The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the third High-Level Ministerial Dialogue for Culture-Based Climate Action, held in Barcelona on Sunday, 28 September 2025, on the eve of the World Conference on Cultural Policies Mondiacult, organized there by UNESCO.
This dialogue, convened at the invitation of the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, as the host of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) scheduled for November 2025, reaffirmed the growing momentum for integrating culture at the heart of international sustainable development agendas. The event brought together ministers of culture, policymakers, and international cultural leaders to discuss the role of culture as a catalyst for climate action and sustainability. It also adopted the Barcelona Declaration, considered a significant collective commitment to strengthening the role of culture in addressing the global climate crisis.
ICESCO was represented at this event by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of the Culture Sector, and Ms. Somia Djacta, Head of the ICESCO Delegation to UNESCO, who emphasized the Organization’s commitment to supporting cultural approaches that enhance resilience to climate change, in line with its strategic vision of promoting peace, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable development in its Member States.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the International Experts Forum, held on 26–27 September 2025 under the theme: “The Great Heritage of the Past is the Basis for an Enlightened Future”, at the headquarters of the Center for Islamic Civilization in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, under the patronage of H.E. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
ICESCO was represented at the Forum by Dr. Ahmed Abdel Basset, Expert at the Organization’s Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts, who conveyed in his speech the greetings of ICESCO Director-General, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, to all the staff of the Center for Islamic Civilization and the participants in the Forum. He also highlighted the strong relations between ICESCO and the Republic of Uzbekistan, noting that last May the Uzbek city of Samarkand was announced as the Islamic World Culture Capital for 2025.
Dr. Abdel Basset further spoke about the nature of cooperation between ICESCO and the Center for Islamic Civilization, pointing out that a large space on the Center’s second floor has been designated for the inauguration of ICESCO’s Manuscripts Center, from which numerous scientific and cultural activities will be launched in conjunction with the official opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization.
The Forum served as a prelude to the official opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization next year. It provided an opportunity for more than 200 scholars, researchers, and experts from 20 countries to discover the Center’s exhibitions, sections, and collections, in addition to discussing its mission and scope of work aimed at conveying the human essence of Islam to the international community.
It should be noted that on 25 May 2025, ICESCO Director-General visited the new headquarters of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, where he met with Mr. Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Center, to discuss the arrangements for inaugurating the ICESCO Manuscripts Center, which will be hosted within the Center for Islamic Civilization.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on Thursday, 25 September 2025, received the Egyptian artist Mohamed Sarwat at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat. The meeting explored opportunities for producing meaningful artistic and cultural works in the near future.
Dr. AlMalik highlighted ICESCO’s commitment to supporting culture and arts and safeguarding Arab and Islamic heritage, with a particular emphasis on poetry. He also reviewed the Organization’s key initiatives in this area, including the “Cities of Poetry” Competition, the World Poetry Day celebration, and various activities designed to preserve poetry’s place in the cultural memory of the Islamic world.
Moreover, the two parties considered organizing a seminar on the role of art in promoting Islamic values among youth and families, aimed at reinforcing the positive image of arts. They also reached a preliminary agreement to collaborate on the production of sung poems composed by Dr. AlMalik in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), to be performed by Mohamed Sarwat.
At the close of the meeting, Mohamed Sarwat expressed his delight at visiting ICESCO and affirmed his willingness to contribute to the Organization’s cultural and artistic initiatives, particularly those targeting young people. He commended ICESCO’s efforts in preserving identity and promoting the values of peace and dialogue. The visit concluded with a tour of the Organization’s facilities and projects, as well as the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography, housed at ICESCO headquarters.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Fabio Chinda, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Kingdom of Morocco, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat on Thursday, 25 September 2025. The meeting aimed to coordinate the arrangements for the upcoming visit of an ICESCO delegation, headed by Dr. AlMalik, to Thailand in October.
The two parties discussed the main highlights of the visit, including Dr. AlMalik’s keynote address as Guest of Honor at the 3rd International Conference on the Arabic Language of International Islamic College Bangkok, in addition to holding a series of meetings with several ministers and prominent religious leaders in the Kingdom.
Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed the Organization’s keenness to strengthen cooperation and build fruitful partnerships with its Observer Member States, in a way that allows the exchange of expertise across various fields, foremost among them heritage protection, scientific research development, fostering a culture of knowledge, and advancing the educational system both within and beyond the Islamic world.
