The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a videoconference on November 30, with the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance to explore the cooperation program for 2021 in the field of Arabic language for non-Arabic speakers. The program is part of the Hamdan bin Rashid Fund for Supporting ICESCO.

The meeting brought together Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Supervisor of ICESCO Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector; Dr. Ahmed Said Bah, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General (DG) in charge of Partnerships and International Cooperation; Dr. Majdi Haji Ibrahim, Head of ICESCO Center of Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers; and Mr. Adel Bouraoui, Advisor to ICESCO DG for ICESCO’s External Centers and University Chairs in the field of Arabic language; as well as Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Member of Hamdan Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Adviser to the Foundation. The meeting also saw the participation of Professor Khawla Bahloq and Ms. Fatima Al-Hashemi.

The two parties agreed to focus on the quality of the implementation plan of the cooperation program for 2021 through the establishment of two pilot centers and two outstanding university chairs in prestigious universities to achieve the desired scientific outreach. The plan also aims to implement specific training programs based on the technological means and digital space. The Hamdan Foundation approved the implementation plan that ICESCO presented on the project to support the teaching of Arabic language in non-Arab countries.

At the end of the meeting, ICESCO and Hamdan Foundation commended the meeting’s pertinent proposals to develop joint programs within the framework of Hamdan Bin Rashid Fund for Supporting ICESCO and agreed to develop future projects that simultaneously respond to the orientations of the two parties.