Category: News

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), represented by its Deputy Director-General, Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, participated in the Tolerance Forum, organized by the King Abdulaziz Center for Cultural Communication in Riyadh, on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance, under the theme: “Tolerance: The Language of Civilizations and a Bridge for Communication.”

The forum, held on Sunday, 16 November 2025, saw the participation of a number of prominent international figures, including Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammad Al-Sabeel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Abdulaziz Center for Cultural Communication, Eng. Waleed A. ElKhereiji, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, and Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Participants discussed various topics related to raising awareness of the importance of tolerance and the role of international institutions in spreading a culture of coexistence and dialogue.

During the first session, chaired by Dr. Abdullah AlFoazan, Secretary-General of the King Abdulaziz Center, entitled “Tolerance: The Language of Civilizations and a Bridge for Communication,” Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa presented a paper highlighting the role of international organizations in consolidating a system of shared human values, and the close link between tolerance and cultural communication. He praised the role of the King Abdulaziz Center for Cultural Communication as a specialized intellectual platform that provides an advanced framework for addressing the issue of tolerance in its intellectual and humanitarian dimensions.

Dr. Benarafa also reviewed ICESCO’s key strategies, executive programs, and reference documents that promote the values of tolerance and dialogue for the achievement of comprehensive cultural development, noting that ICESCO’s winning of the King Abdulaziz Center for Intercultural Communication Award in its fifth edition represents an international recognition of the Organization’s efforts in spreading the values of tolerance and understanding.

The forum featured three main scientific sessions: “Tolerance: The Language of Civilizations and a Bridge for Communication”; “Local and international experiences that promote the values of tolerance and coexistence”; and “Raising awareness of the importance of tolerance for building peaceful and sustainable societies.” The event also included a sideline exhibition highlighting initiatives and projects aimed at establishing a culture of tolerance at the local and international levels.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture are pleased to announce the organization of the third ICESCO Marathon.

The marathon will kick off at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, 30 November 2025, in front of ICESCO headquarters, located on FAR Avenue in Hay Riad, Rabat. Participants will run through several of the city’s main streets in a sporting atmosphere open to all.

The marathon is organized in cooperation with the Ministries of National Education, Primary Education, Sports, Youth, Culture and Communication, as well as a number of Moroccan and international bodies involved in community development. The event, which is being held under the theme “Sport as a Pathway to Development and Empowerment” as part of the “Sport for Social Change” initiative previously launched by ICESCO, reflects the integration of efforts to promote sport as a gateway to sustainable development and to promote the values of solidarity, equality and peace.

ICESCO invites interested individuals of all ages to take part in this sporting event by registering via the following link: https://icesco.org/En7ir9

The winner will receive a fully paid, week-long trip in 2026 to a country that will be announced later, as well as incentive prizes for the top participants.

ICESCO is organizing this 3rd edition out of its belief in the important role of sport in building the resilience of young people, women and vulnerable groups. The event is also in line with the great sporting momentum experienced by the Kingdom of Morocco, which will host the finals of the 2025 African Cup of Nations.

Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), called for human-centered international unity to tackle the climate change crisis, stressing that the path to net-zero emissions must be built on cooperation, trust, and shared humanity. This was stated in a recorded speech presented during a panel discussion at the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP30) in Brazil.

The session, organized by ICESCO on Friday, 14 November 2025, in partnership with the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), was titled “Pathways to Carbon Neutrality through South-South Cooperation: Resilient Climate Technologies, Enhanced Capacities, and Cultural Roots,” with the participation of a number of international climate experts and specialists.

In his speech, Dr. AlMalik emphasized that climate action must be based on shared global responsibility and a renewed commitment to the principles of justice and solidarity, noting that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat, but a daily reality for millions of people in the Global South. He pointed out that the air we all breathe and the water shared by humans are all elements that belong to one planet and one humanity.

ICESCO Director General further noted that the effects of climate change, from water scarcity and extreme weather phenomena to declining agricultural productivity, are reshaping the daily life of people in a number of Member States, stressing the importance of intensifying cooperation among countries of the Global South, especially as they are currently leading the most innovative experiences in adaptation.

Dr. AlMalik concluded his speech by saying that the path to a zero-emission future can only be built collectively through trust, solidarity, and a shared ambition to create a world worthy of the dreams of the children and youth of the future.

The session also featured an interactive discussion between representatives of participating organizations and experts. Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, COMSATS Executive Director, considered South-South cooperation to be vital in addressing climate challenges, with the need to transfer technology from the global North given its historical responsibility for exacerbating the crisis. Dr. Nasser Kamel, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), pointed out that achieving carbon neutrality requires integrated frameworks that link technology, culture, and institutions.

In cooperation with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, ICESCO held, on 12 and 13 November 2025, a regional workshop on the “Theoretical Foundations of Language Teaching and Learning” at the “Mishkat Al-Arabiya” Hall. The workshop was attended by a number of participants, as well as 204 trainees via videoconferencing. The trainees were among a host of outstanding educational staff working in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers in 14 countries.

Dr. Mohamed Ismaili Alaoui, Director of the University Centre for Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers at Sultan Moulay Slimane University in Beni Mellal, Morocco, gave a talk on educational issues related to the cognitive competencies of educational supervisors. He began with a review of the theoretical foundations of second and foreign language teaching and learning. He also touched on how educational supervisors can use artificial intelligence tools to develop new ideas and methods to improve their supervisory and leadership performance, as well as enhance Arabic language teaching programs in their countries.

This workshop is part of the 2025-2026 annual program of “Mishkat Educational Leadership in Teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic Speakers”, which is implemented by ICESCO in partnership with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, and in academic cooperation with Sultan Moulay Slimane University in Beni Mellal, Morocco. The programme trains hundreds of outstanding staff working in Arabic language teaching for non-Arabic speakers across 14 countries in West and Central Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

The ICESCO Center for Civilizational Dialogue, part of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held on Thursday, 13 November 2025, a remote meeting with the Social Affairs Sector – Culture and Dialogue of Civilizations Department at the League of Arab States. The meeting aimed to discuss ways of strengthening coordination in combating violence and hate speech, as well as launching joint initiatives to promote a culture of dialogue and coexistence.

During the meeting, Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue, reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the First Conference on Islamophobia, and to promoting a culture of acceptance of others. He announced ICESCO’s readiness to contribute to future initiatives that serve the objectives of both parties and achieve a concrete impact on target groups.

The discussion reviewed the outcomes of the First Conference on Islamophobia and explored the possibility of holding another conference in Rabat, Morocco, on discrimination against Muslims. Other initiatives were also reviewed, notably a joint training program for trainers on countering extremism. This would strengthen the capacity of educational and cultural institutions to prevent and respond to extremism.

In attendance were ICESCO experts Dr. Hani Albalawi and Dr. Abdoulaye Al Maiga from the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue; Dr. Youssef Badr Mashari, Director of the Department of Culture and Dialogue among Civilizations; and Ms. Noha Ayad from the League of Arab States.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) reaffirmed its commitment to promoting sports as a tool for empowerment, peace, and inclusion during its participation in the Third African Forum on Gender Equality in Sports, held in Bujumbura, Republic of Burundi, in the presence of His Excellency President Évariste Ndayishimiye and First Lady Angeline Ndayishimiye.

Organized by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ACNOA), in cooperation with the Burundi National Olympic Committee (CNO) and with support from the Government of Burundi, the event brought together ministers, policymakers, and prominent figures from the sports world to discuss concrete mechanisms for advancing gender balance and empowering women and girls through sports participation.

ICESCO was represented at the forum by Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Director of Social and Human Sciences Sector, who delivered a speech during the session titled “Sport and Social Inclusion: Sport as a Driver of Peace, Inclusion and Resilience for Women.” She outlined ICESCO’s strategic approach to integrating sports into its programs as a means of promoting gender equality, strengthening social cohesion, and contributing to sustainable development across Member States.

Ms. Mbaye underlined that ICESCO’s “Sport for Social Change” initiative places women and youth at the heart of action by enhancing leadership opportunities, encouraging girls’ participation in sports, and supporting the development of inclusive and ethical sports policies. She presented several of the Organization’s innovative projects, including sports camps that support the rehabilitation and reintegration of vulnerable children and youth, as well as the ICESCO Marathon, which reflects the Organization’s belief in sports as a platform for solidarity and economic inclusion.