Dr. Abdelillah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), took part in an event organized by Morocco’s High Commission for Planning (HCP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), marking World Population Day and launching the 2025 State of World Population Report under the theme, “The Real Fertility Crisis: The Pursuit of Reproductive Agency in a Changing World.”
The meeting, held on 9 July 2025 at the headquarters of the High Commission for Planning in Rabat, brought together high-level participants, including Mr. Chakib Benmoussa, High Commissioner for Planning, Ms. Marielle Sander, UNFPA Representative to Morocco, along with several senior officials, experts, and representatives of national and international organizations.
Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector, took part in panel discussions on population statistics in light of the demographic and societal transformations taking place across the Organization’s Member States, highlighting ICESCO’s efforts and strategic approach in this regard.
Also attending were a group of ICESCO Young Ambassadors for Peace, along with trainees working across the Organization’s sectors, departments, and centers, representing Jordan, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Comoros, and Sudan.
As part of efforts to strengthen cultural ties between the Islamic world and the People’s Republic of China, a formal meeting took place on 10 July 2025 between the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mr. Zheng Hao, Director-General of Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation of the Ministry.
The meeting began with a comprehensive presentation on ICESCO, in which Dr. AlMalik outlined the Organization’s civilizational vision and goals, highlighting its presence across 53 Member States. Moreover, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to preserving and promoting tangible and intangible cultural heritage within and beyond the Islamic world.
The two parties discussed several priority areas for cooperation, including the protection of heritage sites, exchange of expertise in cultural preservation, and review of ICESCO’s Cultural Index, adopted at the Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World.
The two parties also emphasized the importance of youth as a foundation for future development and the need to design targeted educational programs for them, stressing the central role of culture in shaping identity and strengthening belonging.
The meeting concluded with a preliminary agreement on a set of initiatives, notably the organization of joint cultural seminars and conferences, the participation of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the upcoming session of the Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World, and an official visit by a Ministry delegation to ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat. The discussions also explored the potential inclusion of Chinese youth in ICESCO’s cultural exchange programs, as well as the temporary secondment of two Chinese experts in culture and heritage to contribute to the Organization’s activities.
The proposal for China to join ICESCO as an observer member was also put forward, facilitating broader participation in the Organization’s programs.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts as a gesture of friendship and mutual respect. The meeting was attended by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Ambassador Khaled Fatahalrahman, Head of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, along with several officials from China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, held the International Conference to Combat Islamophobia under the theme, “Islamophobia: Concept and Practice in the Current Global Context.” The Conference aimed to discuss the manifestations associated with Islamophobia and its impacts on community security, dialogue, and coexistence.
The Conference, held on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo, follows the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a historic resolution designating March 15 of each year as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. This comes as part of efforts to promote dialogue between peoples and religions, foster cultural rapprochement between communities, and counter all forms of hatred and religious disdain.
In an address at the opening session, delivered on his behalf by Ms. Amira Al Fadil, Advisor to the Director-General (DG) for External Relations, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO DG, stressed that countering Islamophobia cannot be achieved without the concerted efforts of international and regional organizations, governments, experts, and academics. He called for intensified joint cooperation to dismantle the structures of prejudice and hatred, and build bridges of understanding and mutual respect between different cultures.
Dr. AlMalik also stressed the need to adopt a comprehensive approach to combating Islamophobia through education, promoting shared human values, and working towards creating a global environment based on mutual acceptance and celebrating diversity rather than viewing it as a source of conflict.
Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector, Amb. Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, highlighted the League’s efforts to combat hate speech and promote the values of dialogue and tolerance. He pointed to the importance of developing strategies in the fields of education, culture, religious discourse, and foreign language proficiency, stating that these measures can cast light on Islamic values of tolerance and our lofty societal traditions. He also underlined the pivotal role of the media in promoting the values of tolerance, pluralism, and acceptance of the Other.
There followed the Conference’s scientific sessions, which featured rich contributions by a host of experts and academics on effective ways to combat Islamophobia. These included a statement by Dr. Hani Al-Balawi, Expert at ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, who reviewed the Organization’s forward-looking vision for confronting hate speech against Islam, and Dr. Mustafa Osman, former Sudanese Foreign Minister, who addressed the role of NGOs in combating Islamophobia. Dr. Abdessamad El Yazidi, DG of the German Institute for Dialogue and Understanding (Mouatana), also made a presentation discussing the topic of “Islamophobia in Europe: Causes, Consequences, and Ways to Address It – Germany as a Model.”
Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Dr. Mahamadou Oumar Koné, Minister of Religious Affairs, Worship, and Customs of the Republic of Mali, on Wednesday, 9 July 2025. Also present at the meeting was Mr. Fafré Kamara, Ambassador of Mali to the Kingdom of Morocco, along with their accompanying delegation, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the Organization and the Republic in areas of mutual interest, particularly the preservation and valorization of historical manuscripts and combating extremist ideology.
During the Meeting, which took place at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Benarafa emphasized the importance of the relationship between ICESCO and the Republic of Mali, reviewing the programs and projects that have been implemented in this regard. Among the most prominent was the organization of the international symposium “Ahmad Baba al-Timbukti: A Model of Civilizational Diplomacy in West Africa,” held in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco, to highlight the contributions of African scholars to the culture of the Islamic world and to shed light on the prominent role of Scholar Ahmad Baba al-Timbukti.
The Deputy Director-General of ICESCO also spoke about the Organization’s efforts to preserve, restore, and valorize the historical manuscripts of Timbuktu, including the implementation of a field study to monitor and document the violations and damages these manuscripts have suffered, and the preparation of a detailed project paper for their conservation and preservation, which includes a joint action plan for cataloguing, digitization, and safe storage.
The Meeting also addressed future joint projects, particularly the organization of training courses to combat extremist ideology, including sending personnel from the Republic of Mali to benefit from ICESCO’s expertise in this area, and to learn more about the work of the ICESCO Center for Civilizational Dialogue in supporting cultural diversity and promoting peaceful coexistence.
For his part, the Malian Minister praised ICESCO’s efforts in supporting education, science, and culture in its Member States, affirming his country’s keenness to advance cooperative relations with the Organization in areas of shared interest.
The Meeting concluded with a tour in which Dr. Benarafa accompanied Dr. Mahamadou Oumar Koné and his delegation to the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah and Islamic Civilization at ICESCO Headquarters, which has welcomed over 8 million visitors since its public opening in November 2022.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has formally been designated as an Authorized Training and Assessment Provider (ATAP) by the Global Innovation Institute (GInI) in the United States. This recognition positions ICESCO as a key reference in capacity building and the evaluation of creativity- and innovation-driven projects at both regional and international levels.
This accreditation reflects the trust of leading international institutions and specialized professional platforms in ICESCO’s ability to deliver specialized training content aligned with current needs and to develop knowledge-based assessment tools that promote a culture of institutional innovation.
On this occasion, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, affirmed that the Organization now offers the world a comprehensive civilizational model, integrating innovation into its values and vision, and possesses both the capacity and authority to provide high-quality training and assess its impact in line with internationally recognized standards. Dr. AlMalik added that this accreditation strengthens the ability of Islamic world societies to tackle future challenges.
Under this accreditation, ICESCO is now eligible to deliver specialized training for professionals in preparation for internationally recognized professional certifications in innovation, including Certified Innovation Professional (CInP), Certified Design Thinking Professional (CDTP), Certified Chief Innovation Officer (CCInO), and Certified Innovation Strategist (CInS), as well as credentials in innovation assessment such as Authorized Innovation Assessor (AInA). These certifications open new pathways for professionals in the Islamic world to obtain international certifications in innovation and strategic evaluation.
Moreover, ICESCO will also conduct specialized assessments to accredit universities, institutions, research centers, and innovation initiatives according to the highest international standards. These include accreditations such as Certified Innovative Organization (CInOrg), Certified Government Innovative Organization (CGInO), Certified Innovative University (CInU), and Certified Innovation Growth Venture (CInGV), along with accreditations for innovation labs (AInL), incubators (ABI), and accelerator (AAP), training (AInTP), and education programs (AInEP). These accreditations support creative thinking and institutional development across various sectors.
This recent accreditation adds to ICESCO’s growing portfolio of international certifications that reflect its forward-looking vision and commitment to instilling innovation.
