Category: News

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held the international symposium titled “Ahmad Baba Al Timbukti: A Model of Civilizational Diplomacy in West Africa” today, Friday 6 September 2024, in partnership with Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Morocco. The Event was attended by high-ranking officials, including ministers, senior officials, researchers, and university professors. The aim was to highlight the contributions of African scholars to the promotion of Islamic culture and to the renewal of its civilizational foundations. The Symposium particularly focused on the significant role played by the scholar Ahmad Baba Al Timbukti in this context.

The Symposium, hosted at the Cadi Ayyad University Conference Center in Marrakech, was part of the city’s celebration as the 2024 Culture Capital in the Islamic world. The opening session began with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by an introductory speech by Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue. He emphasized the importance of the Symposium’s theme and the deep historical connection between great cities and their renowned figures, noting that Ahmad Baba Al Timbukti epitomizes this unshakeable bond.

During his opening remarks, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, pointed out that the transformations happening across the world are necessary for creating a more just and peaceful global society. He highlighted the historical legacy of the African continent, symbolized by figures like Ahmad Baba Al Timbukti, as evidence of Africa’s reawakening.

Dr. AlMalik praised Ahmad Baba as a model of civilizational communication, noting how the city of Timbuktu in Mali embraced him and how Marrakech was the birthplace of many of his intellectual and literary works. This, he stated, confirms the Red City’s position at the forefront of creative fields associated with civilizational action characterized by tolerance; which ICESCO has innovatively termed “civilizational diplomacy.” He also announced the upcoming launch of the first academic chair on civilizational diplomacy at Cadi Ayyad University.

In his speech, Dr. Abdellatif Miraoui, the Moroccan Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, emphasized Morocco’s long-standing tradition of being a haven for distinguished African scholars. He added that the Ministry is especially committed to strengthening scientific collaboration with African nations, with more than 25,000 African students currently enrolled in Moroccan universities.

Professor Bouréma Kansaye, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Republic of Mali, underlined that Ahmad Baba is a significant figure in Mali’s scientific and cultural history. He played a key role in enriching both Malian and Moroccan intellectual heritage.

Mohamed Fadel, President of the Local Council of Scholars of Marrakech-Safi region, spoke of Ahmad Baba’s esteemed status, emphasizing that the body of his work remains an essential scientific reference. Dr. Blaïd Bougadir, President of Cadi Ayyad University, reiterated the university’s commitment to fostering scientific cooperation between Morocco and African nations.

The opening session concluded with remarks by Dr. Ahmed Toufiq, Morocco’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. He highlighted Ahmad Baba’s scholarly journey, which spanned Timbuktu, Marrakech, the Sahel, and the African Sahara, and discussed the biographies written about his life. Dr. Toufiq also mentioned his ministry’s efforts to preserve Ahmad Baba’s legacy in Marrakech.

Following that, the first session of the symposium began, focusing on the Moroccan influence in the intellectual formation of Ahmad Al Timbukti. This was followed by the second session, which discussed civilizational communication between Moroccans and Sub-Saharan Africa. The third session, titled “Cultural and Social Communication between North and Sub-Saharan Africa,” then took place.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Amb. Mawadda Omar Haj Al-Toam, Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan to the Kingdom of Morocco, and together they explored ways to promote cooperation between ICESCO and the Sudan in the fields of culture and education, particularly in the states affected by the floods that have recently struck the country.

At the beginning of the meeting, held on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at ICESCO headquarters, the Director-General conveyed the Organization’s full solidarity with the Sudanese people in facing the devastating impact of the floods, beseeching Allah Almighty to rest the victims’ souls, and for the prompt recovery of the injured and the safe return of the missing.

Moreover, the Director-General expressed the Organization’s readiness to provide all forms of support to the competent Sudanese parties and contribute to the restoration and rebuilding of a number of educational institutions hit by the floods, noting that the Organization is looking forward to take stock of the country’s needs and priorities in this regard.

For her part, the Sudanese Ambassador commended the key roles ICESCO assumes in support of its Member States, reaffirming her country’s keenness to sustain its cooperation relations with the Organization.

The meeting touched on cooperation projects proposed by the two parties, focusing on the restoration of landmarks and support for the Education Sector in the Sudan. The two parties agreed on the importance of abiding by a set timeline for these programs’ implementation to ensure optimal benefit for the groups affected.

Amb. Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue attended the meeting.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) announces the launch of its annual poetry award “Cities of Poems” as part of its Capitals of Culture in the Islamic World programme, which celebrates this year three cities: Marrakesh in the Kingdom of Morocco, Benghazi in the State of Libya, and Shusha in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The contest aims to revive and boost the relationship between poetry and the location, an ancient relationship that has inspired many poets to compose a collection of immortal poems in the field of Arabic and human poetry. It also aims to document poetically and aesthetically the history and geography of cities, and to honor the symbols and civilizations which mark the capitals of culture in the Islamic world through poetry, and to enrich the poetic corpus in the Islamic world and contribute to the literary and poetic movement.

The poems participating in the contest will be evaluated by a specialized committee from ICESCO and prominent poets, to select three winners from each city celebrated as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic World. The first-place winner will receive US$2000, the second-place winner will receive US$1500, and the third-place winner will receive US$1000, in addition to being awarded certificates of appreciation. ICESCO will publish a collection of the winning and distinguished poems participating in the contest.

Nomination for the award requires fulfilling the following conditions:
• The poem must be in classical Arabic or Azerbaijani language.
• The Arabic poem must adhere to the poetic meter, free or rhymed, and the poem written in the Azerbaijani language must adhere to the meter, enunciative or prosodic.
• The poem must be inspired by the values, aesthetics, history, geography, genius of the location and biography of the city that makes the subject of the poem.
• The poem must not exceed thirty verses/lines of poetry.

