Category: News update

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, held a meeting to explore ways to promote cooperation between the two organizations in developing agricultural technology, promoting food security and environment protection, and building women and youth capacities, especially in rural areas.

During the meeting held on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, via videoconference, the two parties discussed the mechanisms of updating the MoU signed between the two organizations to set out for new cooperation programs in the field of developing agricultural technology, capitalizing on the potential of AI applications in this field, protecting the environment, achieving food security, countering wastage, building the capacities of women and the youth in rural areas and supporting them in creating income-generating projects.

The DG also highlighted the major projects and programs that ICESCO implements to support the efforts of its Member States to achieve sustainable development through encouraging the use of modern technology in the agricultural field and training women and young people in agricultural entrepreneurship.

For his part, Dr. Qu Dongyu commended ICESCO’s efforts and its open-door policy, noting that the number of Member States in the two organizations will contribute to building fruitful cooperation in expertise exchange. The FAO official also stressed the importance of updating the MoU to help build leadership capacities among women and young people.

The meeting was attended by several FAO officials, along with a team of experts from ICESCO, namely Ms. Amira Fadil, Head of the Sector of Cooperation and International Cooperation; Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at the Sector of Science and Technology; and Ms. Rim Jirari, Head of the Section of Organizations and Bodies at the Sector of Cooperation and International Cooperation.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stressed that the Organization continuously strives to safeguard and promote the heritage of Al-Quds, which abounds with treasure troves of monotheistic religions throughout different eras, and reflects people’s diverse cultures and plural backgrounds. He added that ICESCO stands steadfast in its refusal and rejection of all Judaization attempts and commits to supporting all projects and activities that serve and preserve the identity of Al-Quds, its Mosque, its Dome of Rock and its proud and resilient people.

The DG made this statement in an address he gave at the celebration of the Al-Quds Activity Day, held by the Bait Mal Al-Quds Agency, the executive body of Al-Quds Committee, which is chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco. The celebration was held at the Agency’s headquarters as part of the celebration of Rabat as Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022, with the participation of Dr. Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, Director of the Agency; Mr. Jamal Al-Shobaki, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Kingdom of Morocco, and a delegation from the National Popular Congress of Al-Quds.

The DG stated that one of the strategic goals of the Programme of the Culture Capitals in the Islamic World is to highlight the richness and diversity of the capitals’ cultural heritage, as well as their cultural and art movements to promote understanding among nations and peoples. He noted that throughout history, Al-Quds has been at the forefront of cities known for its values of tolerances, diversity and long-standing history and its people who we should all support.
The DG commended the quality activities that the Agency organizes in contribution to highlighting the cultural and artistic heritage of the city of Rabat, notably the launch of the program to support the sector of culture and social activity in Al-Quds, titled “Ribat Al-Quds.”
Dr. AlMalik concluded his address by reading a poem in honor of Al-Quds, titled “Shawqu Al-Liqaa.”

The celebration of Al-Quds Activity Day featured the inauguration of a photography exhibition on Al-Quds titled, “Rabat in Al-Quds,” which was opened by the guests of honor of the celebration who visited its various exhibited collections.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Republic of Djibouti, held a meeting to explore ways of enhancing cooperation between ICESCO and Djibouti in several areas of common interest.

During the meeting, which took place on Monday, June 20, 2022, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, with the presence of Mr. Mohamed Douhour Hersi, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to the Kingdom of Morocco, and the delegation accompanying the Minister, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the key components of ICESCO vision and strategy, which accord great importance to youth and women capacity-building, foster scientific research in the Member States, encourage investment in space sciences and make use of artificial intelligence applications to promote education, science and culture.

The meeting reviewed the existing cooperation between ICESCO and Djibouti and the Organization’s support in the field of teaching the Arabic language. The two parties also discussed future cooperation in implementing joint programs in the fields of education, scientific research, women and youth capacity-building, as well as attracting talents from Djibouti to work at ICESCO.

For his part, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Republic of Djibouti expressed his country’s aspiration to build a fruitful partnership with ICESCO in areas of common interest, especially in supporting the Arabic language and adopting cultural projects within Djibouti universities to valorize and safeguard heritage.

He invited ICESCO to participate in a climate conference to be held in the Republic of Djibouti in October.

The meeting brought together Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General, Ms. Amira Fadel, Head of ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, advisor to the Director-General for Partnerships and International Cooperation, and Supervisor of ICESCO’s Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Robert Dölger, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they explored cooperation prospects between the Organization and the Federal Republic in the fields of education, science and culture.
During the meeting, which was held on Monday, June 20, 2022, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Mr. Steffen Krueger, representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Morocco, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the key programmes and activities that ICESCO is currently implementing in light of its new vision and strategic orientations that rest upon openness to as well as cooperation and greater communication with not only the Member States but also the Non-Member States who are allowed to join the Organization as observers, including the Federal Republic of Germany, which is home to a vast Muslim community.
ICESCO DG commended the distinguished cooperation between the Organization and several German institutions, notably the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Leibniz Association, noting that ICESCO is keen to cooperate with more German entities in the fields of education, science and culture.

He also reaffirmed the importance that ICESCO, through its various sectors and centers, attaches to serving its Member States and Muslim communities around the world, particularly in the areas of building women and youth capacity, guaranteeing the right to equitable and quality education for all, promoting a culture of foresight, anchoring peace, civilizational dialogue and coexistence, countering extremist ideas, encouraging investment in space sciences, and supporting efforts aimed at leveraging artificial intelligence and new technologies to advance education, science and culture.
For his part, the German Ambassador hailed ICESCO’s roles in supporting its Member States and underscored his country’s keenness to cooperate with the Organization in its areas of competence, noting the effective partnership between ICESCO and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, reflected in the organization of multiple training sessions and workshops aimed at building the capacities of young people, encouraging them to read, offering them scholarships, and combating extremism.

The meeting saw the attendance of Mrs. Amira El Fadil, Head of ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of the Strategic Foresight Center, Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at the Science and Technology Sector, and Mr. Omer Hamid, Expert at the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) received, on Friday 17 June 2022, Dr. Mohamed Ouled Amar, Director-General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), and together discussed the developments of cooperation between the two organizations.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Al-Malik welcomed Dr. Ouled Amar at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat and lauded the strong cooperation and complementarity between ICESCO and ALECSO.

He also reviewed the development and modernization aspects of ICESCO in the fields of education, science and culture, to serve the Member States and Muslim communities in non-Member States based on a forward-looking vision that calls for the need to encourage Muslim countries to invest in and localize modern technology, especially the applications of space science and artificial intelligence. This vision also focuses on entrenching the values of coexistence and peace, training and capacity building of youth and women, and the promotion and preservation of tangible and intangible heritage.

At the end of the meeting, which also brought together Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of ICESCO, and Dr. Abdelfattah Lahjomri, Director of the Arabization Coordination Bureau in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Ouled Amar went to the meeting hall, where the heads of ICESCO’s sectors, departments and centers presented their main programmes and strategic orientations.

For his part, ALECSO Director-General commended the presentations on the programmes and action plans of ICESCO, stressing that his visit aims to strengthen cooperation between the two organizations to achieve common objectives, and reaffirming ALECSO’s willingness to implement more cooperation projects with ICESCO and exchange publications.

Afterward, Dr. AlMalik took Dr. Ouled Aktmar on a tour of some of ICESCO’s new facilities, including the youth training incubators, and “Mishkat” hall, which is equipped with the latest technology for holding virtual training sessions and workshops.