At the close
of the 40th Executive Council of the Islamic World Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Salim M.
AlMalik, ICESCO Director General, and Dr. Boubakar
Doukouré, Chairman of ICESCO Executive Council, in their names and on behalf of the participants
in this session, sent two letters of thanks respectively to His Highness Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State of the United Arab
Emirates, Ruler of Abu Dhabi; and to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi
Executive Council, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
Dr.
AlMalik read out the two letters before the participants today at the closing
session of the Council.
The
first letter shares the honor of the Executive Council members, at the close of
its 40th session, held on 29-30 January 2020, in Abu Dhabi, to
express to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan their deep thanks
and gratitude for supporting the joint Islamic action so as to serve the
Islamic world’s issues and promote the Muslim Ummah in various fields. “The
members avail themselves of this opportunity to express to His Highness their
great appreciation of his successful efforts in serving education, science,
technology, culture and communication by entrenching the foundations of quality
in the relevant national systems, promoting cooperation and partnership with
the relevant international parties, and adopting forward-looking visions that has
allowed the United Arab Emirates to have a leading position at the Islamic
world in the field of future industry”, the letter added.
The
second letter sent to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expresses
the deep thanks and gratitude of the Council member for his continuous support
to leading development initiatives in his country and Muslim countries so as to
promote the Muslim Ummah in various fields. “The members avail themselves of
this opportunity to express to His Highness their great appreciation of his
successful efforts in serving education, science, technology, culture and
communication through the major scientific, educational and cultural
initiatives he launched as well as the ambitious development projects he
supports with a view to entrenching the foundations of knowledge society,
creativity, innovation, pioneering and localization of technology,” the letter
added.
The 40th
session of the Executive Council of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), being held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates, adopted the new ICESCO Organizational Structure, submitted by the
Organization’s General Directorate to the Council, in order to meet the
requirements of ICESCO’s new vision and future action plan. The current session
of the Executive Council enjoys the powers of the General Conference.
The Structure was
adopted, taking into consideration the observations of ICESCO Executive Council
members during deliberations, following the presentation made by the General Directorate
on the reasons behind changing the old structure, including the interplay between
the functions of some directorates, the inadequate status of some directorates
in comparison with the roles they play. The new structure also aims to
meticulously identify the responsibilities in a way that guarantees optimal performance
at the Organization in light of its vision that adopts openness and more
communication with Member States, the world, and regional and international
organizations in the fields of education, science and culture.
In this regard, the
General Directorate stated that the Organization sought the services of the
Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to
examine ICESCO’s Organizational Structure and submit a draft new structure
based in the working requirements of the Organization in the next period. To
this end, a consultative team was formed consisting of the IPA training faculty
members specializing in relevant fields. The team reviewed the old Structure
and separately met with all ICESCO directors and officials to identify the work
nature of each directorate and center, then proposed the new structure which
was fine-tuned based on the observations of ICESCO staff.
Key elements in the new
Structure include the creation of the two
new positions, namely, the Deputy Director General and the Assistant Director
General. The Deputy Director General shall be in charge of ICESCO’s main action
sectors (Education, Culture and Communication, Social and Human Sciences,
Science and Technology), whereas the Assistant Director General shall be in
charge of the common services including the Directorates of Support Services,
Information Technology and Printing and Publishing, in addition to the Center
of Translation. Other directorates report directly to the Director General,
including the Office of the Director General, the Directorate of Legal Affairs,
the General Secretariat and Conferences,
the Financial Controller, the Directorate of Institutional Information and
Communication, the Directorate of Public Relations and Protocol, the Directorate
of Prizes, Scholarships and Excellence Initiatives, and the Office of Goodwill
Ambassadors.
** AlMalik: The new name opens wide prospects for the Organization’s presence at the international level
The 40th
Executive Council of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (ICESCO), which kicked off today in Abu Dhabi, State of the United
Arab Emirates, adopted the modification of the name of the Organization
into the “Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization”
(ICESCO).
