The Education Sector at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the regional educational symposium held by UNESCO Regional Center for Educational Planning, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, under the theme “Learning Loss during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Compensation and Remedial Policies”. The event aimed at reviewing successful experiences in solving the increasing rate of learning losses during the pandemic. It saw the participation of intellectuals, experts and specialists from several local, regional and international bodies.
During the opening session, held on Monday (February 28, 2022) via videoconference, Dr. Wajih Owais, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research in Jordan, and Ms. Mahra Hilal Al Mutaiwee, Director of the Regional Center for Educational Planning in Sharjah, gave opening remarks.
The discussion touched on Covid learning loss in the Arab countries, the educational and economic impact of learning loss, and the regional and international experiences on measuring and compensating learning loss.
Mr. Aziz Al-Hajir and Dr. Ahmed Zanfali, Program Managers at ICESCO Education Sector, participated in the symposium.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in the Kingdom of Morocco held a meeting to discuss arrangements for the celebration of Rabat as 2022 Culture Capital in the Islamic world.
Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy Director-General (DG), and Mr. Najib Riati, Cultural Advisor to the Director-General, and General Coordinator of the celebration of the Cultural Capitals Program in the Islamic World, represented ICESCO in the meeting, which was held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat, on Monday, February 28, 2022. Representingthe Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication were Mr. Salah-Eddine Abkari, Adviser to the Minister, Ms. Samira Malizi, Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs at the Ministry and Mr. Mohammed Benyaacoub, Director of Arts at the Ministry.
The two parties emphasized the importance of this celebration, which was approved by His Majesty King Mohammed VI – may God assist him – of the Kingdom of Morocco, to highlight Rabat’s rich cultural heritage and its prominent international cultural institutions and activities, reflecting the values of cultural diversity, dialogue and coexistence with its distinguished geographical location between Africa, Europe, the Arab and Islamic world and the Mediterranean region.
The meeting touched upon arrangements for the celebration, namely the composition of the Higher Commission, the preparation of the general program throughout the year, the partners from the relevant ministries and government sectors and the relevant cultural institutions. At the outset of this meeting the two parties determined the official launch day for the celebration.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in the areas of common interest, most notably sustainable development, environmental protection, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting cultural tourism, and publicizing Member States’ heritage.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Eng. Abdul Nabi Manar, ACAO Director-General, signed the memorandum of understanding, on Monday, February 28, 2022, at the headquarters of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization, in Rabat, in the presence of a number of officials and advisers of the two organizations.
After signing the memorandum, Dr. AlMalik expressed his happiness at this constructive cooperation between ICESCO and ACAO, pointing out that the areas of common interest of the two parties can help them conduct joint result-based studies, programs and practical projects, train and build the capacity of young people in the Islamic world in vital areas, including cyber-security and environmental sustainability.
For his part, Eng. Manar said that memorandum of understanding falls within the strategy of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization, approved by the 26th Ordinary Session of the Organization’s General Assembly, which supports holding partnerships likely to enhance its efforts to achieve its strategic orientations, noting that ICESCO has become a house of expertise, a global hub for scientific competencies from all Muslim countries and an international center for dialogue and human commonalities to build a new world where the values of brotherhood, harmony and peace prevail.
At the conclusion of the signing ceremony, Eng. Manar presented the shield of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization to Dr. AlMalik in appreciation of his efforts and the roles that ICESCO fulfills in its areas of competence.
The memorandum of understanding aims to lay the foundations for cooperation and partnership between the two parties in the fields of environmental protection, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable development, cultural and sustainable tourism, and publicizing cultural and heritage treasures in Member States by holding joint conferences and seminars in the fields of aviation and tourism, encouraging young people in the Islamic world to join the field of civil aviation, and supporting entrepreneurs in this field.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the closing ceremony of the ICESCO-funded project “Enjoy Your Life with Music” Project, organized in Gaza by the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science in partnership with Al-Sununu Association for Culture and Arts. The project is aimed at improving the mental health of Gaza’s children, particularly those who have been exposed to violence and suffer from post-traumatic stress, through music therapy as a means of creative expression with various psychological benefits that help unlock children’s full potential.
Dr. Mohammed Zine El Abidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, represented the Organization at the ceremony held on Saturday, February 26, 2022, via videoconference. In his statement, Dr. Zine El Abidine emphasized the need for a peaceful and serene world, free from conflict and hostility, noting that music is a universal language we all understand that has deep philosophical roots and appeals to the mind and soul.
