The Sector of Education at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the 9th Official Development Assistance Conference (ODA), which focuses on the aid provided by the Korea Government to developing countries in the field of education. The Conference was hosted by the Ministry of Education in the Republic of South Korea and is organized by the National Research Foundation of Korea, and Konyang University, in partnership with Save the Children Foundation and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
The Conference, which was held face-to-face and via videoconference, today, Wednesday, November 23, 2022, aims to promote digital innovation, build international partnerships and exchange expertise in the fields of education and official development assistance. The Conference was attended by the Korean Minister of Education and several representatives of academic institutions and regional and international bodies and organizations specialized in the field of education.
Dr. Kim Sungbong, Expert at the Sector of Education, represented ICESCO at the Conference, where he gave a statement highlighting ICESCO’s vision, action strategy and efforts to support digital education in its Member States. He also cast light on the Organization’s educational initiatives and activities, which focus on incorporating digital innovation in education, calling on participants to cooperate with ICESCO in developing educational systems in the countries most in need.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stressed that building peace is a shared responsibility, whose achievement necessitates the engagement of all members of the society. He added that multilateral action plays a vital role in fostering positive cooperation and exchanging expertise among civilizations to build a culture of peace, tolerance and coexistence to ultimately achieve comprehensive development and desired progress.
Dr. AlMalik made this statement in his address, today, Wednesday, November 23, 2022, during the session on fostering multilateral action through a culture of peace, as part of the 9th Global Forum of the Alliances of Civilizations (UNAOC), which concludes its proceedings today in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco. The session featured remarks by Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, UNAOC High Representative, and Dr. Anar Karimov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Director-General first commended the theme of the session, given its close-knit relation to the lived reality, which is characterized by aspects of globalization and multilateralism, noting that it is necessary to reflect on the culture and practices of multilateral action to build peaceful and inclusive societies.
He added that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the class differences in the world and added to societal alienation, which in turn contributed to the increase in conflicts among countries. He stated that this session urges us to promote partnerships and devise policies to build peace in our societies to overcome crises and achieve sustainable development.
Dr. AlMalik highlighted ICESCO’s programs in the field of promoting the culture of peace, namely the Leadership Training for Peace and Security Program, and the Program of Integrating ICESCO’s Peace 360° Approach in Academic Spheres, which aims to promote curricula in the field of building peace and security in the ICESCO Member States. The Director-General also cast light on the Young Professionals Programme and the Leaderships Incubator, which both aim to build young people’s leadership and professional capacities, hold several training sessions and workshops, and provide scholarships for the Member States’ youth to study in a number of prestigious universities across the globe.
As part of the participation of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in the 9th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum, in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, Ms. Ramata Almami Mbaye, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector of ICESCO, took part in the session on “Global citizenship education: shaping global citizens through transformative education.”
During the session, held following the opening of the forum, on Tuesday (November 22, 2022), Ms. Mbaye reviewed the efforts of ICESCO in the field of education and capacity-building for children and youth, stressing that global citizenship cannot be an expression of the values of one dominant culture, but should rather focus on the shared universal values.
She highlighted the need for transformative education and learning, which nurture shared values and respect for diversity, equity and inclusion, noting that ICESCO stresses the importance of knowledge as a tool for positive transformation in our societies through new and innovative initiatives such as ICESCO International think Tank “Culture for Rethinking the World”, the Societies We Want initiative, and ICESCO’s Leadership Training for Peace and Security Programme, which are comprehensive mechanisms to build peace and develop youth.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. António Vitorino, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of common interest and mobilize efforts to contribute to achieving sustainable development goals.
During the meeting, held on Tuesday (November 22, 2022), in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, as part of their participation in the 9th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Dr. AlMalik reviewed ICESCO’s efforts to support its Member States in the fields of education, science and culture, and its keenness to cooperate with all parties to implement innovative programmes and projects around the world.
He pointed out that ICESCO attaches great importance to its programmes and projects to support immigrants and their children, sponsor and build the capacities of youth and women, and provide them with training on leadership for peace and security in order to consolidate the values of coexistence and intercultural dialogue.
The two parties agreed to hold a series of expert meetings to renew the memorandum of understanding signed between the two organizations and develop joint programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue.
The meeting saw the participation of Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General, Ms. Amira El-Fadil, Head of ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, Ms. Rime Jirari, Head of Organizations and Bodies Department at ICESCO, as well as Mr. Hassan Mustafa Abdel-Moneim, Advisor to IOM Director-General for North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf, and Ms. Laura Palatini, Head of IOM’s Mission in Morocco.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Sultanbai Raev, Secretary-General of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), held a meeting and together discussed prospects of cooperation between the two organizations in the fields of promoting culture and civilizational dialogue and safeguarding heritage in the Islamic world.
During the meeting, held on Monday, November 22, 2022, in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, as part of the two officials’ participation in the 9th Global Forum for the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Dr. AlMalik stated that ICESCO is working toward documenting and safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage in the Islamic world through inscribing heritage sites and cultural elements on the Islamic world heritage lists and organizing training sessions for experts in this field to train them on the process of preparing inscription files.