ICESCO invites all poets of all ages to participate in the contest through sending their proposals through the following link: https://icesco.org/9k90 , no later than 31 December 2024.

On Friday, August 30, 2024, ICESCO concluded its regional workshop on the Islamic World AI Charter for Africa and Latin America, held at the headquarters of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco. This two-day event was part of the preparations for the Islamic World AI Charter, the Organization is currently developing. It was attended by a distinguished officials, experts, and representatives from ICESCO’s Member States.

During the opening session, Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO’s Foresight and Artificial Intelligence Centre, highlighted the significant impacts of AI on the future of humanity. He emphasized the importance of the Islamic World AI Charter as a cornerstone for ICESCO’s commitment to a forward-looking and ethical approach in this evolving field.

Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Head of the Legal Affairs and International Standards Department at ICESCO, presented the indicators used to measure countries’ readiness for AI in the Arab region, Asia, and Latin America, including “governance and ethics.” He explained that differences in readiness among countries drive ICESCO to focus more on exchanging expertise and pioneering experiences among its Member States.

Dr. Abdulrahman Habib, Deputy Chief Strategy Officer at the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), discussed the leading role of the Authority in managing initiatives related to data and AI. He pointed out AI’s transformative potential in advancing education, culture, and science. On his part, Mr. Anouar Sabri, Head of the Interim Thematic Working Group on AI in the Moroccan House of Representatives, presented Morocco’s experience in AI governance. Both speakers underscored the Charter’s crucial role in shaping a future where AI is a positive force in the Islamic world.

The Workshop’s sessions produced practical recommendations aimed at establishing a guiding framework for strategic governance and the ethical dimensions of AI deployment in Islamic countries. The discussions addressed the unique challenges and opportunities presented by AI across various fields, including brainstorming sessions to develop the ethical principles and governance mechanisms necessary for refining the Charter.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Albino Jopela, Executive Director of the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF), and together they discussed prospects for cooperation between the two institutions in the fields of preservation and promotion of heritage and archaeological sites in Africa.

During the meeting, held this Monday, August 26, 2024, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik highlighted the main axes of ICESCO’s vision and strategic orientations, which give particular priority to the preservation, protection and promotion of heritage in the Member States. Dr. AlMalik also stressed that ICESCO has implemented a set of programs, initiatives and projects in the fields of heritage preservation and promotion in the Islamic world, mentioning ICESCO’s recent achievements which include the publication of a study entitled, “Legislative Mechanisms to Combat Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property in Arab States”. This study, he explained, will be followed by other research focusing on ICESCO Member States in the Asian and African regions.

Likewise, the Director-General stated that ICESCO inscribed 634 historical sites and cultural elements in 45 countries on its heritage lists in the Islamic world, sharing the Organization’s goal to inscribe a total of 1,000 sites and elements by 2025. He further explained that the Organization is committed to supporting its Member States in this area by training heritage professionals in preparing heritage nomination files, and launching initiatives to capitalize on AI technologies in the processes of preserving and promoting archaeological and heritage sites.

For his part, Dr. Jopela commended ICESCO’s pioneering efforts in the fields of heritage preservation and promotion, expressing his keenness to draw on the Organization’s expertise to address the needs of African countries in the field of heritage, and support them in submitting nomination files for the inscription of their archaeological sites and cultural elements on heritage lists.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed the possibility of signing a MoU between ICESCO and AWHF to kick start the cooperation relations and implement future programs in the fields of heritage preservation and promotion.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, Dr. Webber Ndoro, Director of the Center for Heritage in the Islamic World, and Dr. Mahamat Abba Ousman, Expert at the Culture and Communication Sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Imad Hamdan, Palestinian Minister of Culture, and together they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation relations in the fields of culture, heritage preservation and promotion of heritage, and training workshop organization for the benefit of heritage professionals.

At the beginning of the meeting, held on Monday, August 26, 2024 at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Mr. Jamal Shobaki, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Kingdom of Morocco, and his accompanying delegation, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s steadfast and long-standing position in support of the State of Palestine in the fields of education, science and culture, stressing that the Organization has spared no effort to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. He added that ICESCO’s endeavors especially focus on youth, women and children, through implementing programs, projects and initiatives, highlighting key relevant projects implemented over the past period.

Likewise, Dr. AlMalik expressed the Organization’s constant readiness to provide all necessary support to strengthen Palestinian cultural, heritage and educational institutions and other bearers of Palestinian identity, stressing ICESCO’s keenness to address the needs and expectations of the Palestinian relevant authorities in order to implement programs and projects and ensure optimal benefit for Palestinian communities.

For his part, Mr. Hamdan commended ICESCO’s efforts and role in supporting the education, science and culture sectors in Palestine, expressing his eagerness to strengthen cooperation relations in the coming period, especially in light of the celebration of Al-Khalil as the 2026 Culture Capital in the Islamic World.

The meeting discussed proposals for programs and projects to be implemented in the coming period, in the fields of preserving and promoting heritage, training professionals, inaugurating the ICESCO Research Chair in one of the Palestinian universities, and the possibility of sending an ICESCO delegation to prepare a detailed report on the extent of the destruction of Palestinian heritage and archaeological sites as a result of the brutal Israeli aggression.

At the close of the meeting, the Palestinian Minister offered ICESCO Director-General a commemorative shield, in recognition of his efforts to preserve and promote the heritage of the Islamic world.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, Amb. Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, and Dr. Nidal Abu Zuhri, Head of the Department of Administrative Operations.