Category: News update

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Faculty of Letters and Humanities of Mohammed V University in Rabat, held a workshop to share the content of ICESCO’s “Guide on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Families, Communities and Educational Actors” announced by the Organization as part of its “The Societies We Want” initiative to support the efforts of Member States to face various crises.

The workshop, which was held on Friday 4 November 2022 at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in Rabat and by videoconference, aimed at sharing experiences on the Guide and shining light on the general context and the conceptual, theoretical and methodological framework of its publication, as well as considering the possibility of expanding its targeted beneficiaries.

ICESCO was represented at this workshop by a delegation made up of Mrs. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector, Dr. Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector, and Dr. Koumbou Bolly Barry, Head of the Education Sector, in addition to several experts.

At the beginning of the workshop, Mrs. Ramata Almamy Mbaye thanked all the partners who contributed to the preparation of the Guide and underlined the general context of its publication as part of ICESCO’s continuous efforts to address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the countries of the Islamic world and the Muslim communities. She reaffirmed that the initiative of “The Societies We Want” aims at building safe societies through the exchange of experiences between institutions, bodies and international organizations.

For his part, Dr. Zine El Abidine reviewed ICESCO’s orientations within the framework of its new vision and action strategy, which adopts openness to cooperate with academic institutions, civil society organizations and donors, aiming to support Member States’ development efforts and contributing to the development of social, health and educational welfare, among other things.

In the same vein, Dr. Jamal Eddine El Hani, dean of the Faculty of Letters and Humanities, welcomed the participants to the workshop and stressed the importance of this Guide that can assist families, educational managers and local communities to cope with various pressures.

In her speech, Ms. Naseem Awl, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Morocco, welcomed the cooperation between ICESCO and UNICEF, stressing the importance of addressing mental health issues through a psychosocial approach and focusing on children and vulnerable groups.

Then, Dr. El Mostafa Rezrazi, on behalf of the team in charge of preparing the Guide, made a presentation on the aspects related to the conceptual, theoretical and methodological framework of the Guide and the general context of its publication, along with a summary of the guidelines and best practices concerning the protection of the child, the family, the school and the local communities in times of crisis.

At the end of the workshop, in which many National Commissions of ICESCO Member States took part, the floor was given to participants who raised questions and ideas that enriched the debate.

The Social and Human Sciences Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a meeting with the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in the Kingdom of Morocco, the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation, and the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region to finalize the “ICESCO Marathon for Social Cohesion and Resilience,” due to be held on November 27, 2022, in Rabat.

During the meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Moroccan National Commission, and coordinated by Mr. Jamal Eddine El Aloua, Secretary-General of the Commission, Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of ICESCO’s Human and Social Sciences Sector, reviewed the Organization’s vision for sports as a powerful and effective tool for promoting the values ​​of coexistence, tolerance, dialogue, resilience, and sustainable development.

The marathon will take place in Rabat on the sidelines of the launch of the Youth for Peace Incubator, as part of the launch of the Leadership Training in Peace and Security (LTIPS) 2022, on November 24-26, 2022, in Tangier. Through this initiative, ICESCO and its partners affirm their commitment to pursue efforts to foster social cohesion and community resilience and contribute to enhancing mental health and well-being in the Member States through physical activities.

The participants in ICESCO International Forum on the Future of Teaching Strategies in the Light of Current Developments made several recommendations, including the call for promoting the use of scientific and technological developments in the educational process, building a new model for the school of the future, reducing the risks of the digital and knowledge gap, investing in teachers and meeting their needs, promoting the values ​​of citizenship and volunteering in school life and mobilizing sustainable resources to finance education.

The second and last day of the Forum, held via videoconference, featured three working sessions, which saw the participation of a number of experts and academics. The first session tackled the experiences of several schools, colleges and research centers in using modern teaching strategies through an approach that combines creativity, innovation and gender equality in education. The second session focused on the new trends in teaching strategies while the third session explored the future visions of modern teaching strategies.

During the closing session, Dr. Koumbou Polly Barry, Head of ICESCO’s Education Sector, thanked all the ministers and experts, who participated in the Forum and identified the new challenges facing the future of teaching strategies to ensure the integration of educational technologies in Member States’ educational systems.

She also highlighted the results and recommendations of the Forum, including the adoption of modern teaching methods within the cultural context of each educational system, the enhancement of teachers’ capabilities through the use of technological means and the integration of the values ​​of citizenship to ensure the right to equal education, calling for the need to adopt these recommendations to enhance the role of modern teaching strategies to develop the educational process.