“ICESCO endeavors to promote peace and believes in the role of young people in peace-building, a strong conviction that was translated into numerous programmes geared towards training youth and building their capacities in various areas, namely in anchoring peace and coexistence and promoting technology, innovation, and strategic foresight,” added Dr. Zine El Abidine.
At the close of the ceremony, Al-Sununu Association for Culture and Arts offered its shield to Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), in recognition of his efforts and appreciation of the Organization’s support to this programme. Dr. Dawas Dawas, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Chairman of ICESCO’s Executive Council, received the shield on behalf of ICESCO DG.
Within the framework of the activities of ICESCO Chair on “Women in Science: Artificial Intelligence and the Future” at the Euro-Mediterranean University, in Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, the Chair, in cooperation with the Regional Academy of Education and Training of Guelmim-Oued Noun Region, organized two training sessions for girls of Guelmim-Oued Noun Region, under the theme “Inspiring future young women to become women leaders in artificial intelligence,” to encourage girls to study digital engineering and artificial intelligence.
The two training sessions, which started on Saturday (February 26, 2022), and last for two days, in two primary schools, will benefit 100 girls aged 7-10. Dr. Maha Kamira, who is in charge of the Chair, designed the training program to develop the critical and creative thinking of the beneficiary girls by tackling current issues related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics such as machine learning, data science, the Internet of Things and technological infrastructures.
Dr. Kamira emphasized that this initiative aims to bridge the gender gap in technology, noting that digital inclusion and literacy enhance the contributions of girls and women in key areas such as gender equality and climate action.
She added that age is a decisive factor in orientation, stressing the need to integrate the educational and awareness-raising dimension about artificial intelligence in educational curricula to provide information for young girls on the field.
In May 2021, ICESCO and the Euro-Mediterranean University signed an agreement to establish the ICESCO Chair on “Women in Science: Artificial Intelligence and the Future” at the University, to promote scientific research in the field of artificial intelligence, and encourage the participation of girls and women in this field through training, workshops and doctoral research, as well as enshrining the culture of foresight.
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Muslim World League and the Mohammadia League of Scholars in the Kingdom of Morocco announced the launch of arrangements for hosting the International Exhibition and Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah, based in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah and Makkah Al-Mukarrama, in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco. This major project will be organized under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, may Allah assist him, as part of the Celebration of Rabat as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022.
The three institutions made this announcement following a meeting between H.E. Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General; H.E. Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, Secretary-General of the League; and H.E. Dr. Nasser bin Musfir Al-Qurashi Al-Zahrani, Board Secretary of Exhibitions and Museums at the Muslim World League, who represented Dr. Muhammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the League. The meeting also saw the participation of officials from the three institutions.
At the beginning of the meeting, held Friday 25 February 2022, at the headquarters of the Mohammedia League of Scholars, the parties expressed their heartfelt thanks to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, for his high patronage, support and royal instructions to host this major landmark and facilitate all related procedures.
The meeting discussed the arrangements for hosting the Exhibition and Museum and agreed on the necessary organizational measures for this civilizational project, which numerous Arab and Muslim Capitals compete to hold.
In the same vein, given its special location in Rabat as well as its equipped and modern halls and infrastructure, the three parties agreed to host the Exhibition and Museum at ICESCO Headquarters, to tour its facilities and set the measures for the Exhibition and take stock of building plans and the infrastructure prepared for this purpose to ensure that the Exhibition is open to visitors shortly.
The International Exhibition and Museum of Prophet’s Seerah, which is based in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, receives the special attention and high patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may Allah preserve him, and the Crown Prince, HRH Prince Mohamed bin Salman, may Allah preserve him. The Exhibition seeks to highlight the message of Islam which promotes justice, peace, mercy, tolerance, coexistence and moderation, based on the Holy Quran, the Noble Sunnah and the long-standing Islamic history. The Exhibition employs advanced technology to give visitors a real-life experience of the Seerah and historical events. The Exhibition is considered an international and civilizational landmark which was visited by kings, leaders and scholars and was commended by preachers and more than a thousand specialized experts.
The General Directorate of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) extends its sincere condolences to the academic community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world, and the family of Dr. Saleh Al-Hajoori. The Saudi Scholar passed away after completing his last scientific work with ICESCO within the framework of the “Specialized Studies” project, which was supervised by the ICESCO Center of Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers, and culminated in nine academic studies in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers in 2021.
Dr. Al-Hajoori worked as a professor of Applied Linguistics at the Arabic Language Institute for Speakers of Other Languages of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He co-authored the book “Language Weaknesses among non-Arabic Speaking Learners: Manifestations, Extent, and Solutions” with Dr. Ali Abdul Mohsen Al-Hudaibi. The book consists of four chapters and delves into the major language weaknesses exhibited by non-Arabic speaking learners namely when listening to, speaking, reading, and writing the Arabic language, explores the extent of these weaknesses among students with varying language levels and suggests solutions to fix them.
