Category: News

The 46th session of the Executive Council of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) kicked off Wednesday morning, 6 May 2026. The session is being held in person at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat and remotely, with the participation of representatives of 44 Member States.

The opening session began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the address of Dr. Dawas Tayseer Rashid Dawas, Chairman of the ICESCO Executive Council, wherein he stressed that the convening of this session comes amid an international context marked by uncertainty and an increasing number of challenges and transformations, which calls for intensified efforts and unified visions to enhance the effectiveness of the Organization’s work and consolidate its position as a leading center of expertise in its fields of competence.

Dr. Dawas added that holding the session remotely reflects ICESCO’s commitment to the continuity of multilateral, participatory action and demonstrates its ability to adapt to rapid changes and unforeseen developments while maintaining the quality of institutional performance. He also underlined the importance of the electoral nature of this session, which reinforces the principles of transparency and responsible rotation in leadership roles.

For his part, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, affirmed that the Organization is continuing its renewal- and modernization-driven approach, giving it a comprehensive, practice-oriented outlook and strengthening its standing among leading international organizations. He noted that ICESCO has recently obtained around fifteen accreditations and certifications across various fields, in addition to being accredited as a creative organization and an evaluator of creativity.

Dr. AlMalik added that ICESCO looks forward in the coming years to exceptional engagement from the Member States, explaining that the next session will witness the development of a strategy that goes beyond phased planning to anticipate post-2030 requirements. In this context, he pointed out that ICESCO has taken the initiative to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into the core of its Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and to link them directly to its institutional governance framework and decision-making mechanisms.

The Director-General further explained that the preparation of this strategy was not based solely on data analysis of international indicators and global reports, but also drew on direct deliberations with relevant officials and experts. He noted that the logic of sustainable development stems from an understanding of evolving civilizational, cultural, and social contexts, making flexibility a key feature of planning and enabling positive course adjustments in line with global transformations.

Following the opening session, working sessions commenced, featuring presentations by a number of ICESCO leaders on activity reports of the Organization’s sectors, divisions, and specialized centers. The sessions will also include the election of the new Chair of the Executive Council, the Council Bureau, and new members of the Financial Control Committee. In addition, the sessions will examine the request of the Republic of Turkmenistan to join the Organization as an Observer State and discuss the Organization’s Draft Strategic Plan 2026–2029.

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Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a meeting with Dr. Vamara Touré, Secretary-General of the National Commission for ICESCO in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, to discuss arrangements for a forthcoming visit by an ICESCO delegation next June.

During the meeting, held on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Touré delivered an official invitation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to Dr. AlMalik to visit Côte d’Ivoire, with a view to strengthening cooperation in various fields, notably scientific research, manuscript protection, and heritage preservation.

Dr. AlMalik affirmed that ICESCO attaches the highest importance to the needs of its Member States on the African continent through the development and implementation of several programs and projects in education, science, and culture, as well as through raising awareness of the importance of safeguarding the rich civilizational heritage.

For his part, Dr. Touré expressed his satisfaction with the distinguished partnership between ICESCO and Côte d’Ivoire, which is expected to yield programs and projects with tangible impact.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Salim Al Habsi, Head of the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences; Dr. Webber Ndoro, Head of the Islamic World Heritage Center; and Dr. Mamadou Kone, Program Director at the General Secretariat of National Commissions and Conferences.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform of the Kingdom of Morocco signed, on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate in supporting digital transformation, harnessing artificial intelligence technologies in the service of sustainable development goals, and building capacities in strategic foresight across the Islamic world.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, and Dr. Amal El Fallah, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform of Morocco, on the sidelines of the African Open Government Conference, held in Rabat, Morocco.

Following the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik stressed the importance of countries of the Islamic world keeping pace with the rapid digital developments of the modern era to adapt to evolving economic, social, and technological requirements.

For her part, Dr. Amal El Fallah commended the distinguished partnership between ICESCO and Morocco in the implementation of several initiatives with tangible impact in the fields of education, science, technology, innovation, and culture.

The MoU provides for the development and implementation of workshops and training programs, as well as the organization of joint seminars to build the capacities of professionals in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, strategic foresight, and digital diplomacy in both the public and private sectors. It also includes the exchange of expertise and open data, the preparation of reference materials in the field, and the promotion of innovation and scientific research related to anticipating future skills and professions in ICESCO Member States.

The agreement further enhances cooperation with universities and research centers to build a sustainable knowledge ecosystem that responds to the requirements of the digital economy, in addition to establishing innovation labs to develop advanced digital solutions and add value to cultural and scientific heritage through the digitization of manuscripts and documents, as well as the development of digital tools for research, indexing, and analysis of heritage content.

The signing ceremony was also attended by Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of the Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence.

On the sidelines of the International Conference on Heritage Management in the Islamic World, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) at its headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, met Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Mr. Alakbarov attended the conference’s opening session on behalf of Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and took part in the award ceremony of the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award.

During the meeting, held on Monday, 4 May 2026, the two officials discussed ways to enhance areas of cooperation. Dr. AlMalik affirmed that the cooperation agreement with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation represents a successful model that has yielded tangible results, reflected in high-quality outputs with a sustainable impact. He also highlighted a number of flagship initiatives, including the project to provide educational and social support to displaced girls and those residing in boarding schools in the Republic of Burkina Faso, which has begun expanding to include the Republic of Niger and Mali.

