ICESCO Center for Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization held an international symposium under the theme “Teaching Arabic to Non-Arabic Speakers: Reality Challenges and Future Stakes,” in partnership and cooperation with the Higher School of Education and Training at Sultan Moulay Suleiman University in Beni Mellal in the Kingdom of Morocco and the University’s laboratory of Literary, Linguistic and Dialectical Studies.

The Symposium’s opening session, held yesterday, Thursday, February 17, 2022, at the headquarters of the Faculty of Science and Technology in Beni Mellal, began with a speech by Dr. Nabil Hmina, President of Sultan Moulay Suleiman University, and then a speech by Dr. Magdy Haj Ibrahim, President of the Arabic Language Center for Non-Arabic Speakers

The Symposium touched upon the challenges related to the reality of the Arabic language and its future stakes at the international level and the need to intensify efforts and coordination to reach practical results and effective recommendations for the development of curricula for teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers. Afterward, Mr. Ali Lamnawar, Director of the Higher School of Education and Training in Beni Mellal, delivered his speech which was followed by a recorded speech of Dr. Maszlee bin Malik, former Malaysian Minister of Education. The opening session was concluded by a speech of Dr. Mohamad Alaoui, Director of the Literary, Linguistic and Dialectical Studies Laboratory at Sultan Moulay Suleiman University.

During the first working session, Dr. Youssef Ismaili, Expert at ICESCO Center for the Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers, delivered a presentation entitled “ICESCO’s Experience in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers,” in which he reviewed the Center’s key initiatives and training workshops for the benefit of teachers of Arabic language in inside and outside ICESCO’s Member States.

The evening session included a training session entitled: “The Quranic Approach and its Role in Developing the Reading Skill for Non-Arabic Speakers” with the aim of developing an understanding of the latest methods and strategies in introducing the Arabic language to students in easy and accessible ways. More than 70 teachers working in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers have benefited from this training session in various educational institutions in Morocco.