In this
regard, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General, stated that the modification of the name of
the Organization aims to clarify the nature of its missions, which are not D’awa-related,
and open wide prospects for its presence at the international level.
Dr. AlMalik
also highlighted that the new name accurately reflects the nature of the
civilizational mission of ICESCO in the fields of education, science, culture
and communication, as well as its purposes
and objectives.
In the
document on the draft modification, the General Directorate of ICESCO underlined
that the proposed expression ‘Islamic World’ refers to the
civilizational space which takes into account the global dimension in all the
regions which include Muslim populations and minorities, or the regions which have
contributed in a way or another to building and enriching the common civilizational
heritage of these regions. “Thus, this concept is not constant or stagnant; it
is rather flexible, integrated, open and expandable. Besides, the Muslim
population in some non-Member States is larger than its counterpart in some
Member States. The name ‘Islamic World Organization’ allows the
Organization to cooperate with these countries and implement programmes and
activities for Muslims in such countries within an institutional and official
framework,” the General Directorate added.
The General
Directorate also stressed that the modification of this name will open wide
prospects for expanding the bases of partnership and cooperation in Member
States and with non-Member States and an important number of international and
regional governmental institutions which were not fully aware of the nature of
the Organization’s missions, fields of action, and beneficiaries, as well as
their strategic commonalties and development priorities shared with ICESCO.
It is
worth mentioning that the 40th ICESCO Executive Council enjoys the
powers of ICESCO General Conference, the highest power representing all the 54
Member States in supervising the Organization’s action and general policies, by
virtue of the powers vested in it by the 3rd Extraordinary General
Conference, held in the Area of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, on 9 May 2019, which
commissioned the Executive Council to examine and adopt the amendments proposed
by the Director General to ICESCO’s regulations, plans and working mechanisms.
Today, in Abu Dhabi, the 40th session of
the Executive Council of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (ISESCO), kicked off. This session will review, over the course of
two days, the Organization’s new vision, Action Plan for 2020-2021, the new
Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2020-2030, and a number of organizational
matters submitted by the General Directorate to the Council.
The opening session of ISESCO Executive Council started
with the address of Dr. Noura Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and
Knowledge Development of the United Arab Emirates, wherein she welcomed the
hosting of the Executive Council in Abu Dhabi, while conveying her wishes for
the attainment of the desired outcomes in such a way that serves the peoples of
the Islamic world. She also expressed her thanks to ISESCO Director General,
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, for his efforts and vision aimed at developing the
Organization’s organs and promoting effective coordination with Member States.
Moreover, Dr. Al Kaabi stated that the historic
changes witnessed throughout the Islamic world and affecting all walks of life
compel us to keep up with the changes and adopt innovative and forward-looking
solutions that respond to Muslim societies’ needs and build a better future for
the next generations.
At the close of her address, the Emirati Minister reiterated
her country’s commitment to supporting the new vision and strategy of ISESCO to
anchor its position as a civilizational beacon and an effective platform for
joint Islamic action in the cultural, scientific and educational fields.
In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ISESCO Director
General, thanked the members of the Executive Council for attending the 40th
session of the Council. He also expressed his thanks and gratitude to His
Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State of the United
Arab Emirates, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Chairman of Abu
Dhabi Executive Council, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, for the
good reception and generous hospitality they offered to the Council members and
guests. Likewise, he thanked Ms. Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of
Culture and Knowledge Development, as well as the Ministry’s team. Moreover,
Dr. AlMalik welcomed Her Excellency Lalla Malika Issoufou, First Lady of the
Republic of Niger, guest of honor of the
Council at its current session.
Afterwards, the Director General reviewed the
Organization’s new vision, stating that ISESCO adopted an anticipatory vision that
will allow it to move from idealistic aspirations to realistic achievements,
position the Organization at a leading standing to become a beacon of global
outreach in its areas of competence, and develop action mechanisms that meet
the Islamic world’s expectations for a better future.
