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    On International Day of Peace, ICESCO Calls for Greater Involvement of Youth, Women and Children in Building Resilient Societies

    The world observes the International Day of Peace on September 21th of each year. In 2022, it is celebrated under the theme “End racism. Build peace.” On this occasion, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) calls for mobilization and solidarity to face the challenges of peace and security, which impede social development and human capital building around the world, with an estimated economic impact of approximately 10.5% of the global GDP. The world is also witnessing the displacement of 89.3 million refugees, the majority of whom are women and girls, in addition to 222 million children around the world in need of educational support due to the escalation of conflicts.

    In this context, ICESCO affirms its commitment to strengthening efforts and coordinating joint action through its various programmes to mobilize competencies to liberate societies from all forms of violence and build sustainable peace and stability for all. The Organization adopts a multi-sectoral approach that gives peace a comprehensive dimension, intending to develop cooperation between the parties concerned through various initiatives to enhance the capacities of young people in the fields of education, peacebuilding and civilizational dialogue, mobilize religious leaders and foster the mechanisms of peaceful conflict resolution.

    To achieve a qualitative leap, ICESCO launched its Leadership Training in Peace and Security Programme, which benefited, in its first edition, 30 young men and women, who become ambassadors of peace. The Programme’s second edition will benefit 50 participants from 45 countries. ICESCO, in cooperation with the International University of Rabat in the Kingdom of Morocco, also launched the Programme for Integrating ICESCO’s “360° Peace Approach” into academia.

    Realizing the importance of building peaceful and resilient societies, ICESCO calls for greater involvement of children, youth and women given their essential role as partners in the process of building and strengthening peace, and the incorporation of the values of tolerance, civilizational dialogue and acceptance of the Other in educational systems to overcome racism and adopt ICESCO’s 360° Peace Approach to build peace for development.

    ICESCO Director-General: Joined Efforts are Needed to Ensure the Rights of Africa’s Children

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), underlined that the Organization accords particular importance to protecting children and building their capacities to empower them to lead positive social change, noting that ICESCO, through its programmes and initiatives, adopts strategic policies for enhancing basic services, transforming education, combating violence, and investing in the future.

    This statement came in his address on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, during the “Justice for Africa’s Children” Forum, organized by the Global Alliance of Nobel Laureates and World Leaders for Children, in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations’ Transforming Education Summit (TES). The event saw the participation of high-caliber personalities, including ministers, representatives of international organizations, and Nobel Laureates, and is aimed at casting light on the importance of justice for Africa’s children, ensuring equal access to education, and addressing challenges related to climate change and child labour, particularly in conflict and disaster zones.

    At the outset of his address, ICESCO DG indicated that the repercussions of deprivation affect children, families, communities, and nations and that ensuring healthcare, education, human dignity and security for children contributes to achieving sustainable development.

    He added that the African continent needs special attention, given the large demographic growth that it is witnessing, and the sharp increase in its child population, who is still vulnerable to poverty, school dropout, and violence. “If we join hands to bring justice to Africa’s children by scaling up investment in basic services, education, healthcare, and protection, we will empower them to enhance the socio-economic conditions in the continent,” noted ICESCO DG.

    Dr. Al-Malik stressed that ICESCO is committed to supporting children, youth, and women, and is working to develop their creative skills by building their leadership capacities through its pioneering programmes, namely the Leadership Training in Peace and Security (LTIPS). It is worth noting that fifty male and female candidates representing 45 countries were selected to participate as peace ambassadors in the 2022 edition of the programme.

    Agreement to Promote Cooperation between ICESCO and Pakistan in Education

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, held a meeting to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between ICESCO and Pakistan in the field of education.

    The meeting was held on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, in New York, following both officials’ participation in the United Nations Transforming Education Summit, and was attended by the ICESCO delegation. The Director-General seized this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Hussain on his new position as Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training in Pakistan, wishing him success in his new mission.

    The meeting focused on several ongoing ICESCO programmes and projects, and the possibility for Pakistan to benefit from them. The two parties also agreed on launching the Project to Improve Water and Sanitation Services in Rural Schools in Pakistan, as part of a project currently being implemented by ICESCO in many of its Member States to improve these services in a thousand rural schools.
    Moreover, the two parties agreed to hold training sessions and workshops for Pakistani teachers and to cooperate in the field of “greening education,” by capitalizing on modern technology, setting up digital libraries to support children’s education and developing online education.

    At the close of the meeting, ICESCO Director-General invited the Pakistani Minister to take part in one of ICESCO’s upcoming conferences on education, an invitation the Minister promised to accept soon.

    ICESCO Takes Part in Workshop on Distance Technical and Vocational Education and Training

    The Education Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in a training workshop held by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), on “Distance Education and E-Learning in Technical and Vocational Education and Training,” as part of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET).

    Mr. Aziz Al-Hajir, Programme Director at ICESCO Education Sector, represented the Organization, via videoconference, at the workshop, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, during which he delivered a presentation on ICESCO’s orientations, projects and achievements in relation to distance education, e-learning, and open educational resources.

    Facilitated by a host of specialized experts from the Vocational Training Corporation in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the two-day workshop is intended for experts and executives from technical and vocational education and training bodies in several OIC Member States. The event is aimed at strengthening the participants’ technical capacities, introducing them to the major terms and concepts relating to distance education and e-learning, and equipping them with the necessary tools to harness information and communication technology for advancing technical and vocational education and training systems.

    ICESCO and Kingdom of Morocco Explore Ways of Strengthening Cooperation in Building Youth Capacities

    The Human and Social Sciences Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a meeting with the Department of Cooperation, Communication and Legal Studies at the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in the Kingdom of Morocco, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the Organization and the Ministry in building youth capacities in the fields of peace, social cohesion and development.

    During the meeting, held on Tuesday (20 September 2022), at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat, each party reviewed its programmes and strategic orientations. They also discussed ways to enhance cooperation between ICESCO and the Ministry in areas of common interest.

    The meeting brought together Ms. Ramata Almami Mbaye, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector, and several experts from the Sector, as well as Ms. Nadia Harraq, Head of Cooperation and Partnerships Department at the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication.

    ICESCO and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence Explore Cooperation Prospects in Scholarships

    The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in the United Arab Emirates held a meeting to explore cooperation prospects in implementing various programmes and projects in the fields of artificial intelligence and innovation and discuss the scholarships that the University awards to students in engineering and science faculties.

    During the meeting, which was held on Monday, September 19, 2022, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, representatives of the Organization reviewed the main thrusts of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and its efforts to promote foresight in Member States, as well as its major current programmes and activities in the fields of technology, innovation and artificial intelligence.

    For its part, the University’s delegation delivered a presentation on the areas of MBZUAI’s work and its objectives, highlighting its keenness to cooperate with ICESCO.
    The two parties agreed on jointly organizing a series of conferences and seminars on issues of common interest, and holding meetings to introduce students to the University’s scholarships.

    The meeting brought together Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO Center for Strategic Foresight, and the Center’s team, Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Head of the Legal Affairs and International Standards Department, Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General for the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), Dr. Adel Smeda, Expert at ICESCO Science and Technology Sector, Dr. Hosni Ghedira, Director of Research Engagement at MBZUAI, Dr. Abdulmotaleb El Saddik, Acting Chair of the Computer Vision Department, and Ms. Reem Al Orfali, Director of Student Affairs.

    ICESCO Director-General Meets African Union Commission Chairperson in New York

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Moussa Faki Mohamed, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the Organization and the Union in areas of common interest.

    During the meeting, held in New York, on Monday (September 19, 2022), on the sidelines of the United Nations Transforming Education Summit, organized in parallel with the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main axes of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, and its major initiatives, programmes and activities to consolidate the values of peace, coexistence and civilizational dialogue, build the capacities of youth and women, encourage Member States to invest in modern technology, and benefit from their opportunities in developing education, science and culture.

    The meeting also touched on the areas of common interest and points of convergence between the priorities of ICESCO and the African Union. The two parties stressed their willingness to build a fruitful partnership and agreed to sign a cooperation agreement, which includes the implementation of joint practical programmes and activities, and the participation in international conferences and forums of each party.

    The meeting brought together Dr. Mohamed El-Hassan Ould Labat, President of the Cabinet, Advisor for Strategic and Political Relations; and Ambassador Fatima Kyari, Head of the African Union Mission to the United Nations; as well as Dr. Barry Coumbou, Head of ICESCO Education Sector; Ms. Amira Al-Fadil, Head of ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at ICESCO Science and Technology Sector.

    Discussing Latest Developments in Cooperation between ICESCO and Burkina Faso in Education, Science and Culture

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Albert Ouedraogo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Burkina Faso, held a meeting to review the latest developments in cooperation between ICESCO and Burkina Faso and discuss the implementation of several partnership programmes and activities in the future.

