Category: News

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.

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, in New York City.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed initiatives and programs in which ICESCO’s areas of work intersect with those of UNAOC. They also discussed ways to further develop joint cooperation in promoting a culture of dialogue and fostering understanding among followers of different religions, as well as combating hate speech and addressing Islamophobia.

The meeting also addressed preparations for the International Conference on Interreligious Dialogue, scheduled to be held during the final third of October, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, ICESCO and UNAOC.

Both sides emphasized the importance of active participation in the conference and of ensuring that its outcomes contribute to fostering the values of coexistence and mutual respect, while strengthening the role of dialogue in building peace.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Stefan Schmitz, Executive Director of the Crop Trust, on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, in New York City, United States.

The two sides reviewed areas of cooperation between ICESCO and the Crop Trust, particularly in safeguarding agricultural biodiversity, strengthening food security, and building food systems that are more resilient to climate change. They also explored ways to support ICESCO Member States in drawing on international expertise to conserve crop genetic resources, develop seed banks, and protect local varieties with high nutritional value and resilience to drought and rising temperatures.

The meeting addressed the possibility of developing joint educational programs that integrate food security, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity conservation into curricula, from early childhood education through secondary and higher education, to deepen awareness among younger generations of the importance of food, its resources, and their relationship to climate and development.

The two sides also discussed the concept of “greening education” and ways to translate it into educational practice within learning institutions by developing curricula, training teachers, and encouraging schools and universities to adopt practical projects on sustainable agriculture, seed conservation, and food waste reduction.
They agreed to identify cooperation priorities and develop joint practical programs in the coming period, covering scientific research, capacity building, and awareness-raising, as well as to explore the launch of initiatives targeting young people and researchers in Member States.

At the close of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik invited Dr. Stefan Schmitz to participate in the upcoming Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World and present a working paper outlining the Crop Trust’s vision and expertise and proposing joint cooperation programs with ICESCO in crop diversity, food security, and green education.

The Crop Trust works to conserve crop genetic diversity and make it available to researchers, farmers, and plant breeders, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural production and safeguarding the future of food for generations to come. This mission offers broad scope for cooperation with ICESCO, given the Organization’s mandates in education, science, sustainability, and institutional capacity building across its Member States.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) announced a project to establish ICESCO-Al-Farabi Center for Science Diplomacy at the University’s campus in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The Center aims to advance sustainable South-South and triangular cooperation among Africa, Asia, and the Arab world, while strengthening ICESCO’s presence in Central Asia.

The memorandum of understanding was signed on Monday, 21 September 2026, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Samgat Yermekbayev, Deputy Chairman of the Board of KazNU. The signing took place on the sidelines of the High-Level Dialogue on Science Diplomacy, organized by ICESCO in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan in New York City as part of the Science Summit 2026.

Under the memorandum, the Center will train a new generation of science diplomats in ICESCO Member States and implement a range of annual programs, initiatives, and forums. It will serve as a platform for triangular cooperation and knowledge exchange connecting Africa, Asia, and the Arab world. The Center will also provide scientific advice to ICESCO, its Member States, and their National Commissions on policy development in science diplomacy.

A joint steering committee comprising representatives of ICESCO and KazNU will oversee the Center, supported by an international advisory board of distinguished scientists. ICESCO will also provide technical support and the necessary expertise and facilitate cooperation across its network of Member States.