Participants in the international symposium “Translation and Security: The Role of Translation in Enhancing National and International Security,” held at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) on 2–3 July 2025, in partnership with Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, made ten key recommendations following five working sessions and a training workshop, during which 24 researchers from 13 countries presented scientific papers on the best practices and mechanisms pertaining to security-related translation.
The recommendations reflect the five themes of the symposium. In the first recommendation, related to the “Role of translation in addressing security issues and enhancing national and international security,” participants stressed the need to establish national specialized security translation centers under the security authorities to unify critical security concepts and terminology, provide qualified and trained staff to meet the growing needs in this sector, and emphasize the proactive role of translation in monitoring and analyzing extremist discourses in various languages.
The recommendations resulting from the second theme, “Strategic partnership among security institutions, translation experts and international organizations,” emphasized the importance of establishing permanent coordination committees between security bodies and translation centers to develop relevant linguistic policies and exchange experiences. They also emphasized the importance of including translators in crisis and disaster management teams and providing them with multidisciplinary training covering linguistic and technical aspects and emergency scenarios.
Under the theme “Linguistic and Cultural Challenges to Security-related Translation,” the recommendations called for the development of dictionaries and translation standards that take into account cultural and political differences when dealing with security texts, especially in sensitive contexts, and the need to provide cultural and ethical training programs for security translators to enhance their awareness of local and cross-border contexts and ensure a high level of security while performing their duties.
The fourth theme discussed “Security translation and challenges of digital advancements,” emphasizing the importance of adopting hybrid models that combine neural machine translation (NMT) and human editing, focusing on developing specialized and secure databases to train intelligent systems in the security field. The experts also called for promoting the use of AI tools in offline environments by designing mobile and secure translation applications that can be used in areas with no technological infrastructure. The last theme addressed the relationship between “Translation and Cybersecurity,” stressing the need to compile specialized dictionaries in the field of cybersecurity, in cooperation between linguists and technical experts, to ensure terminological accuracy and consistency in a rapidly changing digital environment, and calling for the integration of translation into national cybersecurity policies.
This symposium is a qualitative step towards institutionalizing security translation as one of the pillars of comprehensive security in Muslim countries and a strategic area that needs further cooperation between educational and security institutions, at both the research and applied levels, to enhance states’ capacities to confront multidimensional threats.
On Saturday, 5 July 2025, at the headquarters of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat, the regional workshop on “The Role of Customs Authorities in Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property” concluded its proceedings. The five-day workshop was organized by ICESCO, in cooperation with the Qatar National Library, the General Customs Authority of the State of Qatar, and the Customs and Indirect Taxes Directorate of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The workshop concluded with a working session to present the “White Paper” methodology, which aims to strengthen coordination between customs authorities, build effective partnerships to combat cultural property smuggling networks, develop shared databases, and improve mechanisms for documenting and storing confiscated cultural property, thus contributing to enhancing customs efficiency and regional and international cooperation.
In the closing session, Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Director of Legal Affairs and International Standards at ICESCO, presented the final recommendations and outcomes of the workshop, which called for strengthening cooperation and integration between customs authorities, law enforcement agencies, museums, and cultural organizations in the Islamic world in order to protect cultural heritage from illicit trafficking. Certificates of appreciation were also handed out to participants in recognition of their contributions to the success of this key regional event.
The workshop was attended by a select group of customs and security officials and experts from ICESCO Member States, who discussed several topics related to the international legal framework for the protection of cultural property, modern techniques in customs inspection and control, and ways to develop institutional cooperation and improve the efficiency of coordination and joint action.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Mr. Li Changlin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Morocco. The two parties discussed ways to promote partnership between ICESCO and China, the prospects of organizing several joint initiatives, and arrangements for the participation of ICESCO’s delegation, led by Dr. AlMalik, in the Ministerial Meeting on Civilizational Dialogue, to be held on July 10-11, 2025, in Beijing.
During this meeting, held on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik commended the flourishing partnership between the Organization and China, emphasizing that ICESCO’s openness to non-Member States contributes to strengthening cooperation between these countries and the Islamic world. He explained that the upcoming meeting in Beijing will include a visit to Shaanxi Province, renowned for its historical significance, rich cultural heritage, and pioneering institutions in the development of advanced technological industries.