Dr. AlMalik also reviewed a number of initiatives
while expressing his confidence that the Executive Council will contribute to
supporting and enriching the orientations of this new vision to build together
an ISESCO of the future and the world of tomorrow.
In his address, Dr. Boubacar Doukouré, Chairman of
ISESCO Executive Council, commended the dynamics and spirit of renewal within
ISESCO, which has achieved great results since the appointment of Dr. AlMalik
as Director General. He also promised, on behalf of the Executive Council, that
he will support Dr. AlMalik in the implementation of the new vision, which aims
to turn ISESCO into an outreach beacon for Member States.
On his part, Dr. Ali Zeidan Abu Zuhri, President of
ISESCO General Conference, expressed his pleasure and honor to attend the 40th
Session of ISESCO Executive Council, in the State of United Arab Emirates,
which constitutes an annual educational, cultural and scientific gathering
aiming to develop ISESCO’s action.
Besides, Dr. Abu Zuhri requested the Council to seize
this session to enrich the debate on the promotion of many issues relevant to
the Organization so as to enable ISESCO to open up to the world while wishing
every success to the Council.
In her address, Ms. Lalla Malika Issoufou, First Lady
of the Republic of Niger, praised the role that ISESCO plays in supporting
education while pointing out “Education is the key to life. Girls are
marginalized in many countries such as Niger, where only 5 out of 100 girls
enrolled in primary schools reach the
secondary school level” .
She also conveyed to the Council the special greetings
of the President of Niger, H.H. Mahamadou Issoufou, who reiterated his support
to ISESCO and the development of cooperation relations in its areas of
competence.
At the close of the session, ISESCO Director General
and the Emirati Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development presented
ISESCO’s Prizes in the fields of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, which was
won by the “Aarafa Centre” in the Republic of Chad, which was received on the
Centre’s behalf by Dr. Ali Mohammed Qamar, the representative of the Republic
of the Chad at the Executive Council; and ISESCO Prize for Open Source
Educational Resources for the year 2018, to the representatives of the Ministry
of National Education in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Senegalese Ministry
of Education for their initiatives on
“Digital Resources for All”.
Moreover, Yanbu Digital Platform of the Centre of
Learning Resources won ISESCO Prize for Digital Educational Resources for the
year 2019.
**
ISESCO’s anticipatory vision will move the Organization from idealistic
aspirations to realistic achievements
Dr.
Salim M. AlMalik, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (ISESCO), reaffirmed that the Organization has adopted an
anticipatory vision which will allow it to move from idealistic aspirations to
realistic achievements and position it at a leading standing to become a beacon
of global outreach in its areas of competence, and develop action mechanisms
that meet the Islamic world’s expectations for a better future.
Dr.
AlMalik, in his address at the openingsession of 40th ISESCO Executive Council, which kicked
off today in Abu Dhabi, added that ISESCO, since its inception, thanks to the
support of its Member States, has achieved significant gains which affirms the
important roles assigned to it to coordinate joint Islamic action within the
realm of its competence. “The way ahead is still long, given the enormous
challenges faced by the Islamic world. We are thus required to take constructive
initiatives and urgent reforms that lives up to our expectations in
order to attain the desired the goals,” he stressed.
Dr.
AlMalik also stated, “Under this new vision, we want ISESCO to become a modern
organization that is strongly attached to its origins while being open to its
time and outreaching regionally and exercising influence internationally. We
want an organization capable of pinpointing shortfalls, meeting needs, and
keeping pace with the realities of Member States and Muslim communities in non-Member
States.”
Besides,
he underlined that the Organization adopted a new approach that attracts
competencies and makes leaderships, and is committed to consolidate constants
and fundamentals on which the Islamic world is built, in terms of thought,
culture and civilization, while abstaining from engaging in all political or D’awa-related
issues.
Moreover,
ISESCO Director General reviewed a number of initiatives emanating from the new
anticipatory vision, as follows:
Promotion
of the roles of the National Commissions for Education, Science and
Culture, and provision of greater support to their Secretaries General and
staff so as help ISESCO accurately identify Member States’ needs in
planning the programmes that are most responsive to their priorities.
