Category: News

227 young people in a training program, representing 68 countries, call for a commitment to the values of peace and dialogue

In light of the devastating conflicts the world is currently witnessing, particularly the ongoing war, which has cast a shadow over some of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (ICESCO) Member States, the 227 ICESCO Youth Ambassadors for Peace, representing 68 countries from within and outside the Islamic world, have issued a global call for peace, dialogue, and diplomacy.

The text of the statement reads as follows:

“In a world witnessing escalating crises, we, the ICESCO Youth Ambassadors for Peace, regardless of our different cultures, opinions, and perspectives on the world, reaffirm our call for peace, dialogue, and diplomacy. We are a generation of young men and women who have experienced conflicts and their consequences, from lost opportunities to destroyed futures. Conversely, we have seen the role of dialogue and cooperation in rebuilding societies and protecting the dignity of their members.

In this context, we acknowledge that peace is not an unattainable dream, but rather a shared responsibility to protect and sustain, especially since we, the youth, are not only witnesses to the consequences of conflicts and crises, but also the most affected by them and will inherit them in the future.

From this perspective, we renew our call for an immediate and collective commitment to the values of peace through constructive dialogue and diplomacy to find sustainable solutions based on respect for differences. We reject a future dominated by fear, division, and instability. Instead, we envision a world in which dialogue replaces confrontation, cooperation replaces hostility, inclusion replaces marginalization, and hope replaces fear.

Peace is not merely the absence of violence; it is the prevalence of justice, equality, equal opportunity, and dignity for all. In this regard, we renew our commitment to promoting dialogue and coexistence within our communities, countering hate speech in digital spaces, and serving as ICESCO Youth Ambassadors for Peace in our schools, universities, communities, and the digital sphere. We will build bridges and reduce division.

Now more than ever, we must uphold the values of compassion, respect, and unity inherent in all religions, particularly the true Islamic faith. As the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “Do not hate one another, do not shun one another, do not turn your backs on one another, and do not envy one another. Rather, be servants of God and brothers.” Therefore, we raise a single voice that transcends borders and politics—a voice that calls for calm in times of tension, understanding in times of division, and peace in times of conflict.”

This edition aims to standardize data and Artificial Intelligence terminology across 53 Member States

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is continuing its international efforts to strengthen the scientific and digital presence of the Arabic language in the field of AI by preparing the third, enhanced edition of the multilingual Data and Artificial Intelligence Glossary. The edition is scheduled for official launch during the Global AI Summit (GAIN) in September 2026 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The initiative is the result of a strategic partnership bringing together ICESCO, through its Center for Foresight and Artificial Intelligence, the International Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, and the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), within an integrated framework that consolidates international efforts to serve the Arabic language in advanced technological fields.

Work on the project was launched following an inaugural meeting that brought together all partners, during which agreement was reached to jointly develop and implement the glossary, define its scope of work and key phases, and establish the relevant committees.

The initiative, which coincides with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, is scheduled to be presented to the ICESCO Executive Council for approval by the Organization’s 53 Member States, granting it an international dimension and sustained knowledge impact.

The initiative aims to produce an updated version of the glossary by reviewing existing definitions, incorporating emerging terminology in data and AI, and enhancing terminological consistency across Arabic, English, and French. It also seeks to provide a thematic structure that facilitates access to content by application area and to support digital access through the development of an electronic application and accompanying digital resources.

The project will be implemented through successive phases, including planning and scoping, followed by enrichment and scientific and linguistic review, then production and digital development, culminating in approval and official launch, within an institutional framework that ensures content quality and sustainability of impact.

This step comes amid the rapid global transformations in the field of AI and the accompanying expansion of concepts, methodologies, and technical terminology, which poses real challenges related to terminology standardization and equitable access to knowledge, particularly for widely spoken languages that remain underrepresented in the digital space, foremost among them the Arabic language.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the International University of Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday, 6 April 2026, to strengthen cooperation in the academic, scientific and research fields, enhance capacity-building, and implement joint projects in areas of mutual interest, foremost among them the provision of 100 scholarships for students from ICESCO Member States.

