Islamic Organization for Educational, Scientific and Cultural Affairs (ICESCO, from English ICESCO – Islamic world Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is an intergovernmental organization, which includes 54 countries. Among them are Arab, African, Asian and Latin American states. Brazil, Thailand and the Russian Federation are permanent observers in the organization. ICESCO was founded in 1982 and is currently headed by Dr. Salem Bin Mohammed Al Malik. The headquarters of the organization is located in the capital of Morocco - the city of Rabat.
ICESCO's activities are aimed at achieving four goals, which are the strategic objectives of the organization. First of all, this is building the capacity of educational systems in ICESCO member states to ensure their sustainable development and reduce social inequality. The second goal is to accelerate the integration of Islamic countries into the global economy to develop science and innovation, protect the environment and natural heritage. ICESCO also plays an important role in building a peaceful, prosperous and healthy society for all. Equally important for the institution is to contribute to the overall cultural development of communities in the Islamic world, while respecting local specificities and promoting diversity and openness.
ICESCO's activities cover a wide range of educational issues, from early childhood education to adult education and literacy. The organization aims to provide learning opportunities for people of all ages and support the development of educational systems around the world, while taking advantage of modern technologies such as online education, for example, and applications based on artificial intelligence. The official website of ICESCO contains publications designed to describe in detail the activities of the institution in this area: “Strategy for the development of education in the Islamic world” and “ICESCO’s new vision of literacy” in English. Anyone can get acquainted with this.
The nature of the challenges facing countries in the Islamic world underscores the urgent need to support international cooperation in the field of scientific and technological innovation. ICESCO works to raise public awareness of the role and importance of science and technology in everyday life. The wide range of activities includes both basic research and the development of new discoveries, and through the exchange of best practices, partnerships between countries in the field of technological progress are strengthened. A striking example of this is ICESCO’s flagship project “A- Hub Accelerator”.
“A- Hub” is an initiative aimed at supporting creative and technological start-ups of business entities and youth. The project provides mentoring services and resources necessary to implement the ideas of participants. The program started as a pilot project in 2021, and is currently operating in 20 countries and continues to expand. Thus, more than 30 innovative teams from 11 countries took part in one of the world finals “A- Hub”, organized on June 2, 2024 in Baku.
ICESCO promotes a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to building strong and resilient human capital in its member states and beyond, based on peace, citizenship and security. ICESCO's Humanities and Social Sciences Sector serves as a bridge between different stakeholders and countries. The organization's strategy in this area is to develop a synergy of joint actions for better coordination and effective implementation of the “Society We Want” initiative (ICESCO's vision of a post-COVID-19 world, with special attention to children, youth, women and the most vulnerable groups of the population). ICESCO also assists in the implementation of such goals as the Sustainable Development Goals (developed by the UN General Assembly), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Program of Action 2025, the African Union Agenda 2063, the Charter of Mecca (adopted in 2019 year) and other local initiatives.
ICESCO's Culture and Communication Sector is responsible for the development and implementation of programs that contribute to the achievement of the institution's goals in this area. Close collaboration with other departments and Member States aims to address a wide range of issues, from the conservation of cultural heritage to the promotion of cultural industries and the creative economy, including expanding the reach and impact of cultural expressions through emerging technologies and supporting the development of business models for creative industries.
ICESCO's flagship project in this area is the interactive platform "ICESCO Creative", which provides the opportunity to share ideas to unlock its potential and gain new contacts and financial opportunities. Another project is the ICESCO Center for Media Arts (“ICESCO Web TV”) - this is, first of all, a space where culture is considered as a factor in social and human development. The Center aims to promote general access to the arts, as well as freedom of expression, participation in debate and the exchange of views.
On February 15, 2007, Russia was granted observer status in ICESCO. Of course, this was another important step towards strengthening ties between the Russian Federation and the Islamic world, which will contribute to the expansion of cooperation with Muslim countries in the humanitarian and cultural fields. Thus, in 2023, the Global Youth Summit was held in Kazan, where was discussed the role of values for future generations. It is also worth noting the II Youth Scientific Congress of the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, held in the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Interaction, among other things, also takes place in the economic sphere within the framework of the KazanForum.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Isesco-cid/Creative Commons 4.0