It is worth mentioning that the first day of the Forum witnessed the participation of a group of ministers of education from many ICESCO Member States as well as experts and prominent international figures, who enriched discussions with their experiences, visions and ideas for developing teaching strategies in light of the current technological developments.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) declares its solidarity with the State of Qatar and affirms its unwavering support to the country in facing the suspicious campaign against it for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Organization underlines that Qatar has provided all the resources and conditions required for the success of the World Cup, and has ensured absolute compliance with all requirements for organizing this major international event as testified by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

In this regard, ICESCO calls upon all its Member States and other peace-loving countries to condemn this unprecedented campaign that no host country has ever faced, and stand alongside the State of Qatar in these circumstances that require equitable support, given that this campaign affects the peoples’ cultural rights and specificities and does not respect the cultural diversity which various international conventions and treaties preserve and which falls within the areas of competence of multiple international organizations, namely ICESCO.

The Organization calls for detaching this global football event from all polarizations that could affect its course to serve narrow interests aimed at diverting the world’s attention to minor issues that dissent from international consensus. It is worth stressing that Qatar has met all the necessary requirements for hosting the 2022 World Cup in an atmosphere imbued with authentic Arab hospitality, animated by the country’s pride in its Gulf and Arab neighbors, and reflective of the human dimension in such endeavors, making Qatar a worthy host that deserves all support and appreciation.

The Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers of ICESCO is holding a training session on writing African languages in the Arabic script, in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Yusuf Al-Khalifa Center for Writing Languages in Arabic Script at the International University of Africa (IUA) in the Sudan and Khartoum International Institute for the Arabic Language, for the benefit of a number of participants speaking different African languages.

The training session, which kicked off on Monday (October 31, 2022), at Khartoum International Institute for the Arabic Language in Sudan, aims to enhance the participants’ skills in the fields of linguistics, language computing and educational sciences using the latest developments in modern technologies, identify educational strategies and procedural steps for computing the oral languages in the Arabic script, and present research projects in local languages in the Arabic script on various topics.

The three-week training will be supervised by Dr. Boubaker Hassan Qadrmari, Director of Yusuf Al-Khalifa Center, and Dr. Saber Abdullah Mohamed, Head of the Training Department at the International University of Africa, in addition to experts specialized in the field of education, linguistics and media. At the end of this training, the participants will present their projects on writing local languages in the standard Arabic script.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the Arab SMEs, held by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in cooperation with the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), in Amman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The summit, held on October 30 – November 1, 2022, under the theme “Opportunities Beyond Borders,” witnessed the attendance of 600 participants and 50 speakers representing ministers of economy, ambassadors of Arab countries, economic bodies, intergovernmental organizations and civil society institutions, as well as entrepreneurs and investors. It aimed at exchanging experiences and knowledge to help Arab small and medium enterprises to access regional and international markets and deal with various funding sources.

In his intervention, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of ICESCO Center of Strategic Foresight, highlighted the Organization’s efforts to provide guidance, spread knowledge and share good practices aimed at developing Muslim countries and meeting the needs of its Member States, especially youth and women, underlining the Organization’s programmes to promote the establishment and development of small and medium enterprises in the field of technology and innovation in the OIC Member States.

Dr. Hammami also reviewed ICESCO’s initiatives to promote women’s entrepreneurship, digital entrepreneurship and the culture of foresight, and raise awareness of tomorrow’s professions.

The headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) saw the launch of the first edition of the Young Professionals Programme 2022, which is the opportunity for young people from the Islamic world to spend a 24-month period of professional qualification at ICESCO’s sectors, departments and specialized centers. It comes within the framework of the Organization’s vision and strategic orientations, and aims to build young people’s capacities and provide them with new professional skills that keep pace with the current technological development.

In his welcoming speech, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, announced the launch of the first edition of the programme, which include 13 participants from 10 Member States of ICESCO, who were selected from among 1,177 candidates. He also congratulated the selected participants in the programme, which is a training opportunity for young people, stressing that ICESCO is keen to provide quality professional qualification to meet the aspirations of young people and provide them with the necessary project management skills to fulfil their roles in building a bright future.

ICESCO Director-General gave pieces of advice to the young professionals to achieve success in their practical lives, including hard work and proposing initiatives that reflect their aspirations, expressing his conviction that they will represent an addition to the Organization.

Afterwards, the young professionals presented themselves and their educational career and aspirations. During their first week at ICESCO, the young professionals will get acquainted with the work of ICESCO’s sectors, departments and centers, as well as its major initiatives in the fields of education, science and culture, through various meetings with the heads of sector and experts in addition to other activities.

It is noteworthy that the Young Professionals Programme was approved by the 14th Session of the General Conference of ICESCO, upon the recommendation of the Executive Council. The selection process included many phases, including tests and interviews conducted by a specialized committee.

The programme will enrich the participants’ experiences in the areas of international leadership through various training activities, including project management and visits to various international organizations, participation in high-level international events, and the organization of innovative participatory programmes in ICESCO’s areas of action.