The DG also thanked his guest for extending the invitation to him and the ICESCO delegation to take part in this grand event. He emphasized that the theme of the ministerial meeting, “Protecting the Diversity of Human Civilizations for Global Peace and Development,” aligns with the Organization’s vision of promoting civilizational dialogue, cultural diversity, and mutual understanding among peoples. He further noted that it also corresponds with its educational and cultural initiatives aimed at consolidating peace in the Member States.
For his part, the Chinese Ambassador reaffirmed that ICESCO’s participation in this event will reflect its efforts to promote dialogue of civilizations and will provide an opportunity to exchange best practices in this field. He added that it will introduce the relevant Chinese authorities to the Organization’s activities and role across its various fields of competence. The discussion covered the joint organization of scientific conferences and the preparation of Chinese cultural days at ICESCO’s headquarters to strengthen the rapprochement between China and the Islamic world, in addition to helping young people from the Islamic world learn the Chinese language.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a meeting at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat with Dr. Marat Gatin and Mr. Timur Suleymanov, Aides to the Rais of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, to discuss preparations for the celebration of “Kazan, Cultural Capital in the Islamic World for 2026,” and explore avenues for strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to the success of this major cultural event, outlining the programmes and activities that the Organization’s Culture Sector plans to implement to highlight Kazan’s civilizational depth and enhance its cultural and social capital.
Moreover, Dr. AlMalik expressed confidence that the celebration of Kazan as the Cultural Capital in the Islamic World would be one of the most successful, thanks to Tatarstan’s wise leadership, strong enthusiasm, extensive experience, and the well-coordinated efforts of all stakeholders involved.
For his part, Mr. Timur Suleymanov spoke about the diverse and rich cultural programme planned for the celebration, commending ICESCO’s continued support to ensure its success.
Dr. Marat Gatin praised the strong relationship between ICESCO and the Republic of Tatarstan, affirming his country’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in education, scientific research, and academic training, as well as promoting intercultural dialogue and values of tolerance.
The meeting also addressed the creation of a joint coordination committee for the celebration, the organization of conferences and events at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, and the reception of young trainees from Tatarstan who will serve as ICESCO ambassadors within their communities.
The International Symposium on “Translation and Security: The Role of Translation in Enhancing National and International Security” kicked off on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat. The event is jointly organized by ICESCO and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS) in Saudi Arabia, with the participation of government officials and experts in translation and security.
The symposium aims to explore the role of translation in enhancing national and international security, discuss the linguistic and cultural challenges affecting translation in security contexts, and highlight how translation supports security operations and addresses cross-border threats. It also reviews the latest tools, methods, and practices in security-related translation, and its role in improving communication between countries and international organizations.
During the opening session, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, emphasized that translation is now regarded as a soft power that shapes global security discourse, fortifies societies, and builds bridges of knowledge between civilizations. Dr. AlMalik announced a series of initiatives by ICESCO’s Centre for Translation and Publishing to translate research and knowledge into multiple languages in order to preserve the presence of Islamic world cultures in international fora.
Following, Mr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Alharfash, Secretary of NAUSS Supreme Council, and Vice-President for External Relations, stated that the University launched the “Translated Book Initiative” as part of its research strategy to support evidence-based security policies and crime prevention. He noted that the symposium is intended to address linguistic and cultural challenges in security-related translation, while also showcasing how translation can support security operations and counter cross-border threats.
For his part, Mr. Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director General of National Security (DGSN), Director-General of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) of Morocco, emphasized, through remarks delivered on his behalf by Mr. Boubker Sabik, Superintendent General of Police, the central role of translators in aligning linguistic context with legal standards. He described translators as key partners in reinforcing security and stability, ensuring fair trials, and legitimizing legal procedures.
Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Head of ICESCO’s Centre for Translation and Publishing, noted that translation is no longer a mere linguistic process but rather a strategic bridge linking security, cultural, and technological domains. It serves as a central tool for shaping security, protecting societies, and achieving stability in an increasingly complex, multilingual world.
The opening session also featured the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ICESCO’s Centre for Translation and Publishing and King Fahd School of Translation of Abdelmalek Essaâdi University in Morocco to enhance academic cooperation and mutual training. Over the course of two days, the symposium will include a specialized workshop on the use of modern translation technologies and the training of translators for sensitive environments, along with five thematic sessions on translation in crises, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and multilateral institutional partnerships.