Project
of the Draft modification of the name of the Organization into the “the
Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization” to remove
confusion about the nature of its missions which are, in effect, not
connected to D’awa, and open larger prospects for its presence on the
international stage.
Draft
amendments to ISESCO’s Charter, regulations and organizational structure
consistently with the new vision of ISESCO and the establishment of a
legal department to be tasked with regulating the procedures of the
Organization’s action as part of rights-based and institutional approach.
Project
of the establishment of ISESCO Waqf Fund which will ensure
diversified financing resources and sustainability of the Organization’s
action.
Project
of the International Consultative Council which is designed to enable the
Organization to achieve a larger openness to its international environment
and access to decision makers.
Establishment
of the Center of Strategic Foresight to anticipate potential developments,
creatively generate ideas and conduct studies about the present and future
of the Islamic world.
Establishment
of ISESCO Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers to localize educational
expertise in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic Speakers and
promote the transcription of Muslim peoples’ languages in the Standardized
Arabic Script.
Establishment
of ISESCO Center for Islamic Heritage which will be entrusted with the
comprehensive documentation of heritage sites in the Islamic world,
building relevant capacities, and inscription of heritage sites on the
Islamic World Heritage List (IWHL).
Organization
of the monthly ISESCO Cultural Forum which has now become a knowledge platform
for the advancement of joint Islamic action inside and outside the Islamic
world.
Digitization
of the documents and procedures at all ISESCO’s conferences in order to
develop the working method and turn ISESCO into an environmentally
friendly Organization.
Achievement
of a larger openness to major international partners in ISESCO’s areas of
competence through reopening ISESCO Office at UNESCO and entrusting it
with strengthening partnership with the United Nations, the European Union
and other systems.
At the close of his address,
Dr. AlMalik stressed, “We are fully confident that the Executive Council will
contribute to supporting and enriching the orientations of this new vision to
build together ISESCO we want: ISESCO of the future and the world of tomorrow.”
**40th session of ISESCO Executive Council to kick off tomorrow in
Abu Dhabi
**AlMalik: The session is key to applying the Organization’s new vision and
future strategies
The 40th
session of the Executive Council of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (ISESCO), will kick off on Wednesday 29 January 2020, in
Abu Dhabi. This session is exponentially important given that it enjoys the
powers of the General Conference, the highest power representing 54 Member
States in overseeing the Organization’s action and general policies.
In this connection, Dr.
Salim M. AlMalik, ISESCO Director General, underlined that this is a key
session in the history of the Organization during which ISESCO’s new vision
will be presented to the Member States, in the form of decisions and action
orientations for the upcoming period. This new vision adopts more openness to
and cooperation with Member States, considering that ISESCO is the house of
expertise of Muslim countries, thus making it the beacon of civilizational
outreach that promotes joint Islamic action. It is for this reason that ISESCO inaugurated
its Center of Strategic Foresight.
In addition, Dr. AlMalik
expressed his thanks to the State of the United Arab Emirates, represented in
the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, for hosting the 40th
ISESCO Executive Council over the course of two days, while commending the great
eagerness and facilitations to host this major event.
The agenda of the
Council features reviewing ISESCO’s strategic projects and future action plans,
including the Organization’s new strategic vision, structural plans, Action
Plan for 2020-2021, and the new Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2020-2030.
The Council will also
review the report on ISESCO’s action in the previous years, the Financial
Report, the Report on Member States’ Contributions to the Organization’s
Budget, and Proposals on Member States’ Payment of their Arrears to ISESCO’s
Budget.
Moreover, the Council
will examine a number of key organizational matters including the Draft New
Organizational Structure of ISESCO, Project of the Establishment of a
Development Waqf Fund for ISESCO, and the Project of the Establishment
of ISESCO International Consultative Council.
Likewise, this Council
session will elect the members of the Financial Control Committee; adopt the
new audit company; and set the date and venue of the 41st session of
the Council.
