Category: News

Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) of the People’s Republic of China has appointed Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), as Wutong Chair Professor, the University’s highest academic position, in recognition of his academic standing, distinguished leadership career, and contributions to promoting international cooperation and building bridges of civilizational communication between the Islamic world and China.

The position of Wutong Chair Professor holds great symbolic significance at BLCU and is among the highest positions conferred by the University on distinguished scholars, writers, and prominent international leaders, in recognition of their academic and intellectual achievements and their influential roles in advancing knowledge and fostering closer ties among peoples and institutions. Since its establishment, the University has conferred this position on only six scholars.

The appointment of Dr. AlMalik to this position reflects recognition of his academic standing and appreciation of his distinguished leadership in managing a major international organization, leading its institutional transformation, and expanding its global presence. His vision has contributed to advancing ICESCO, enabling it to become a civilizational beacon of knowledge and learning and an international platform serving the countries of the Islamic world in the fields of education, science, and culture.

This honor also reflects the qualitative progress achieved by ICESCO, under his leadership, in its programs, initiatives, and international partnerships, as well as the influential presence it has established among countries and leading academic institutions worldwide. ICESCO has thus become a civilizational voice for the Islamic world and a bridge for communication and the exchange of expertise between its cultures and the peoples of the world.

Founded in 1962, BLCU is one of China’s oldest and largest universities specializing in language teaching and the study of cultures. It also enjoys a distinguished international academic standing and a broad presence in Chinese language teaching for students from countries around the world.

Since its establishment, the University has contributed to educating approximately 300,000 international students, including nearly 300 ambassadors. Eleven foreign ambassadors currently accredited to China are among its graduates. Its alumni also include several heads of state and senior officials, most notably His Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; His Excellency Dr. Mulatu Teshome, former President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; and Mr. Karim Massimov, former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.

The appointment of Dr. AlMalik to this position underscores ICESCO’s success in expanding its network of partnerships with prestigious universities and scientific institutions, consolidating its role in supporting civilizational cooperation, and strengthening the presence of the Islamic world in the fields of education, science, and culture.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Ambassador Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on International Cultural Cooperation, to discuss ways to strengthen the partnership between the Organization and the Russian Federation in the cultural field and to sign a cooperation agreement and joint action plan.

During the meeting, which toot place on Friday, 25 September 2026, in Saint Petersburg held at the direction of the Office of His Excellency President Vladimir Putin, Dr. AlMalik reviewed ICESCO’s efforts in education, science and culture, in line with its action plan and strategic vision. He commended the strong partnership between the Organization and Russia, which has resulted in several activities and programs in the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation, including the joint launch of the celebration of Kazan as Culture Capital in the Islamic World, the hosting by the Tatarstan capital of the 15th Session of the ICESCO General Conference, and the Organization’s participation in several conferences and symposia in Russia.

Dr. AlMalik highlighted the distinguished relations, shared values and deep cultural ties between Russia and ICESCO Member States. He stressed the need to strengthen these ties by developing and implementing joint initiatives, programs and projects, given their contributions to the enrichment of human civilization.

For his part, Ambassador Shvydkoy praised ICESCO’s contributions across its fields of action and highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Organization and Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation. He affirmed his country’s readiness to sign an agreement establishing an action plan for joint cooperation in the upcoming period.

During the meeting, which was attended on behalf of ICESCO by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, the two sides discussed ways to expand the partnership to encompass Russia as a whole, in its capacity as an Observer Member of the Organization.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Rescue Archaeology Center of the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences signed an MoU to cooperate on preserving cultural heritage in ICESCO Member States and the Russian Federation, harnessing the latest technologies for this purpose, promoting scientific and cultural programs, and facilitating the exchange of experts.

The signing ceremony, held on Thursday, 24 September 2026, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was attended by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum. The MoU was signed by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of ICESCO’s Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Natalia Feodorovna Solovyova, Director of the Rescue Archaeology Center.

The three-year MoU identifies several areas of cooperation, including supporting both parties’ activities in archaeology, architecture, restoration and heritage digitization, jointly organizing exhibitions, seminars, conferences and specialized workshops on heritage preservation, developing joint scientific and cultural projects, and implementing educational programs for students and researchers from both sides.

