister of Culture, and Mr. Najib
Rhiati, Director of Culture at ICESCO, announced the launch of the event soon
after the close of the 40th ICESCO Executive Council which adopted
several amendments necessary for the implementation of the Organization’s new
strategic vision, including the new modified name of “Islamic World
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization”.
The
celebration marks the actual begining of the strategic shift in ICESCO’s vision
since Cairo is the embodiment of this new vision given its long history of
coexistence and tolerance between religions, cultures and ethnicities.
ICESCO was
represented in the meeting by Mr. Najib Rhiati, Director of Culture; Abdelilah
Benarafa, Cultural Advisor to Director General; and Dr. Osama Elnahas,
Programme Specialist.
The Director General of the Islamic World Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, briefed
His Highness Sheikh Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu
Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, on
the main themes of the new start of ICESCO launched at the 40th
session of its Executive Council on 29-30 January 2020 which adopted all the
plans and draft decisions proposed by the General Directorate.
This came at a reception of His Highness of ICESCO’s
delegation taking part in the Council’s meetings and Ms. Noura bin Mohammed Al
Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and her team which
participated in the preparation for hosting the 40th session ICESCO
Executive Council in Abu Dhabi.
Duruing that meeting, Dr. AlMalik gave an overview of
ICESCO’s Development Waqf which was established to ensure sustainable funding
for the Organization’s programmes and initiatives, including ICESCO
International Consultative Council, Center for Strategic Foresight and Center
for Heritage Preservation.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed appreciated
these achievements and lauded the initiatives and ICESCO’s new start, wishing
that they will achieve the ambitions of the Islamic world peoples and serve
their issues, and promote the standing of the Organization as an active
platform for joint Islamic action at regional and international levels.
Moreover, His Highness reaffirmed UAE’s commitment to
supporting joint Islamic action and serving the Islamic world issues in the
fields of education, science and culture, and advance these fields to open up
larger prospects for the Organization’s presence at the regional and
international levels.
ICESCO Director General thanked His Highness for the
warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to the Executive Council members
and to ICESCO’s team during the period of the Council’s meeting and appreciated
the cooperation of the UAE with ICESCO to fully discharge its roles in
education, science and culture for the benefit of Member States.