For his part, Ambassador Chinda emphasized that Thailand will work to ensure the success of ICESCO’s visit and to lay solid foundations for partnership and cooperation between the Organization and the Kingdom, with the aim of developing programs and projects in educational fields, youth capacity-building, and the promotion of peace.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Hani Al Balawi, Expert at the Organization’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Zakari, President of the Arab Open University in the Arab world (AOU), on Thursday, 25 September 2025, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat. The meeting discussed ICESCO’s support for the AOU’s efforts to establish a new branch in the Kingdom of Morocco.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with universities and supporting them as beacons of knowledge in the Islamic world. He highlighted the Organization’s distinguished scientific and research partnerships with leading academic institutions and the establishment of research chairs in several universities across Member States and beyond. Dr. AlMalik also stressed ICESCO’s support for initiatives aimed at advancing universities in the Islamic world, whether academically, through research, or geographically, by launching new branches in Member States.
For his part, Dr. Al-Zakari commended ICESCO’s efforts in supporting educational and academic institutions in the Islamic world and expressed his aspiration to build bilateral cooperation with the Organization, particularly in support of AOU’s plan to open a new branch in Morocco.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to the ICESCO Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), and Dr. Abdullah Al Mulhim, Expert at ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.
It is worth noting that the idea of establishing a non-profit Open University in the Arab world was initiated by HRH Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz, may God rest his soul. In 1996, HRH Prince Talal officially announced the concept of establishing the Arab Open University as a non-conventional academic institution and as a foundation which contributes to steering development in scientific, social, and cultural spheres. This initiative developed in 2002 into a full-fledged Arab Open University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and nine other Arab countries, in strategic partnership with the Open University in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane, former Prime Minister of Morocco, during his visit to the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat on Thursday, 25 September 2025. Dr. AlMalik began the meeting, which was also attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, and a number of other ICESCO leaders, by reviewing ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and highlighting the programs and initiatives it implements in its Member States.
The ICESCO Director-General reviewed the most significant transformations undergone by the Organization and its structure over the past five years, including the modification of the Organization’s name to disambiguate the nature of its competencies and highlight its openness to various parties with the aim of serving the countries of the Islamic world and beyond, as well as the creation of several new sectors and centers specializing in media and communication, strategy and institutional excellence, civilizational dialogue, the Arabic language, calligraphy and manuscripts, poetry and literature, foresight, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. AlMalik also stated that relations with Morocco, the seat country, have developed remarkably over the past few years. ICESCO has implemented some 370 activities in cooperation with the Moroccan authorities, a number of which have enjoyed the royal patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah protect him. These include hosting the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization, which was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay Hassan of Morocco and has attracted around nine million visitors to date.
For his part, Mr. Benkirane praised the Organization’s recent developments, noting that visiting its headquarters and seeing these developments was like rediscovering ICESCO and its pioneering role.
Dr. AlMalik then took Mr. Benkirane on a tour of the Organization’s departments and specialized centers, as well as the Exhibition and the International Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah.
As part of the celebration of International Literacy Day, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Moroccan Manahile Games, held an international symposium titled: “Learning by Playing: Board Games as Tools for Education, Spiritual and Socio-Cultural Preservation.” The Symposium featured high-level participation from senior officials, education experts, and representatives of relevant international organizations, as well as 150 students who interacted with a special presentation of a board game designed to educate about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The Symposium, held on Wednesday, 24 September 2025, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, aimed to highlight the educational and cultural value of games as tools for learning and to demonstrate their educational benefits in the areas of literacy and critical thinking. It also aimed to promote dialogue between teachers, cultural experts, and game designers on integrating games into educational contexts and to provide students with practical experience within the framework of learning through playing games.
The opening session of the Symposium began with a speech by Dr. Salim Al-Malik, ICESCO’s Director-General, delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of ICESCO’s Centre for Civilizational Dialogue. In his speech, Dr. Al-Malik affirmed ICESCO’s belief in the pivotal role of educational games in learning. He stressed the need to invest in the research and development of such games, integrate game-based learning in school curricula, and forge partnerships with innovators and game developers. He also emphasized the importance of empowering young people to produce games and to enhance their knowledge and innovation.
Then, Mr. Waqas Afridi, education expert at ICESCO, presented ICESCO’s strategic vision for education, highlighting its promotion of games as an educational tool for knowledge acquisition.
Dr. Amin El-Majhad, educational game designer and president of Manahile Games, reviewed an international analysis of 27 studies that confirmed the role of educational games in improving children’s knowledge and cognitive functions, enhancing their motivation, and developing their social relationships.
