ICESCO

Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
AbbreviationICESCO
FormationMay 1979
HeadquartersRabat, Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, Morocco
Director General
Dr. Salim M. Almalik
Websitehttps://icesco.org/en/

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO, formerly ISESCO) is a specialized organization that operates under the aegis of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and is concerned with fields of education, science, culture and communication in Islamic countries in order to support and strengthen relations among Member States. The Organization's headquarters is located in Rabat, Morocco, and its director general is Dr. Salim M. Almalik.

ICESCO was founded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in May 1979.[1] With 53 member states, the working languages of ICESCO are Arabic, English and French.

Overview

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On Wednesday 30 January 2020, the 40th session of the Executive Council of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, held in Abu Dhabi, State of the United Arab Emirates, adopted the modification of the name of the Organization into "Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization" (ICESCO). In this regard, Dr. Salim M. Almalik, ICESCO Director General,[2] stated that the modification of the name of the organization aims to clarify the nature of its missions, and open wide prospects for its presence at the international level. The Director General 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.[3]

ICESCO's objectives are "to strengthen and promote cooperation among the Member States in the fields of education, science, culture and communication; consolidate understanding among peoples inside and outside Member State; contribute to world peace and security through various means; publicize the true image of Islam and Islamic culture; promote dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions; encourage cultural interaction and foster cultural diversity in the Member States, while preserving cultural identity and intellectual integrity."[4]

Presentation organs

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ICESCO includes three organizations:

  • The General Conference – is held once every three years.
  • The executive council – consists of representative for each Member State, being versed in education, science, culture or communication
  • The General Directorate – is headed by a director general. The General Conference elects the director for a three-year term.[5]

Member states

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The Charter of Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), stipulates that every full Member State of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) shall become a member of ICESCO upon officially signing the Charter, and having completed the membership legal and legislative formalities and informed, in writing, the General Directorate of ICESCO. A State which is not a full member, or is an observer member of OIC, cannot become member of ICESCO.

ICESCO consists of fifty-four Member States, along with three Observer States, out of the fifty-seven Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation – OIC. ICESCO Member States are listed below according to their Arabic alphabetical order.

Flag Name Date of Accession
 Azerbaijan Republic of Azerbaijan 1991
 Jordan Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 1982
 Afghanistan Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
 United Arab Emirates State of the United Arab Emirates 1983
 Indonesia Republic of Indonesia 1986
 Uzbekistan Republic of Uzbekistan 2017
 Uganda Republic of Uganda 2012
 Iran Islamic Republic of Iran 1992
 Pakistan Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1982
 Bahrain Kingdom of Bahrain 1982
 Brunei Brunei Darussalam 1985
 Bangladesh People’s Republic of Bangladesh 1982
 Benin Republic of Benin 1988
 Burkina Faso Burkina Faso 1982
 Tajikistan Republic of Tajikistan 1993
 Chad Republic of Chad 1982
 Togo Republic of Togo 2002
 Tunisia Republic of Tunisia 1982
 Algeria People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria 2000
 Djibouti Republic of Djibouti 1982
 Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 1982
 Sudan Republic of the Sudan 1982
 Suriname Republic of Suriname 1996
 Syria Syrian Arab Republic 1982
 Sierra Leone Republic of Sierra Leone 1984
 Senegal Republic of Senegal 1982
 Somalia Federal Republic of Somalia 1982
 Iraq Republic of Iraq 1982
 Oman Sultanate of Oman 1982
 Gabon Republic of Gabon 1982
 Gambia Republic of the Gambia 1982
 Guyana Republic of Guyana 2014
 Guinea Republic of Guinea 1982
 Guinea-Bissau Republic of Guinea Bissau 1984
 Palestine State of Palestine 1982
 Kazakhstan Republic of Kazakhstan 1996
 Qatar State of Qatar 1982
 Comoros Union of Comoros 1982
 Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz Republic 1996
 Cameroon Republic of Cameroon 2001
 Ivory Coast Republic of Cote d’Ivoire 2001
 Kuwait State of Kuwait 1982
 Lebanon Republic of Lebanon 2002
 Libya State of Libya 1984
 Maldives Republic of Maldives 1982
 Mali Republic of Mali 1982
 Malaysia Malaysia 1982
 Egypt Arab Republic of Egypt 1984
 Morocco Kingdom of Morocco 1982
 Mauritania Islamic Republic of Mauritania 1982
 Niger Republic of Niger 1982
 Nigeria Federal Republic of Nigeria 2001
 Yemen Republic of Yemen 1983

The acronym ICESCO is formed from the initials of the Organization's name: IslamiC World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

References

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  1. ^ "History | Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – ISESCO –". www.isesco.org.ma. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  2. ^ "Dr Salim M Al-Malik". The Muslim 500. October 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  3. ^ "Unanimously, ICESCO Executive Council adopts Modification of Organization Name – ICESCO-En". 30 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  4. ^ http://www.isesco.org.ma/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/OIC-Organs-Institutions.pdf Archived 2017-03-01 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  5. ^ "Organs | Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – ISESCO –". www.isesco.org.ma. Archived from the original on 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
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