For his part, Mr. Alakbarov expressed the Foundation’s willingness to continue strengthening and developing this cooperation, commending the level of partnership with ICESCO. He also emphasized that ICESCO is one of the leading international organizations partnering with the Foundation, noting that this partnership has proven its effectiveness through its fruitful initiatives. He further expressed his aspiration to launch new, highly impactful initiatives serving the Islamic world and its peoples.

Moreover, the two parties agreed to organize the second edition of the conference, along with the award ceremony, in Shusha, in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, in 2028.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) announced on Monday, 4 May 2026, the winners of the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award, launched by the Organization in partnership with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with a total value of USD 130,000, in recognition of pioneering initiatives in the conservation and management of tangible heritage in the Islamic world.

During the award ceremony, held following the International Conference on Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations in the Islamic World at ICESCO, the awards were presented to the winners by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General; Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation; and HRH Princess Dana Firas, President of the Petra National Trust and Vice-President of the ICOMOS Bureau.

In the projects category, first place went to the project of “Hebron Rehabilitation Committee” in the State of Palestine, in recognition of its integrated model for heritage conservation and local economic development. The project received a USD 100,000 prize. In the individuals category, Mr. Ayoob Thanoon from Iraq won first place and received a USD 30,000 prize for his dedicated career in heritage protection during his tenure as President of the Mosul Heritage Foundation.

Prior to the awards presentation, Dr. Webber Ndoro, Head of ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Center, highlighted the objectives of the award, foremost among them raising awareness of the social and economic dimensions of heritage protection efforts and best practices in the field.

For his part, Mr. Muhammad Al-Absi, expert at ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Center, shed light on the broad participation in the award’s first edition, which received 54 applications from 22 ICESCO Member States.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched the International Conference on Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations in the Islamic World on 4 May 2026, at its headquarters in Rabat. Held under the gracious patronage of Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan, the conference witnessed the official announcement of the winners of the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award.

The opening session of the two-day conference began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech by Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, delivered on her behalf by Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Foundation. In her address, she stressed that the restoration projects implemented by the Foundation reflect Azerbaijan’s firm commitment to civilizational dialogue and the protection of universal values, underlining that the partnership between the Foundation and ICESCO lies at the heart of a shared vision for safeguarding cultural heritage.

Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas, President of the Petra National Trust and Vice-President of ICOMOS, highlighted that heritage preservation is, at its core, an ethical commitment to humanity and its history, emphasizing that heritage constitutes a vital force in enhancing communities’ resilience, adaptability, and capacity to shape narratives.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, marked the 44th anniversary of the Organization’s establishment, recalling a journey of dedicated efforts that plans for the future while offering a legacy that endures through time. He stressed that heritage is not merely a narrative of the past, but a living record of the present and the future.

Dr. AlMalik noted that amid conflicts, heritage suffers as an extended memory preserving the history of nations, a challenge faced by more than 19 countries affected by conflict in the Islamic world. This has resulted in the inclusion of over 27 World Heritage sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

He outlined ICESCO’s efforts to revitalize heritage as a means of opening new horizons for development, restoring social cohesion, and supporting stability, through field missions and the development of an integrated plan to safeguard and rehabilitate more than 120 heritage sites in the city of Shusha and the Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, as well as by advancing recovery programs in the Syrian Arab Republic and a number of Member States. He concluded by expressing his appreciation to His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for assuming responsibility for advancing culture.

For his part, Mr. Hani Al Hayek, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the State of Palestine, reviewed his country’s experience in heritage preservation, affirming that discussing cultural heritage is not a luxury, but a discussion of identity, memory, and existence. He emphasized that heritage is not merely stones or landmarks, but a living record of history and a fundamental tool for resilience.

In his address, Mr. Charaf Ahmimed, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb and Representative to Maghreb Countries, stated that when heritage sites are destroyed, collections are looted, and traditions are disrupted, it is not only monuments that are at risk; it is the very fabric of society.

The session concluded with the announcement of the winners of the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award. Participants then toured a photographic exhibition entitled “Reimagining: Best Practices in Post-Conflict Recovery,” followed by the launch of the conference’s discussion sessions.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) presented its Digital Library project on 3 May 2026, during an event held at its pavilion as part of the 31st Rabat International Book and Publishing Fair.

The presentation was delivered by Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of the Translation and Publishing Centre, and Dr. Mohammad Alanazi, Head of the Publishing and Library Division, in the presence of Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers’ Association, along with members of the Association’s Board of Directors and representatives of publishing houses from Arab countries.

The presentation addressed the project’s objectives and components, as well as its role in enhancing access to multilingual knowledge content and enabling publishers to expand the reach of their publications through an advanced digital platform aligned with the digital transformation of the publishing sector.

The event featured fruitful discussions between the two sides on opportunities for cooperation and mechanisms for Arab publishing houses to join the platform, contributing to the enrichment of digital content and the expansion of its beneficiary base across the Islamic world.

Members of the Arab Publishers’ Association’s Board of Directors expressed interest in activating the preliminary agreement between the two sides to make a selection of publications by Arab publishing houses operating under the Association available through the ICESCO Digital Library over a 12-month period, thereby strengthening the presence of the Arabic book and increasing its reach to a wider audience.