Category: News update

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with H.E. Mrs. Sabida Thaiseth, Minister of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand, on Thursday 9 October Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the Third International Conference on “Contemporary Arabic Language: Knowledge, Prospects, and Challenges.”

During the meeting, the ICESCO Director-General reviewed the Organization’s flagship programs and initiatives in the cultural field, particularly pertaining to cultural indicators, creative industries, and cultural economies. These are fields in which ICESCO has achieved remarkable success and contributed to strengthening culture’s role as a cornerstone of sustainable development.

Dr. AlMalik expressed ICESCO’s readiness to provide technical and professional support for training Thai specialists in the areas of documenting, preserving, and restoring cultural heritage. He also proposed the inclusion of Islamic heritage sites in Thailand in ICESCO’s Heritage List in the Islamic World.

For her part, the Minister of Culture commended ICESCO’s role in promoting culture and fostering civilizational dialogue, affirming her country’s interest in developing cultural cooperation with the Organization and its commitment to participating in ICESCO’s international conferences and forums.

She also expressed the Ministry’s desire to review the cultural indicators adopted by ICESCO and to benefit from its programs for training youth and national cadres in the protection and inscription of heritage.

At the close of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik extended an official invitation to the Minister to visit ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat, reaffirming the shared commitment to expand the horizons of cultural cooperation between the two sides.

The Regional Forum on Media and Information Literacy wrapped up in Muscat, Oman, following three days of discussions held from October 6 to 8, 2025, under the theme: Empowering Minds in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. The event was organized by the Omani Ministry of Education, represented by the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the UNESCO Regional Office in Doha, in cooperation with the Omani Ministry of Information, and in partnership with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).

The Forum aimed to raise awareness of the concept of Media and Information Literacy (MIL), highlight the role of international organizations in empowering users to understand their digital rights, and promote responsible and ethical media behavior. It also addressed current digital challenges and underscored the importance of national and regional policies in supporting media awareness.

The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Harrasi, Omani Minister of Information; Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shaibaniyah, Minister of Education and Chairperson of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science; and Mr. Abdullah bin Hamad Al Harthi, Chairperson of the Media Committee at the Shura Council.

During the event, Dr. Zaid Abu Shama’a, Supervisor of the Media Department at ICESCO’s Media and Communication Sector, outlined ICESCO’s strategy for promoting media education. He explained that the Organization’s approach is participatory, respects the specific contexts of Member States, and focuses on providing practical solutions tailored to their needs and cultural and social settings.

Dr. Abu Shama’a emphasized that ICESCO’s Media and Communication Sector views media education as a strategic gateway to empowering individuals and communities to address emerging challenges such as misinformation, hate speech, and the digital divide. He also stressed the Organization’s efforts in this field and its upcoming initiatives, most notably the preparation of a specialized guide on media education that is attuned to the particularities of the Islamic world.

As part of the Forum’s activities, ICESCO’s representative conducted a workshop titled: Discover the Truth Yourself, which aimed to equip participants with skills to verify news and images using simple digital tools. He also delivered an address during the Forum’s closing session on the ethics of using AI in research, academia, and journalism.

The Forum targeted teachers, supervisors, curriculum designers, academics, and students in media-related fields, as well as journalists and editors from various media outlets, and communication and media professionals from public, private, and civil society institutions.

As part of the official program of the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development MONDIACULT 2025, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a special session titled: “Cultural Rights in the Digital Age: Inclusive Access, Fair Participation, and Rights-Based Governance.” The session highlighted the place of culture within the sustainable development agenda, cultural rights in the digital era, and the opportunities and challenges brought about by technological transformations.

The event, organized by ICESCO on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, in partnership with UNESCO, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and UN Women, aimed at strengthening international cooperation to guarantee fair and inclusive access to culture and to achieve fair participation in shaping rights-based governance policies.

The session addressed three main issues: emphasizing the centrality of cultural rights in the digital age; the cultural dimensions of digital divides related to language, accessibility, and representation; as well as presenting ICESCO’s digital initiatives, foremost among them the ICESCO Creative Platform and the ICESCO Index of Cultural and Creative Technologies.
In this context, Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture Sector, and Ms. Somia Djacta, Head of ICESCO’s Delegation to UNESCO, renewed the call for the adoption of a specific goal on culture within the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 18). They stressed the importance of recognizing culture as a strategic driver of social cohesion, innovation, and sustainable development. They also underscored the need to safeguard the rights of artists, promote the creativity of youth and women, and ensure fair and inclusive governance in the digital space.

Participants in the event unanimously emphasized the importance of bridging digital and cultural divides, protecting the rights of creators, and guaranteeing fair and inclusive access to cultural technologies. The inputs also highlighted ICESCO’s innovative contributions in this field. Joint recommendations were presented, which will be incorporated into the final documents of MONDIACULT 2025 and into future pathways of cooperation among international organizations.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the international conference “AI Ethics: The Convergence of Technology and Diverse Moral Traditions,” organized by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) on 28–29 September 2025 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha. The event was attended by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, and aimed to discuss cross-border ethical foundations for AI governance.

ICESCO was represented by Dr. Kaïs Hammami, Head of the Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence, who participated in a session titled “Transnational AI Principles and Guidelines: Harmonizing Ethics Across Borders,” alongside international academics and researchers. He emphasized the importance of building inclusive ethical frameworks that embrace cultural diversity and harmonize reference points across nations.

In his intervention, Dr. Hammami highlighted the significance of the “Riyadh Charter on Artificial Intelligence in the Islamic World,” developed by ICESCO in partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), describing it as a common reference for Member States to ensure responsible, sustainable, and equitable AI governance. He underlined that the Charter places human dignity, justice, equity, and solidarity at its core, while also contributing to the global dialogue on AI ethics.

The conference addressed the impact of AI on six key sectors: healthcare, urban planning, security, education, finance, and the future of work. ICESCO reaffirmed its firm commitment to building global ethical frameworks and strengthening balanced governance that integrates innovation with respect for cultural diversity.