The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) launched, on Thursday, March 10, 2022, the International Thinkers Guests of ICESCO Program, with a lecture by Moroccan thinker Dr. Fouad Laroui, during the intellectual meeting held by ICESCO’s International Think Tank for Thought, Letters, Heritage and Arts and ICESCO Chair at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra in the Kingdom of Morocco, with the attendance of a group of academics, writers and thinkers.

Prior to the meeting, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), received Dr. Fouad Laroui, and welcome him at ICESCO’s Headquarters emphasizing the Organization’s endeavor within the framework of its new vision to become a leader in the fields of education, science and culture, noting that the International Thinkers Guests of ICESCO Program is part of ICESCO strategic plan to make culture a foundation of knowledge and a methodological starting point for understanding and addressing challenges around the world.

Dr. Mohamed Zinelabidine, Head of ICESCO Culture and Communication Sector, commenced the meeting by welcoming the audience and commending the intellectual publications of the Moroccan thinker Fouad Laroui, which deal with various topics inspired from the Arab and Islamic civilization. He pointed out that ICESCO’s new vision and strategy opened the door for all forms of culture, and how the Organization’s programs and initiatives contribute to the advancement of cultural activities inside and outside the Islamic world.

For her part, Dr. Sanaa El Ghawati, Supervisor of ICESCO Chair at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, expressed her happiness with the Chair’s participation in the launch of the International Thinkers Guests of ICESCO Program, commending ICESCO’s role in welcoming international thinkers, writers and intellectuals to contribute to the revitalization of the cultural movement in the Islamic world.

Thereafter, Dr. Fouad Laroui gave a lecture on his academic and professional career, noting that the years he spent living in various European countries formed a source of inspiration for a number of his books. He then reaffirmed his desire to present the correct image of the Arab and Islamic intellectual heritage and to introduce its rich knowledge and literature to the European audiences; a heritage that has contributed greatly to the global civilization.

He also talked about his attempts, through his books, to change stereotypes about Arabs, through showcasing the Islamic world’s cultural heritage multiplicity and diversity and highlighting several predominant intellectual fallacies and historical errors about Arab civilization.

At the end of the lecture, the floor was opened for the attendees to raise questions and share their points of view about the topic of the discussion.