Category: News

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has successfully organized a high-level side event during the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, on 22 July 2026. Entitled “From Risk to Resilience – Practices for the Removal of Properties from the List of World Heritage in Danger,” the event was organized in partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the African World Heritage Fund. The event was managed by the ICESCO Heritage Centre delegation, comprising Souhaybo Varissou, Dr. Bilel Chebbi, and Muhammad Al-Absi, and brought together around 100 participants, including representatives of Member States, international organizations, Advisory Bodies, heritage experts, and relevant partners.

The side event highlighted successful practices that have contributed to the removal of properties from the List of World Heritage in Danger, while showcasing ICESCO’s ongoing efforts to support endangered World Heritage properties and strengthen cooperation and capacity-building across its Member States.

The side event opened with remarks from distinguished representatives of international organizations and Member States. Opening statements were delivered by Mr. Nayef Al-Fayez, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, H.E. Mr. Elman Abdullayev, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Azerbaijan to UNESCO; H.E. Mr. Abdulelah Al-Tokhais, Permanent Delegate of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO; H.E. Ms. Ingrid Mollestad, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Norway to UNESCO; Ms. Teresa Patricio, President of ICOMOS, and Mr. Albino Jopela, Executive Director of the African World Heritage Fund.

The speakers emphasized the strong partnerships and international campaign led by the ICESCO Heritage Centre to support the conservation of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger. They highlighted the importance of international cooperation, technical assistance, and sustained commitment, and welcomed ICESCO’s continued efforts to support its Member States in safeguarding their World Heritage properties.
The ICESCO delegation also delivered a presentation highlighting the Organization’s ongoing initiatives, carried out in cooperation with partners from the Republic of Azerbaijan, including the International Conference on Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations and the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Khurshidbanu Natavan Heritage Excellence Award. These initiatives reflect ICESCO’s commitment to strengthening the capacities of its Member States and promoting knowledge exchange across the Islamic World.

Representatives of ICCROM, ICOMOS, and IUCN contributed to the discussion by sharing their perspectives and recommendations on strengthening international cooperation, improving site management, enhancing risk preparedness, and supporting sustainable recovery efforts.
On the sidelines of the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee, The ICESCO delegation also held bilateral meetings with representatives of international organizations and ICESCO Member States to discuss their priorities and needs, explore opportunities for cooperation, and develop joint programmes and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to support cultural heritage protection and conservation efforts.

The Regional Office of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Baku, in cooperation with the Administration of the State Historical-Architectural Reserve Icherisheher and the Dastan Traditional Art Centre, organized the “Hikaya” Cultural Heritage Event for several children to introduce younger generations to Azerbaijani heritage, its distinctive characteristics, and the importance of taking pride in and safeguarding its various elements.

The cultural activity, held on Saturday, 25 July 2026, at the headquarters of the ICESCO Regional Office in Baku, featured interactive workshops during which participants created artworks inspired by Azerbaijani heritage and history under the guidance of skilled artisans. They also explored the wide range of traditional crafts for which Azerbaijan is renowned.

The event concluded with an exhibition of the children’s artworks and the presentation of certificates of appreciation.

On Tuesday, 28 July 2026, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) organized a seminar at its headquarters in Rabat to discuss the book, Interfaith Dialogue in the Mediterranean Basin: Morocco and Spain, by the author Dr. Mohamed Ouahmane. The seminar saw the participation of more than 50 experts and researchers specializing in civilizational dialogue.

The hybrid seminar opened with remarks by Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue. The ICESCO official emphasized that the event aligns with the Organization’s mission to promote dialogue among cultures and civilizations, highlighting the importance of drawing on the book’s findings to support ICESCO’s related initiatives and projects.

During the seminar, moderated by Dr. Hani Al-Balawi, expert at ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, Dr. Ouahmane reviewed the characteristics of the Mediterranean region as a civilizational space shaped over centuries through cultural convergence, religious diversity, and human interaction. He further underscored that those differences should not be a source of discord or conflict, particularly when dialogue is grounded in the lofty principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, openness, and recognition of shared human values.

Moreover, Dr. Ouahmane highlighted international efforts to capitalize on dialogue mechanisms as a strategic necessity amid the rising waves of conflict, hate speech, and extremism. He also commended ICESCO’s role as an international platform for promoting dialogue and engaging different generations in transcontinental dialogues.

The seminar concluded with a discussion session during which Dr. Ouahmane responded to participants’ questions. Participants underscored the importance of developing programs in the field of civilizational dialogue and strengthening the role of cultural institutions in building bridges of understanding in the Mediterranean Basin. They also noted that cultural diplomacy can provide a scientific, theoretical, and practical framework for translating the book’s findings into tangible results at the highest levels.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has launched the development process of the “ICESCO Strategic Foresight Guide for the Islamic World,” which aims to support Member States in strengthening their national foresight capacities and integrating a proactive approach into public policies, strategic planning, governance, and decision-making.

This was announced during the meeting of the Global Foresight Focal Points Initiative, titled “Equipping the Islamic World for the Future: Presentation and Adaptation of the Strategic Foresight Guide.” The two-day meeting commenced on Monday, 27 July 2026, in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, bringing together senior officials, including Mr Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, alongside a distinguished group of policymakers and experts in the field of strategic foresight.

In a recorded address presented during the meeting, Dr Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, stressed that the Guide seeks to lay the foundations of foresight by strengthening anticipatory capabilities within governments, planning bodies, universities, and professional circles. He added that the Guide will also advance the concept of foresight democracy by facilitating future-oriented thinking and making it accessible not only to specialists but also to educators, students, researchers, and young professionals.

Dr AlMalik explained that ICESCO’s initiative is a call for its Member States to move from reaction to anticipation, preparedness, and active participation in shaping the future.

In his remarks, Dr Abdulhakeem AlSenan, Director of ICESCO’s Regional Office in Baku, emphasized that strategic foresight has become a necessity in policymaking and in reinforcing agile governance, describing the event as the beginning of a long-term institutional journey.

For his part, Dr Kais Hammami, Director of the ICESCO Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence, stressed that the meeting extends beyond the launch of the Guide to address a deeper question: How can the Islamic world transform its civilizational and intellectual capital into institutional capability that enables it to anticipate and prepare for future transformations?

The meeting’s programme includes a high-level roundtable on “Foresight and Governance,” as well as discussion sessions dedicated to drafting and reviewing the first version of the new ICESCO Guide, identifying regional priorities, assessing national foresight capacities, and formulating practical recommendations to ensure that the Guide effectively responds to the realities and aspirations of Member States.

The Global Foresight Focal Points Initiative is a new collaborative mechanism that seeks, through the establishment of a network of focal points across Member States, to facilitate the exchange of expertise and build a community of practice capable of developing foresight as a permanent institutional function.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held the fourth scientific lecture in its “Calligraphy and Manuscripts in the Islamic World” lecture series, titled “Civilizational Philosophy of Arabic Calligraphy.” The lecture was delivered by Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Head of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, with the participation of several specialists, experts, and university professors.

The lecture, which was held on Thursday, 23 July 2026, both in person at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat and via videoconference, opened with introductory remarks by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General. In his remarks, he shared personal reflections on the wisdom embodied in calligraphy within the heritage of Arab and Islamic civilization. He noted that, in the tradition of Irfani wisdom among Muslims, calligraphy exists only through movement: the dot, which symbolizes origin and unity, gives rise to the line when it moves. In this profound conception, the line becomes an image of the transition from the unseen realm to the visible world.

In his lecture, Ambassador Fathalrahman highlighted the three sets of values underpinning the civilizational philosophy of Arabic calligraphy. The first consists of aesthetic values, including clarity, diversity, flexibility, and harmony. The second encompasses human values, namely freedom, dignity, and openness. The third comprises spiritual values, which regard calligraphy, in its essence, as a spiritual geometry manifested through a physical instrument.

The lecture concluded with a discussion session moderated by Dr. Ahmed Abdelbaset, Expert at ICESCO’s Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts. The session featured contributions from Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture Sector; Dr. Idham Hanash, Director of the Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts; and Dr. Ahmed Said Ould Bah, Adviser to the ICESCO Director-General.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stated that the close relationship between the Organization and the Kingdom of Morocco has become a model of strategic partnership and fruitful cooperation between ICESCO and its Member States. He noted that this cooperation has yielded pioneering initiatives that have helped transfer Morocco’s successful experiences across the Islamic World. He also praised the High Patronage that His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, extends to ICESCO and its activities.

Dr. AlMalik made these remarks during his attendance at the Ordinary Session of the General Assembly of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, held on Thursday, 23 July 2026, at the National Training and Meeting Center in Rabat. The meeting was attended by Mr. Mohamed Saad Berrada, Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, President of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, along with the Secretary-General and members of the Commission’s General Assembly.

Dr. AlMalik renewed ICESCO’s pride in having its headquarters in the Kingdom of Morocco, noting the honor that ICESCO has received by launching its mission from the land that has historically been home to dialogue and knowledge, and a bridge connecting civilizations. He stated: “Our bilateral relations are grounded in strong trust and rooted in a rich history. Our partnership continues to expand toward even greater prospects to strengthen ICESCO’s presence and contribution to serving humanity. As the late King Hassan II, may Allah have mercy on him, once said, ICESCO is ‘the conscience of the Islamic World.’”

Moreover, the ICESCO Director-General stressed that the coming phase holds a promising opportunity for deepening bilateral cooperation, in light of Morocco’s development initiatives across the African continent and ICESCO’s extensive expertise and active presence in its Member States. This positions the Organization, he noted, to contribute to the implementation of some of these initiatives and maximize their impact and scope.

Dr. AlMalik also highlighted the unprecedented success of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, housed at ICESCO’s headquarters, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. He noted that the exhibition has received over 10 million visitors, adding that this success has been crowned by the Royal High Directive to permanently house the exhibition at the Organization’s headquarters in Morocco with a view to further promoting the human values of Islamic civilization.

ICESCO Director-General concluded his remarks by expressing his deepest gratitude and appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco for its support and commitment to strengthening this outstanding partnership.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participated in the first edition of the “Salé Youth Forum” in the Kingdom of Morocco, organized by the Local Scientific Council of Salé on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, under the theme: “Our Muslim Youth: Today’s Questions and Tomorrow’s Challenges.” The Forum brought together a distinguished group of scholars from within Morocco and abroad.

During the forum, Dr. Benarafa delivered a lecture entitled “Artificial Intelligence and the Challenges of Tomorrow,” in which he addressed the various challenges facing young people across the Islamic world, particularly in the areas of education, the labor market, unemployment, migration, and cultural issues.

The ICESCO Deputy Director-General focused on education and capacity-building in light of digital transformation, highlighting a number of key challenges, including significant disparities in the quality of education among countries, curricula that fail to keep pace with technological and scientific advances, school dropout rates in countries affected by wars and conflicts, and insufficient funding for education in low-income countries.

Furthermore, Dr. Benarafa stressed that the Islamic world possesses tremendous opportunities for development, thanks to its large youth population, abundant natural resources, strategic global location, and rich civilizational, cultural, and religious heritage. He added that these advantages can be leveraged into tangible gains by harnessing the technological revolution to promote a modern education system that keeps pace with global developments.