This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ms. Haddy Jatou Sey, Head of the Education Sector at ICESCO, which addressed the challenges and opportunities offered by digital and non-digital educational games and the integration of game-based learning in schools. Ms. Sey emphasized the collective responsibility to reimagine educational models in order to enhance the quality and inclusiveness of education.
The session was attended by prominent representatives from the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Primary Education and Sports, the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the Hassan II Mosque Foundation, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the British Council, who emphasized the importance of international partnerships to support educational transformation through alternative methods toward quality learning.
The Symposium also included an interactive workshop in which 150 students participated, featuring a live presentation of an educational board game about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Ms. Saulekul Sailaukyzy, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Morocco and her country’s Permanent Delegate to ICESCO, where they discussed the latest developments in cooperation between the two sides, following ICESCO’s delegation’s successful visit to Kazakhstan recently.
At the beginning of the meeting, held on Wednesday, 24 September 2025, at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to the Organization’s delegation, which he led during its visit to Kazakhstan to participate in the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana. Moreover, the Congress witnessed the presentation of the Medal of Honor by His Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Dr. AlMalik, in recognition of his pioneering role in consolidating the values of global peace.
Dr. AlMalik also briefed his guest on the highlights of his visit to Kazakhstan, where he met with Mr. Erlan Karin, State Counselor; Ms. Aida Balayeva, Minister of Culture and Information; Mr. Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources; and His Eminence Sheikh Nauryzbay Haji Taganuly, Grand Mufti of Kazakhstan. The visit further included the signing of two MoUs with the Turkic Academy and the Islamic Organization for Food Security, in addition to visits to several academic and research institutions and several heritage sites.
The meeting also discussed the possibility of Kazakhstan hosting the upcoming Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World, as well as welcoming a group of distinguished Kazakhstani professionals to train at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat.
Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, attended the meeting.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in cooperation with Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, invites researchers and specialists to participate in an international symposium titled “Publishing and Security: The Role of the Publishing Industry in Promoting Societal Awareness and Intellectual Security,” due to be held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat on 27–28 April 2026.
The Symposium will address the growing challenges of intellectual and information security in traditional and digital spaces. The print and digital publishing industry plays a key role in shaping public awareness, either by promoting values of peace and coexistence or by fueling hate speech and extremism. Consequently, the development of the publishing industry is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 4 and 16, which focus on quality education, peace, justice, and strong institutions respectively.
The Symposium will cover seven themes reflecting the relationship between publishing and security. These themes are: publishing and intellectual security; publishing and misinformation; digital publishing and information security; institutional publishing in a security context; regulatory policies and legislation; the role of libraries in promoting knowledge security; and the role of security agencies in combating misinformation and fake news.
In this context, ICESCO invites interested individuals to submit original, unpublished papers that fall within the themes of the Symposium. Papers should be between 12 and 20 pages long (approximately 3,000–5,000 words), written in 12-point Times New Roman font and accompanied by an abstract of no more than 300 words in one of the following languages: Arabic, English, or French.
The organizing committee has set 1 November 2025 as the deadline for submitting abstracts accompanied by CVs via email to: TPC@ICESCO.org and events.sc@nauss.edu.sa.
Accepted submissions will be announced on 1 December 2025, along with a participation form. The deadline for receiving and accepting the full texts of research papers is 1 February 2026.
All submissions will undergo rigorous scientific review by a committee of experts in publishing and knowledge security. Accepted papers will be published in a numbered scientific book under the supervision of ICESCO.
At the end of the Symposium, practical conclusions and recommendations will be drawn up on responsible publishing policies that can strengthen societies’ immunity against extremism and hate speech, while supporting education and media systems in the Arab and Islamic worlds.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) to strengthen partnership in the fields of agriculture, food security, sustainable development, and innovation in resource management.
The MoU, signed on Thursday, September 18, 2025, in Astana, Kazakhstan, include the development of joint programs and projects to support ICESCO Member States through the exchange of expertise and the advancement of initiatives aimed at achieving food security, enhancing the capacities of national professionals in utilizing the latest technologies in agriculture and natural resource management, conducting joint studies on agricultural technology, and organizing conferences, initiatives, and joint projects that seek to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to serve Member States.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), emphasized that this MoU is an important step within ICESCO’s new vision, which focuses on building strategic partnerships that contribute to supporting sustainable development in the Islamic world, noting that food security is one of the current stage’s key priorities.
For his part, Ambassador Berik Aryn, IOFS DG, expressed his aspiration to work jointly with the Organization, thereby strengthening international efforts to address challenges related to food and natural resources.