The agreement was signed at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, and Dr. Hatem Othman Mohammed Khair, Director of the International University of Africa, in the presence of H.E. Mawadda Omar Haj Al-Toam, Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan to the Kingdom of Morocco.

The memorandum of understanding provides for enhancing and exchanging scientific and academic expertise through the organization of training workshops and scientific seminars, participation in conferences and symposia, support for the capacity building of decision-makers and civil society institutions, and the development of specialized training programs for capacity development. It also includes the allocation of scholarships for ICESCO candidates from its Member States.

Prior to the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik and Dr. Khair held a bilateral meeting during which they agreed to establish a joint working committee comprising representatives of both ICESCO and the IUA. The committee will be tasked with preparing implementation plans and programs for the agreed projects, monitoring progress, and evaluating achievements.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Abdelillah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General; Dr. Sally Mabrouk, Head of the Director-General’s Office and Supervisor of the Strategy and Institutional Excellence Sector; and Ambassador Khaled Fatahalrahman, Head of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue.

Dr. AlMalik also accompanied the IUA delegation on a tour of the Organization’s Media and Communication Sector, where detailed briefings were provided on the Sector’s specialized units, including the newly established studio aimed at enhancing the production of digital content supporting ICESCO’s global mission. The delegation also visited the Sultan Qaboos Library housed at ICESCO headquarters, which is scheduled to open on 16 April.

Dr. AlMalik: The Organization Places Qur’anic Education and Its Institutions at the Forefront of Its Priorities

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), affirmed that the Organization places Quranic education and its institutions at the forefront of its priorities and areas of focus, underscoring the depth and historical dimension of the partnership between ICESCO and the Republic of Senegal and its multiple strategic dimensions, which have encompassed all fields of the Organization’s work and areas of competence. He described Senegal as a model to be followed in view of its seriousness, rigor, and effectiveness.

AlMalik made these statements during his address as guest of honor at the celebration of the National Day of Qur’anic Schools (Daaras) in the Republic of Senegal, held on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, in Dakar, under the chairmanship of His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and attended by Mr. Malick Ndiaye, President of the National Assembly of Senegal, Mr. Moustapha Mamba Guirassy, Minister of National Education, as well as a number of Islamic scholars and senior officials.

Dr. AlMalik began his address by expressing his appreciation for the gracious invitation extended by His Excellency the President of Senegal for ICESCO to take part in the celebration, recalling the civilizational history of the Republic of Senegal throughout the ages and its eminent standing in Africa and the Islamic world. He noted that Senegal has written illustrious chapters in the preservation, teaching, dissemination, interpretation, and translation of the Holy Qur’an through the legacy of its leading scholars who established a towering base of knowledge.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik commended Senegal’s pioneering initiatives, under the leadership of H.E. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to strengthen the role of the Arabic language and develop Quranic institutions. He highlighted the decision to integrate graduates of traditional education into the labor market and affirmed the Organization’s full readiness to support Senegal’s efforts in implementing its national project by providing technical and knowledge-based expertise to advance Qur’anic schools and by cooperating with the competent authorities to implement the recommendations of national conferences on the “Daaras,” particularly in light of the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and misleading digital content targeting the identity, culture, and religious values of youth.

In closing, Dr. AlMalik affirmed that the partnership between the two parties is witnessing a new launch through a number of educational initiatives, foremost among them the professional training program in Arab-Islamic education implemented by ICESCO in cooperation with Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. He invited Senegalese experts and researchers to visit the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat and gain first-hand insight into ICESCO’s activities, initiatives, and programs.

His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, received Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the Palace of the Republic in Dakar, in his capacity as guest of honor at the celebration of the National Daara Day (Qur’anic Schools).

This meeting provided an opportunity to reaffirm the shared commitment to establishing a strong strategic partnership to support Senegal’s national efforts in the fields of education, science, and culture, with a particular focus on the development of Koranic schools in Senegal and their adaptation to technological advancements.

During this meeting, both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting an educational model based on the consolidation of the values of the Islamic world and the preservation of its identity and cultural distinctiveness—a model centered on knowledge and oriented toward a better future.

ICESCO was represented at this meeting by Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Social and Human Sciences Sector, and by Dr. Ahmed Said Ould Bah, Advisor to the ICESCO Director-General.