Category: News

On the sidelines of the International Conference on Heritage Management in the Islamic World, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) at its headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, met Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Mr. Alakbarov attended the conference’s opening session on behalf of Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and took part in the award ceremony of the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award.

During the meeting, held on Monday, 4 May 2026, the two officials discussed ways to enhance areas of cooperation. Dr. AlMalik affirmed that the cooperation agreement with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation represents a successful model that has yielded tangible results, reflected in high-quality outputs with a sustainable impact. He also highlighted a number of flagship initiatives, including the project to provide educational and social support to displaced girls and those residing in boarding schools in the Republic of Burkina Faso, which has begun expanding to include the Republic of Niger and Mali.

For his part, Mr. Alakbarov expressed the Foundation’s willingness to continue strengthening and developing this cooperation, commending the level of partnership with ICESCO. He also emphasized that ICESCO is one of the leading international organizations partnering with the Foundation, noting that this partnership has proven its effectiveness through its fruitful initiatives. He further expressed his aspiration to launch new, highly impactful initiatives serving the Islamic world and its peoples.

Moreover, the two parties agreed to organize the second edition of the conference, along with the award ceremony, in Shusha, in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, in 2028.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) announced on Monday, 4 May 2026, the winners of the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award, launched by the Organization in partnership with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with a total value of USD 130,000, in recognition of pioneering initiatives in the conservation and management of tangible heritage in the Islamic world.

During the award ceremony, held following the International Conference on Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations in the Islamic World at ICESCO, the awards were presented to the winners by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General; Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation; and HRH Princess Dana Firas, President of the Petra National Trust and Vice-President of the ICOMOS Bureau.

In the projects category, first place went to the project of “Hebron Rehabilitation Committee” in the State of Palestine, in recognition of its integrated model for heritage conservation and local economic development. The project received a USD 100,000 prize. In the individuals category, Mr. Ayoob Thanoon from Iraq won first place and received a USD 30,000 prize for his dedicated career in heritage protection during his tenure as President of the Mosul Heritage Foundation.

Prior to the awards presentation, Dr. Webber Ndoro, Head of ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Center, highlighted the objectives of the award, foremost among them raising awareness of the social and economic dimensions of heritage protection efforts and best practices in the field.

For his part, Mr. Muhammad Al-Absi, expert at ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Center, shed light on the broad participation in the award’s first edition, which received 54 applications from 22 ICESCO Member States.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched the International Conference on Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations in the Islamic World on 4 May 2026, at its headquarters in Rabat. Held under the gracious patronage of Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan, the conference witnessed the official announcement of the winners of the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award.

The opening session of the two-day conference began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech by Ms. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, delivered on her behalf by Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Foundation. In her address, she stressed that the restoration projects implemented by the Foundation reflect Azerbaijan’s firm commitment to civilizational dialogue and the protection of universal values, underlining that the partnership between the Foundation and ICESCO lies at the heart of a shared vision for safeguarding cultural heritage.

Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas, President of the Petra National Trust and Vice-President of ICOMOS, highlighted that heritage preservation is, at its core, an ethical commitment to humanity and its history, emphasizing that heritage constitutes a vital force in enhancing communities’ resilience, adaptability, and capacity to shape narratives.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, marked the 44th anniversary of the Organization’s establishment, recalling a journey of dedicated efforts that plans for the future while offering a legacy that endures through time. He stressed that heritage is not merely a narrative of the past, but a living record of the present and the future.

Dr. AlMalik noted that amid conflicts, heritage suffers as an extended memory preserving the history of nations, a challenge faced by more than 19 countries affected by conflict in the Islamic world. This has resulted in the inclusion of over 27 World Heritage sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

He outlined ICESCO’s efforts to revitalize heritage as a means of opening new horizons for development, restoring social cohesion, and supporting stability, through field missions and the development of an integrated plan to safeguard and rehabilitate more than 120 heritage sites in the city of Shusha and the Karabakh region in Azerbaijan, as well as by advancing recovery programs in the Syrian Arab Republic and a number of Member States. He concluded by expressing his appreciation to His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for assuming responsibility for advancing culture.