    The meeting, which was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Education of Burkina Faso, came on the sidelines of the participation of Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Ouedraogo in the United Nations Summit for Transforming Education in New York, where ICESCO and Burkina Faso reviewed the key results of their joint programmes, projects and activities and reaffirmed the continuation of their constructive partnership.

    The two parties agreed to cooperate in holding a symposium on space sciences and a training session for youth in Burkina Faso on how to design and manufacture an educational satellite “CanSat,” to implement several projects in the preservation of the environment, inscription of several historical sites and cultural elements in Burkina Faso on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List and organize training sessions for heritage officials in Burkina Faso on preparing inscription files and protecting and maintaining archaeological sites.

    The meeting also touched upon the problem of dropping out of school, Burkina Faso’s success in addressing and reducing the effects of this phenomenon and the possibility of transferring this experience to other ICESCO Member States.

    For his part, the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso commended ICESCO’s new vision and strategic orientations and expressed his gratitude for the Organization’s interest in cooperating with his country and supporting its efforts in developing education, science and culture, stressing that his government will pay the arrears of Burkina Faso’s contributions to ICESCO’s budget.

    The meeting brought together from ICESCO: Dr. Barry Koumbouo, Head of the Education Sector, Ms. Amira El-Fadil, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor in the Science and Technology Sector, and Dr. Sungbong Kim, Expert at the Education Sector.

    During UN Transforming Education Summit in New York: ICESCO Calls on Global Community to Implement Reforming Policies to Usher in New Education Era

    Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called on the global community to implement several reform policies to usher in a new era of education that meets the world’s needs for inclusive and equitable quality education. He stressed that countries need to raise the share of education in their general budgets, set up a world fund for supporting education during disasters and in conflict zones, and urge global corporates specializing in the field of education to provide technical and technological support to educational sectors in developing countries. He also called on educational organizations to cooperate in conducting studies on the latest educational development and set up a plan for the ensuing needs.

    Dr. AlMalik made this statement Monday, September 19, 2022, at the Transforming Education Summit Leaders Day, held by the United Nations at its headquarters in New York, concurrently with the organization of the 77th General Assembly. This major educational event aims to pool efforts, align ambitions and promote solidarity to find solutions to compensate for the hits that struck the education sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reimagine its future. The Summit saw high-caliber participation including heads of states and governments, ministers, leaders, international organizations and world-renowned experts in the field of education.

    At the outset, Dr. AlMalik commended the organization of the Transforming Education Summit, which represents the start of a new era in education. He also highlighted the key roles of education in supporting the development and building world peace and security, noting that SDG4 stresses the importance of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality lifelong education. He added that education was one of the fields most impacted by the pandemic repercussions, as its system has become a standard for measuring our success or failure in preventing disasters and overcoming crises.

    Moreover, Dr. AlMalik stated that ICESCO places education at the forefront of its priorities, guided by its new and forward-looking vision which focuses on women, children and young people and capitalizes on modern technology to build the youth’s capacities to keep up with the sciences and jobs of tomorrow. He reaffirmed that the educational process goes beyond memorization to reach competencies, talents, intelligence and creativity.

    In this regard, the Director-General announced that, in its capacity as an international organization with a civilizational outreach, ICESCO reaffirms its support for sustainable educational development goals, led by the UN, adding that ICESCO is aware of the dire situation of girls’ education and intends to set up digital labs for girls, along with a digital library for children’s education.

    Likewise, the Director-General stated that the educational challenges caused by the pandemic necessitate smart and unconventional solutions that make use of modern educational methods, focus on the role of the teacher and highlight the importance of family in the educational process.

    ICESCO Holds Meeting to Follow Up on Developments in Third Session of KSAAEM

    The Headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) hosted a meeting to follow up on the latest developments in the third session (2021-2022) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Award for Environmental Management in the Islamic World (KSAAEM). The meeting held by ICESCO, which serves as the Award’s General Secretariat, reviewed the session’s academic report and the initial results of the international jury and determined the date and agenda for the meeting of the Higher Committee of the Award chaired by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    The meeting also discussed the number of award nominations for this session, as over 500 submissions were received, with a total of 170 projects from thirty countries within the Islamic world and beyond, pertaining to the four branches of the award: best research, pilot practice in NGOs, women’s leading activities in environmental action, and Islamic green city.

    Prizes are due to be awarded during the Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World to be held in Jeddah during 2022.
    Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of ICESCO, chaired the meeting that brought together Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General for Partnerships and International Cooperation, Supervisor of the Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences, Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at ICESCO Science and Technology Sector, and Dr. Abdelmajid Tribak, Academic Coordinator for the Award.