Category: News update

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stressed the importance of promoting and developing investment given its instrumental role in generating employment opportunities, noting that innovation and creativity are paramount to keep pace with the skills of the future and sustain the growth of businesses and institutions.

This statement came in his address during the regional conference on “The Future of Labor and the Role of Entrepreneurship and MSMES in a Post-Covid-19 world,” organized by the Moroccan Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills. The event is held in Rabat, capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, and via videoconference, on June 7-8, 2022, in partnership with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), and several international institutions.

During the session on the future of employment after the pandemic, ICESCO DG reviewed the Organization’s initiatives geared toward enhancing employment in the fields of education, science and culture, emphasizing that ICESCO’s new vision supports the efforts of Member States to remain in sync with the changing global landscape by upgrading educational systems, strengthening infrastructure, promoting green, sustainable economy, and investing in future professions.

Dr. AlMalik also reviewed ICESCO’s efforts towards boosting employment, mainly through supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among women and girls during the pandemic and turning the repercussions into income-generating opportunities for them by encouraging the local production of sanitary and protective equipment. He also referred to ICESCO’s programme for training youth in creating and developing small projects in the field of technology and innovation, and the leadership incubators aimed at equipping the Islamic world’s youth with the requisite skills in education, science and culture.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Nasreddine Nsibi, Minister of Employment and Vocational Training of the Republic of Tunisia, where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation between ICESCO and Tunisia, especially in the field of youth training and capacity-building.

During the meeting, held on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of a group of heads of sector, department and center at the Organization, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the mainline of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations to anticipate the future and serve the Islamic world.

The meeting touched upon ICESCO’s key programmes on youth training and capacity-building to keep pace with tomorrow’s professions and future labor market challenges, including the Leadership Training in Peace and Security Programme; the Youth Training Programme on how to create and develop small projects in the field of technology and innovation; ICESCO incubators to support youth and the Young Professionals Programme; as well as the possibility of cooperation between the Organization and the Republic of Tunisia in these leading programmes.

For his part, the Tunisian Minister commended ICESCO’s qualitative leap, openness and innovative thinking, which helped the Organization succeed in its great achievements for the benefit of Member States.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Culture and Communication of the Republic of Senegal, and together they explored avenues for enhancing cooperation between the Organization and Senegal in the cultural field.

During the meeting, which was held on Friday, June 3, 2022, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, the two parties emphasized their keenness to maintain the distinguished relations between ICESCO and Senegal, in light of the Organization’s vision and action strategy, which rests upon greater communication with Member States to identify their needs and priorities and devise programmes and activities accordingly.

The meeting touched upon the major programmes and activities that were implemented in cooperation between ICESCO and the competent authorities in Senegal. The two parties also discussed mechanisms for enhancing cooperation on heritage preservation, mainly through the inscription of Senegalese sites and cultural elements on ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List, as well as youth capacity-building and leadership training for peace and security.

For his part, the Senegalese Minister hailed the development and modernization that ICESCO has witnessed, and commended the support it provides to Member States in its areas of competence, underscoring Senegal’s keenness to sustain its fruitful cooperation with the Organization.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Government of the Lebanese Republic signed an agreement on humanitarian assistance to secure the return of Lebanese students who were pursuing their studies in Ukraine and were stranded in neighboring countries.

The agreement was signed at ICESCO Headquarters on Friday, June 3, 2022, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Mr. Ziad Atallah, the Lebanese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco.

During the signing, Dr. Al-Malik reaffirmed ICESCO’s eagerness to enhance cooperation with the Lebanese Republic in the fields of education, science and culture, as part of its new vision based on an open-door approach to all stakeholders to establish partnerships to support youth capacity-building in the Islamic world.

For his part, Ambassador Ziad Atallah expressed the gratitude and appreciation by government and people of Lebanon to ICESCO for its support, especially during the difficult circumstances the country is going through, noting that this humanitarian assistance from ICESCO will contribute to solving a major problem facing some Lebanese families of the currently stranded students.

The Lebanese ambassador valued ICESCO efforts in promoting regional cooperation and exchanging expertise and experiences, noting the high-quality activities that the Organization held to address important issues for the youths in the Islamic world and contribute to strengthening their sense of belonging.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy DG, Ambassador Khaled Fath Al-Rahman, Head of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, and Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Head of the Department of Legal Affairs and International Standards, attended the signing of the agreement.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stated that the International Book and Publishing Fair in Rabat, which opened as part of the Celebration of Rabat as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, is a unique festival of cultural, intellectual and civilizational exchange, which embodies the spirit of renewal and reflects the significance of books in nurturing thought and knowledge.

Dr. AlMalik made this statement in an address he gave during the ceremony that the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication organized on the occasion of the Fair opening, in the presence of the Moroccan Minister of Culture, Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid; Mr. Rachid El-Abdi, President of the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra Region, in addition to a large number of authors, officials and members of the diplomatic corps in Rabat.

“We are an Ummah that celebrates reading and writing, an Ummah that has created the largest multidisciplinary library a thousand years ago”, the ICESCO DG stated, noting that this Fair promotes the outreach of Rabat as the Capital of Lights and highlights the strong links of our civilizational legacy to books”.

He added that through its participation in this major international event, ICESCO reaffirms the importance it accords to promoting the values of reading in its activities and programs, in a bid to rekindle ties of the Islamic world to its glorious history which paved the way for such activities.

At the close of his address, Dr. AlMalik expressed his thanks to the Moroccan Minister of Culture, the Fair organizers, publishers, intellects and authors.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Younes Skouri, Minister of Economic Integration, Small Enterprises, Employment and Competencies in the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they discussed cooperation prospects between the Organization and the Ministry in the fields of youth capacity-building, training and empowerment, as well as the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture in technology and innovation.

During the meeting, which was held today, Thursday, June 2, 2022, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the major thrusts of ICESCO’s new vision and action strategy, which lays particular emphasis on building youth capacity and supporting youth entrepreneurship, mentioning the programme for training youth in creating and developing small-scale projects in the field of technology and innovation, which is implemented by ICESCO in a number of its Member States.

The meeting touched upon cooperation proposals through the joint implementation of initiatives that are geared towards supporting small businesses, training youth as part of ICESCO’s “Leadership Training in Peace and Security (LTIPS)” Programme, forging partnerships with institutions concerned with these areas, and jointly organizing relevant conferences and activities.

For his part, Mr. Skouri commended ICESCO’s support for its Member States’ efforts in distinct fields.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed on holding other meetings between their respective experts to establish a list of the practical programmes to be jointly implemented under a cooperation agreement.

The meeting was attended by Mrs. Sally Mabrouk, Director of ICESCO DG’s Cabinet, and Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor at ICESCO’s Science and Technology Sector.