For his part, Mr. Raev commended ICESCO’s efforts in the field of safeguarding cultural heritage expressing his organization’s readiness to develop joint programs and activities with ICESCO, particularly regarding the Program of the Celebration of Culture Capitals in the Islamic World.
The two parties agreed to renew their cooperation agreement to provide for the implementation of several programs and projects and the organization of several conferences focusing on safeguarding heritage, highlighting the Islamic civilization, promoting cultural tourism, fostering dialogue among cultures and civilizations and countering violence and extremism.
The meeting was attended by a number of ICESCO officials, namely Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, Amb. Khalid Farhalrahman, Head of the Center of Civilizational Dialogue, Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, head of the Sector of Social and Human Sciences, Ms. Amina Fadil, Head of the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperatio
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stated that the Alliance of Civilizations is not a luxurious or elitist matter, but rather a human need that requires us to look courageously at the aspects of ills and gaps in order to address them. He considered that the warning signs of global conflict today are signs of civilizational tendencies more than evidence of conflicting economic interests and competition over natural resources, noting that civilizational alliance is an integrated system composed of the values of all people.
This came in his address at the 9th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which kicked off on November 22, 2022, in the city of Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, under the theme: “Towards an Alliance of Peace: Living Together as One Humanity.” The Forum, which began with the royal message of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, saw the participation of high-caliber international officials, mainly Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, as well as several Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Culture, from different countries to promote dialogue and build bridges of peace between peoples.
In his address, ICESCO Director-General pointed out that the main challenge facing the Alliance of Civilizations today lies in the ability to address a human community open to understanding and alliance, highlighting that humanity is facing a historic human challenge, which requires paving the way for justice, fraternity and equality, and combating hunger, ignorance and disease.
He pointed out that it is necessary to pay attention to the development of the virtual world in terms of illegal trafficking of cultural property and the dissemination of hate speech, calling for action to harness this development in an ideal legal manner. He noted that youth are essential for the future civilizational alliance; if we succeed in giving them the keys to the future, we will succeed in ensuring the sustainability and renewal of the Alliance of Civilizations.
Dr. AlMalik called for raising future generations on the values of the Alliance of Civilizations and tolerance, and for including the meanings of civilizational communication and human fraternity in school curricula, stressing that ICESCO cherishes these values in its vision and action strategy, as it established the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, the Center for Strategic Foresight and incubators to stimulate youth creativity.
He concluded his address by inviting the participants in the Forum to visit the Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat.
ICESCO is participating in the activities and sessions of the Global Forum for the Alliance of Civilizations in Fez, with a high-level delegation headed by Dr. AlMalik, and including Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, and several Heads of Sectors and Directors of Departments and Centers of the Organization.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of Education of the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and Youth Sada and Youth Vision institutions, held a Symposium on digital entrepreneurship, to spread its culture among young people, and to review key models and successful experiences in the field.
The Symposium, which was launched today, Tuesday, November 22, 2022, in the city of Muscat, is part of celebrating the Omani Youth Day every year on October 22. 120 young participants, entrepreneurs and school and university students benefited from its sessions, aimed at encouraging them to start their entrepreneurial projects, support new ideas, and contribute to their rehabilitation in the economic and technological field. The Symposium saw the participation of Sayyed Salem Muslim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor for Human Resources Development in the Sultanate of Oman, Dr. Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi, Undersecretary of the Omani Ministry of Education, and Ms. Amna Al Balushi, Secretary General of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.
In his address, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of ICESCO Strategic Foresight Center, reaffirmed that ICESCO adopts a future and dynamic strategic vision based on participatory and cooperative foundations. The Organization sustains its efforts to support Member States in its fields of competence; it has mobilized, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, its expertise and its resources to strengthen its roles in contributing to the improvement of indicators of sustainable development in its Member States.
Dr. Al-Hammami also presented a working document, in which he highlighted the ways to harness strategic foresight practices to gain a strong understanding of the next digital generation, stressing that in order to build a sustainable and prosperous Islamic world, we must prepare for the next industrial revolution by investing in human intelligence, artificial intelligence, and providing young people with digital skills related to the jobs of tomorrow and entrepreneurship opportunities.
He concluded his address by reviewing the efforts of ICESCO Strategic Foresight Center, as it launched several initiatives, including holding an international conference on the skills and jobs of tomorrow, training sessions and workshops in the field of artificial intelligence and strategic foresight, preparing a dictionary of artificial intelligence vocabulary, project of the future as imagined by youth, and completing a report on the impact of artificial intelligence on the world of tomorrow.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called for consolidating museum culture and keeping pace with the technological revolution to counter its negative aspects and contribute to the enrichment of the civilizational dialogue given that museums and their treasures are a product and a legacy of civilizations, adding that museums are theaters open for all types of human creativity beyond the boundaries of time and space, and civil and social centers that help in solving crises.