The MoU also provides for cooperation in specialized heritage activities involving archaeological research, capacity-building, documentation and the rescue of archaeological sites in beneficiary countries. It further covers support for joint field missions, emergency interventions to protect heritage and the exchange of scientific expertise.

The Rescue Archaeology Center is one of Russia’s leading research and scientific institutions specializing in cultural heritage management and protection. Reporting directly to the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Center conducts excavations and rapid rescue operations at endangered archaeological sites. It also advances the digital documentation of heritage by developing technologies and software to create 3D models of historical monuments

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), affirmed that the Organization gives the utmost priority to protecting endangered heritage and facilitating its recovery. He referred to the field missions dispatched by the Organization to conflict-affected areas to assess damage and identify recovery priorities in its Member States, which are home to nearly 60% of the sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

He made these remarks during a session titled “Global Ethics of Restoration in the Postcolonial World,” held as part of the 12th St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum 2026, which opened on Thursday, 24 September 2026, and runs for two days under the theme “United Cultures, Common Values.” The Forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture and is attended by representatives of 70 countries, including 44 official foreign delegations.

The Forum opened with an address from H.E. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, to the participants, in which he affirmed that the Forum has established itself as a major international cultural event in cultural life in both Russian and around the world. He highlighted that, throughout history, culture has served as a strong foundation for understanding between peoples and nations, and that the willingness to engage in open dialogue as equals enables us to find common ground.

During the session, moderated by Mr. Mikhaïl Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum in the Russian Federation, the ICESCO Director-General reviewed the two missions carried out by the Organization in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, during which more than 130 heritage sites were assessed to determine the extent of damage and recovery priorities. He also highlighted the conferences, initiatives, and strategies launched by the Organization to systematically integrate heritage protection into national climate policies and sustainable development strategies. He explained that these efforts contributed to the removal of three sites in Egypt, Libya, and Madagascar from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Dr. AlMalik also addressed ICESCO’s efforts to protect the heritage of the Islamic world and enhance its international visibility, noting that the Islamic World Heritage Center has, to date, inscribed 841 heritage sites and elements on ICESCO’s Heritage List. He explained that this list is not limited to recognition and inscription, but also serve as a mechanism for supporting Member States in documenting, safeguarding, and enhancing the value of their heritage.

He also underscored the launch of the Heritage Portal, an integrated digital platform that enables people around the world to discover this heritage through interactive maps, virtual tours, and digital storytelling.

The session, dedicated to discussing the pressing challenges of safeguarding heritage in areas affected by conflict and disasters, brought together distinguished ministers, leaders of international organizations, and directors of museums and cultural institutions. Participants included Mr. Hani Al-Hayek, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the State of Palestine, and Ms. Elena Davydova, Director-General of the Gazprom Cultural Initiatives Support Foundation.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Al Akhawayn University in the Kingdom of Morocco announced a project to establish the “Ibn Battuta-ICESCO Center for Science Diplomacy” at the University’s campus in Ifrane, Morocco. The Center aims to advance scientific cooperation among Africa, Asia, and the Arab world, and help ICESCO Member States harness scientific knowledge in diplomacy and policymaking.

In this regard, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mr. Amine Bensaid, President of Al Akhawayn University, signed the project’s memorandum of understanding, on Monday, 21 September 2026, on the sidelines of the Science Summit 2026, in New York, United States.

The project aims to leverage scientific cooperation to address cross-border challenges, including climate change, water and food security, public health, artificial intelligence governance, energy transition, and cultural heritage preservation. It also seeks to expand ICESCO’s presence in North Africa, consolidate its institutional partnership with Morocco, and establish a sustainable mechanism for South-South and triangular cooperation.

The Center will undertake three complementary functions. These include establishing a knowledge platform to train a new generation of diplomats specializing in scientific affairs and scientists engaged in diplomacy; launching a platform for academic and scientific cooperation and exchange, including joint field missions and an annual high-level forum; and providing scientific advice to ICESCO and its Member States in support of policymaking and decision-making.

A steering board, jointly chaired by ICESCO and Al Akhawayn University, will oversee the Center, with the participation of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture and Morocco’s Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation. It will also receive guidance from an International Advisory Council, comprising a host of scholars and practitioners from Africa, Asia, and the Arab world.