The book provides a set of scientifically-founded suggestions and recommendations that should contribute to fixing language weaknesses among non-Arabic speaking learners.
We beseech Allah the Almighty to bless the deceased with His mercy and generous forgiveness.
Surely we belong to Allah and to Him, we shall return.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Patrick Mouguiama-Daouda, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, Technology Transfer and National Education, President of the Gabonese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, to explore cooperation developments between ICESCO and Gabon in the fields of Education, science and culture.
During the meeting, held on Friday, February 25, 2022, at ICESCO Headquarters in Rabat, the two parties renewed their eagerness to strengthen relations between the Organization and Gabon, through the Gabonese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture. This distinguished cooperation witnessed great development and a new starting point after the official visit of Dr. AlMlik to Gabon in October 2021 and the talks he held with senior officials there, as well as the meeting with His Excellency Ali Bongo, President of the Gabonese Republic, at the presidential palace in the capital, Libreville.
ICESCO DG reiterated his gratitude to the Gabonese leadership and government for their hospitality during his visit, pointing out that ICESCO organized several training sessions and workshops in Gabon by relying on the Organization’s experts from the Culture and Communication Sector and the Center for Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers.
Dr. Daouda reaffirmed the Gabonese President’s personal interest in cooperation with ICESCO, commending the Organization’s achievements and its strategic orientations, which were reviewed during ICESCO’s Executive Council and General Conference in the Arab Republic of Egypt in December.
The meeting touched upon areas of common interest between ICESCO and Gabon, mainly education, women and youth capacity building, heritage inscription and introducing Gabonese culture, through organizing a cultural week within the framework of celebrating Culture Capitals in the Islamic world.
At the outset of the meeting, the two parties agreed to hold periodic meetings between experts from ICESCO’s various sectors and departments and the concerned Gabonese authorities, with the National Commission coordination, to identify Gabon’s priorities, design appropriate programs and activities and develop their implementation plans.
The Education Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a meeting with the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the Education Committee for International Organizations Affairs in the UAE Ministry of Education to explore prospects of cooperation and partnership.
The meeting, held on Thursday, February 24, 2022, via videoconference, focused on presenting the current and future activities and projects of the Sector, which can be implemented in cooperation with the concerned UAE authorities. The meeting highlighted the Emirati experience in the field of developing educational systems and how to benefit from it.
Dr. Barry Koumbou, Head of the Education Sector, reviewed the Sector’s general orientations, namely ensuring the right to education for all, especially girls and the neediest and marginalized groups, education quality, educational planning to develop education systems, educating girls and women. She also listed reducing school drop-out, building the capacity of educational staff, prioritizing technological investment in education, as well as supporting traditional Islamic educational institutions.
The meeting also touched upon the key projects to be implemented during the current year, mainly supporting girls’ education who have dropped out of school, digital technology for the right to education, education on the values of citizenship and sustainable development, educational planning to support the development of education systems and education for all.
Ms. Maryam Al Kotbi, Executive Officer at the International Organizations Affairs in the UAE Ministry of Education, commended the Sector’s projects and orientation, stressing their importance and the need to move forward in strengthening joint action and future cooperation with ICESCO and noting the eagerness of the concerned authorities in the United Arab Emirates to support those educational projects and activities.
The meeting brought together Dr. Youssef Abu Daka, Mr. Aziz El Hajir and Dr. Ahmed ElZonfoli, program managers at ICESCO Education Sector.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Sheikh Dr. Nasser Bin Misfer Al-Zahrani, Secretary-General of the Exhibitions and Museums of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting aimed at exploring means to enhance cooperation between the Organization and the League and discussing implementation arrangements of joint civilizational programmes and projects geared towards promoting the Islamic civilization and presenting a true portrayal of the Islamic values and principles.
At the outset of the meeting, held on Thursday, February 24, 2022, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Al-Zahrani conveyed greetings from Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL), to Dr. AlMalik, and reaffirmed the League’s keenness to sustain cooperation with ICESCO towards the attainment of shared objectives.
For his part, ICESCO DG noted that the Organization takes pride in its partnership with MWL given their common objectives of anchoring justice, peace, mercy, tolerance and moderation, and dispelling misconceptions about Islam.
The two parties discussed the latest developments in their partnership, reviewed their future joint programmes and agreed on holding continuous meetings between their respective experts to develop implementation plans for these programmes.