This statement came in an address that Dr. AlMalik delivered, on Monday (November 21, 2022), in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, during the Forum on “Peace Museums: Spaces for Discovery, Openness to the Other and Intercultural Dialogue,” which was organized before the launch of the 9th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Global Forum, in the presence of Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative of UNAOC, and a group of international figures and representatives of specialized institutions.
At the outset of his address, Dr. AlMalik highlighted that the museum is a reliable platform to share our civilizational experiences, an open theater for various types of human creativity, and civil and social center par excellence, bearing a cultural responsibility.
He raised four questions in his attempt to highlight the role of museums as one of the mechanisms of the Alliance of Civilizations. “The first question is related to the link between museum activity and the intellectual foundations that guarantee the sustainability of its productivity as thought, is a gleaming window for civilizational interaction. Thus, universities, research centers and cultural institutions should set common conceptual foundations of museum activity,” underscored Dr. AlMalik.
Afterward, Dr. AlMalik questioned the ability of museum productivity to overcome emergencies and crises as museums were at the forefront of the cultural institutions affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the third question related to the ability of museums to keep up with the communication revolution and artificial intelligence applications to ensure its sustainability.
In the fourth question, ICESCO Director-General addressed the problem of countering the negative effects of technology on the mission of museums, stressing the need to develop the laws, legislations and charters on electronic theft and illicit trafficking in cultural property.
The UNAOC Global Forum will be held in Fez, on November 22-23, 2022, in the presence of the ministers of culture of several countries as well as high-level officials of regional and international organizations, and eminent international figures. ICESCO’s delegation, headed by its Director-General, includes the Deputy Director-General and a number of heads of sector and directors of department and center.
The Sector of Science and Technology at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is holding the “Workshop on Training Women on Income-Generating Activities: Processing Agricultural Products and Forest Fruits,” on November 22-25, 2022, as part of the celebration of Yaoundé as the 2022 Culture Capital in the Islamic World for the African Region. The Workshop is held in partnership with the Cameroonian National Commission for Education, Science and Culture for UNESCO and ICESCO and the Ministry of Arts and Culture in Cameroon, aimed at building women’s capacities, consolidating their contributions to the local economy and raising awareness of the best practices for protecting the environment and preserving natural resources.
During the opening session of the four-day Workshop, Dr. Ismaila Diallo, Expert at the Sector of Science and Technology, highlighted ICESCO’s efforts in building women’s capacities, ensuring their integration in entrepreneurial fields, and helping them adapt to the challenges of climate change through the implementation of several programs and training sessions, in cooperation with Member States’ National Commissions.
For his part, Mr. Abdul-Aziz Yaouba, Secretary-General of the Cameroonian National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO, underlined his country’s keenness to promote constructive cooperation with ICESCO in terms of the implementation of several programs and projects to contribute to the socio-economic development of women and the youth.
Ms. Astadjam Saoudi, Director of Entertainment and Creative Industries at the Ministry of Arts and Culture in Cameroon, President of the National Committee for the Celebration of Yaoundé as Culture Capital in the Islamic World, hailed the role of the Program of the Culture Capitals in the Islamic World in promoting heritage, highlighting women’s contributions and anchoring the values of peace, coexistence and civilizational dialogue.
The Workshop focused on raising participants’ awareness of the best practices of storing, processing and packaging agricultural products, building their capacities in the fields of project and financial resources management, and helping them improve their marketing and e-commerce skills.
On Monday, November 21, 2022, the Headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat received a delegation of children from several schools, as part of ICESCO’s celebration of World Children’s Day, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office in Morocco, to familiarize children with the nature of work in ICESCO’s Sectors, Departments and Centers and allow them to express their opinions, by allowing them the opportunity to go through a simulation experience of some of the tasks of the Organization’s officials.
During the visit, several ICESCO Heads of Sectors, Directors of Departments and Experts held a meeting with the children, in the presence of Ms. Nawal Hammadi, representative of the UNICEF office in Morocco. It was an opportunity for the children to make their voices heard and call for the need to defend their rights and promote the principle of gender equality.
Two children from the delegation were invited to go through a simulation experience, each of them assumed the duties of ICESCO Director-General to learn about the decisions to make in this capacity and get acquainted closely with the management methods and mechanisms, and how to conduct daily work, while the rest of the children were invited to experiment other positions and responsibilities within the Organization.
The children were taken on a tour to ICESCO’s various facilities, namely the Leadership Incubator, which is an integrated platform to support the youth of the Islamic world in areas of future leadership skills required in the fields of education, science and culture.
The children also visited the pavilions of the Exhibition and Museum on the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, at ICESCO’s headquarters, which is the fruit of a strategic partnership between the Organization, the Muslim World League, and the Mohammadia League of Scholars in the Kingdom of Morocco, which aimed at promoting the Prophet’s biography and lofty virtues, the Islamic civilization, and the noble purposes of the message of Islam.