For his part, Mr. Hani Al Hayek, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the State of Palestine, reviewed his country’s experience in heritage preservation, affirming that discussing cultural heritage is not a luxury, but a discussion of identity, memory, and existence. He emphasized that heritage is not merely stones or landmarks, but a living record of history and a fundamental tool for resilience.

In his address, Mr. Charaf Ahmimed, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb and Representative to Maghreb Countries, stated that when heritage sites are destroyed, collections are looted, and traditions are disrupted, it is not only monuments that are at risk; it is the very fabric of society.

The session concluded with the announcement of the winners of the ICESCO–Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award. Participants then toured a photographic exhibition entitled “Reimagining: Best Practices in Post-Conflict Recovery,” followed by the launch of the conference’s discussion sessions.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) presented its Digital Library project on 3 May 2026, during an event held at its pavilion as part of the 31st Rabat International Book and Publishing Fair.

The presentation was delivered by Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Director of the Translation and Publishing Centre, and Dr. Mohammad Alanazi, Head of the Publishing and Library Division, in the presence of Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers’ Association, along with members of the Association’s Board of Directors and representatives of publishing houses from Arab countries.

The presentation addressed the project’s objectives and components, as well as its role in enhancing access to multilingual knowledge content and enabling publishers to expand the reach of their publications through an advanced digital platform aligned with the digital transformation of the publishing sector.

The event featured fruitful discussions between the two sides on opportunities for cooperation and mechanisms for Arab publishing houses to join the platform, contributing to the enrichment of digital content and the expansion of its beneficiary base across the Islamic world.

Members of the Arab Publishers’ Association’s Board of Directors expressed interest in activating the preliminary agreement between the two sides to make a selection of publications by Arab publishing houses operating under the Association available through the ICESCO Digital Library over a 12-month period, thereby strengthening the presence of the Arabic book and increasing its reach to a wider audience.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), an organ of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening scientific and intellectual cooperation between the two parties in the areas of civilizational dialogue, coexistence, and combating hate speech and extremism.

The signing ceremony took place on Thursday, 30 April 2026, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat. The MoU was signed by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, and Dr. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary-General of the IIFA, in the presence of a number of ICESCO officials and members of the Academy’s delegation.

During the ceremony, Dr. AlMalik underscored the importance of this MoU in broadening the horizons of institutional cooperation between the two parties and strengthening joint efforts to advance the values of dialogue, mutual understanding, and openness. For his part, Dr. Sano commended ICESCO’s roles and efforts in supporting its Member States within its areas of competence, and extended an invitation to Dr. AlMalik to attend the 27th session of the Academy’s Council Conference, scheduled to be held in Malaysia later this year.

The MoU provides for the exchange of knowledge resources, educational materials, and scientific publications, as well as the organization of specialized conferences and seminars on the foundations of constructive dialogue, the principles of coexistence, and the critique of the premises of the “clash of civilizations” and cultural conflict. It also includes exploring ways to address sectarian intolerance and religious extremism.

The Memorandum further covers cooperation in the publishing and translation of contemporary books and research related to the values of tolerance, moderation, openness, and acceptance of others, in addition to reviving and disseminating classical works that highlight the contribution of Islamic law to the consolidation of coexistence principles.

Prior to the signing, the two sides held a meeting to discuss ways to further develop their partnership within the framework of the MoU and expand coordination on intellectual and scientific issues of mutual interest.

During the meeting, the two parties also discussed ICESCO’s participation in a symposium that the Academy plans to organize in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next month on the role of religious leaders in combating violence against women, as well as the organization of joint scientific seminars and the exploration of cooperation prospects in a number of upcoming intellectual initiatives and programs.

The meeting and signing ceremony were attended by Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of ICESCO; Mr. Osama Heikal, Head of the Media and Communication Sector; and Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue.