Category: Front Page

Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Mr. Najib Riati, Cultural Advisor to ICESCO Director-General, General Coordinator of the Celebration of Rabat as the Culture Capital in the Islamic World, made a visit to the headquarters of the Mohammedan League of Scholars in Rabat, today, Friday 28 January 2022. The ICESCO officials met with Dr. Ahmed Abbadi, League Secretary-General, and his assistants Dr. Abdessamad Ghazi and Dr. Ahmed Al-Mantar.

The two parties reviewed the arrangements made to host the Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah in Rabat, the 2022 Culture Capital in the Islamic World, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The ICESCO officials discussed the outcomes of the ICESCO Director-General’s meetings with the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, and Sheikh Dr. Nassir bin Musfir Al-Zahrani, Board Secretary of Exhibitions and Museums at the League. They also highlighted the visit the ICESCO Director-General and his delegation made to the Museum of the Prophet’s Seerah in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah and the agreed-upon arrangements to host it in Rabat.

Moreover, the meeting discussed the venue to host the Exhibition, set to be on the banks of the Bourgreg River, and the elements highlighting Moroccans attachment to Prophet Muhammed, which will be featured in this exceptional civilizational exhibition that embodies the close cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in coordination between ICESCO, the Muslim World League and the Mohammedan League of Scholars.

The Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a virtual meeting with the University of Marburg in Germany to discuss ways of cooperation between ICESCO and the University. The goal is to achieve the objectives of the Project on “Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace: Education, Preservation and Access” following the plan developed by the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Marburg.

The meeting, held on Wednesday (January 26, 2022), brought together Dr. Omar Halli, Adviser to ICESCO Director-General, along with his team as well as Dr. Albrecht Voys, Head of the Department, Dr. Hala Ghoneim, from Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Dr. Volker Adam, Executive Director of the Specialized Media Department at the University’s Library of Middle East, North Africa and Islamic Studies, and Prof. Christophe Roche, Head of the Department of Oriental Studies at the National Library of Berlin.

The meeting touched upon the details of the project the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Marburg in Germany implemented, in partnership with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the National Library of Berlin. It also discussed the remaining phases to complete the project with emphasis on the importance of digitizing Islamic and Arabic manuscripts, facilitating access to them, integrating them into university training, training students in this field, especially with partner universities such as Ain Shams University and Cairo University, in Egypt.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to develop an action plan and determine the financial resources for the project to discuss them at the next meeting, due to be held at the end of February 2022.

Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, Deputy Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Mr. Najib Riati, Cultural Advisor to ICESCO Director-General, extended condolences on the passing of the former President of the Republic of Mali, His Excellency Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, at the Malian Embassy in Rabat, today, Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

Dr. Benarfa extended condolences on behalf of ICESCO’s DG, officials and staff members to the leaders and people of Mali, on the loss of the former President, who passed away on Sunday, January 16, 2022, in the capital Bamako.

In a message he wrote on the Embassy’s condolences book, the Deputy DG of ICESCO emphasized the long-standing cooperation between the Organization and Mali.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication of the Kingdom of Morocco held a meeting to discuss arrangements for the celebration of Rabat, Culture Capital in the Islamic World for 2022, as part of ICESCO’s Programme for Culture Capitals in the Islamic World.

The meeting took place at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat on Monday, January 24, 2022. ICESCO was represented at the meeting by Dr. Abdelilah Benarfa, ICESCO Deputy Director-General and Mr. Najib Riati, Cultural Advisor to the Director-General, General Coordinator of the celebration, while the Ministry was represented by Mr. Abdelilah Afifi, Secretary-General of the Ministry and Mr. Rachid Mustafa, Head of the Cooperation Department at the Ministry.

The two parties emphasized the importance of this celebration, which received royal assent from His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco, may Allah assist him. This celebration embodies the royal will to make Rabat an international hub for civilization and culture that promotes coexistence and dialogue among cultures. It highlights the rich Moroccan cultural heritage and its outstanding contributions to its Arab, African and Islamic surroundings.

The meeting touched upon arrangements for the celebration, namely the logo design, the composition of the High Commission, the determination of the official launch day, the general program, and the partners from ministries, relevant government sectors and cultural institutions.

In recognition of the fundamental role of education in building peace, enhancing the well-being of people, and promoting development, the Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) celebrates the Fourth International Day of Education, which falls on January 24, 2022.

ICESCO places Education as a top priority among its missions because it enables people to face the challenges of the future and shape the world of tomorrow. To this end, ICESCO’s holistic approach to advance education through peacebuilding, intercultural understanding and respect for human rights, eradication of poverty, hunger, unemployment, and inequality, promotion of social cohesion and social justice, protection of global environment and sustainable development is a key innovative solution to support communities and recover from crises.

Despite the international community’s commitment to the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4), on ensuring quality, equitable and inclusive education for all, millions of children and youth in the world are still out of school and have no or limited access to the benefits of quality Education, and there are still many challenges that we should overcome.

Therefore, ICESCO pledges to work tirelessly to allow more people access to better educational opportunities without any obstacles and realize their potential and ambitions.

ICESCO stresses combating all forms of discrimination in education and strives to provide real opportunities for education for all in all contexts.

It is time to reinforce cooperation and coordination between States, non-governmental organizations, and key players if we want to reach an inclusive quality and free education for all.

ICESCO, together with its Member States and beyond will not only fulfill its role and responsibility to help the world overcome crises and prepare for a better future but will also continue leading the efforts of solidarity of the international community to ensure innovation in education.

The Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a meeting with the Philipps University of Marburg in Germany to explore cooperation between ICESCO and the University in developing “Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace: Education, Preservation and Access” project implemented by the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Marburg.

During the meeting, Dr. Omar Halli, Advisor to ICESCO Director-General for FUIW, stressed the need to strengthen this great international project with more studies, coordination, and consultation and to highlight its importance in preserving cultural heritage, which represents the identity of peoples.

For her part, Dr. Hala Ghoneim, representative of the University of Marburg at the meeting, highlighted the importance of the project, which is based on three axes: education, preservation, and access. Through education, officials can be trained and qualified to value and preserve the importance of culture by developing educational curricula and supporting training and academic exchange programs. Preservation is based on integrating the latest and most advanced technologies in preserving and digitizing cultural heritage. Access includes promoting cultural heritage within research-based cyberspace through strengthening digital portals for libraries, manuscripts and museums, with access to research data from all over the world to contribute to the promotion of ongoing cultural and academic dialogues.

Dr. Hala Ghoneim noted that the project has the support of many partners inside and outside the Islamic world and that two memoranda of understanding have been signed with Cairo and Ain Shams Universities in Egypt to achieve the project’s goals at the academic and infrastructure levels.

The meeting also explored cooperation between FUIW and the Philipps University of Marburg in establishing the ICESCO Chair for Manuscripts in one of the Federation’s Member Universities.

The two parties agreed to hold another meeting with the participation of the concerned authorities to strengthen cooperation in this important international project.

The Science and Technology Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the US Space Foundation held a meeting to discuss arrangements for the Organization’s participation in the 37th Space Symposium, due to be held by the Foundation from 4 to 7 April 2022, in Colorado Springs, USA.

During the meeting, held via videoconference, the two parties discussed the participation of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and his address in the main session.

The two parties also discussed arrangements for several meetings between the ICESCO delegation and officials from space agencies around the world and the private sector operating in the field of space science. These meetings aim at developing cooperation between the Organization and several institutions and agencies, and leverage space science and applications for development in the Islamic world.

ICESCO’s Science and Technology Sector was represented in the meeting by Dr. Mohammad Sharif, Advisor at the sector, while the American Space Foundation was represented by Ms. Shelli Brunswick, Chief Operating Officer, along with a number of members of the Foundation’s team.