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Muharram 1437H
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‫ﺍﳌﺆﲤﺮ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ ﺍﻟﺘﺎﺳﻊ ﻟﻮﺯﺭﺍﺀ ﺍﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﺔ‬
m iq u e
d es M in
is tr
Sultanate of Oman
Ministry of Heritage and Culture
es
Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers
"Towards a Middle Stance Culture Favouring Muslim Societies’ Development"
Director General’s Report on the Implementation
of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World and
Sector-specific Strategies
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman: Muharram 1437H/2-4 November 2015
Introduction:
The Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, prepared by ISESCO and adopted by the Islamic
Summit Conference (Dakar, 1991) is the reference document for joint Islamic cultural action.
The Strategy aims to highlight the established components of the Islamic culture shared
by all Member States as well as their peculiarities towards a comprehensive civilizational
edification that encompasses the variables and constants of every cultural process, the cultural
challenges posed by globalization and ways to handle these challenges. This document also
provides guidance for joint Islamic action with regard to dealing with other cultures, bearing
in mind similarities and differences.
As part of the follow-up to the implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World,
ISESCO’s Directorate General devoted efforts between the 8th and 9th sessions of the Islamic
Conference of Culture Ministers to the promotion and implementation, in the Member States,
of the broad lines of the Strategy and its subsidiary specialized strategies.
To implement the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, after the pattern of all subsidiary
specialized strategies, specific mechanisms were established, such as the establishment of
the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic
World pursuant to the resolution of the 2nd Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers (Rabat,
November 1998). It was entrusted with assisting ISESCO General Directorate in translating
this Strategy into concrete terms.
In the same vein, ISESCO’s Directorate General carried out a number of projects and
programmes falling within the purview of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World and the
subsidiary specialized strategies on top of which are:
a. ISESCO’s efforts devoted to dialogue and cultural diversity and to refuting media
smear campaigns against Islam and Muslims;
b. ISESCO’s efforts as part of implementing the Islamic Culture Capitals programme,
and under the Islamic World Heritage Committee;
c. ISESCO’s efforts as part of implementing the Strategy for Islamic Cultural Action
outside the Islamic World;
d. ISESCO’s efforts as part of implementing the Strategy for ICTs Development in the
Islamic World;
e. ISESCO’s efforts under the Executive Plan for the Initiative of the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among Followers of Religions and Cultures;
f. ISESCO’s efforts under the Islamic Declaration on Cultural Rights.
Following are the most salient programmes and projects carried out by the General
Directorate between the 8th and 9th sessions of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers:
Meetings of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World
The Consultative Council, set up pursuant to the resolution of the 2nd Islamic Conference of
Culture Ministers (Rabat, November 1998), is one of the bodies in charge of implementing the
Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World. It is entrusted with examining strategies and action
plans as well as cultural charters and projects submitted by ISESCO in the light of the Cultural
Strategy for the Islamic World, adopting the documents to be referred to the meetings of the
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Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, examining the draft agenda of Islamic conferences of
culture Ministers and relevant major conferences, and providing ISESCO General Directorate
with the necessary guidelines and concepts for the development of Islamic cultural action. In
this regard, ISESCO held two meetings of the Consultative Council between the two sessions
of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers:
- The 13th meeting of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the
Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, on 12-13 November 2014, in Sharjah, UAE,
as part of the festivities marking the celebration of Sharjah as the 2014 Islamic Culture
Capital. The meeting coincided with Sharjah International Book Fair.
- The 14th meeting of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the
Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, on 18 May 2015, in Baku, capital-city of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, as part of the 3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue which
was held by the Azerbaijani government, in cooperation with ISESCO, UNESCO, UNAOC,
the World Tourism Organization and the Council of Europe.
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A- ISESCO’s efforts devoted to dialogue
and cultural diversity and to refuting media smear
campaigns against Islam and Muslims
ISESCO has long taken interest in the issues of intercultural dialogue, the alliance of
civilizations and the necessity of cooperation, based on the belief that dialogue is the best
way to foster coexistence among peoples and extirpate the causes of misunderstanding
leading to smearing the image of their respective cultures and civilizations. Given its vocation
and mission, ISESCO has played a significant role in the elaboration of a balanced concept of
intercultural dialogue, alliance of civilizations and coexistence among religions.
According to ISESCO’s vision, dialogue hinges on immutable foundations and three principles:
mutual respect, equity and justice, and rejection of bigotry and hatred.
Following are the efforts deployed by ISESCO in this important field between the two sessions
of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers.
Dialogue activities jointly conducted by ISESCO or on its own
ISESCO carried out a number of activities, either within its Action Plan or in the frame of
cooperation programmes with Arab, Islamic and international organizations. These activities
featured several meetings and symposia, the elaboration of several specialized strategies
related to the inter-Islamic dialogue and the activation of Muslims’ role in building the human
culture, and the publication of books on dialogue. ISESCO also took part in several specialized
symposia and conferences organized by other parties.
Conferences, symposia and meetings:
- Participation in the 9th meeting of heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations in
Latin America and the Caribbean, in Georgetown, Guyana, on 7 February 2014.
- Convening a symposium on the role of ISESCO in fostering dialogue among the
followers of religions, cultures and civilizations, in Rabat, on 22 June 2014.
- Participation in the workshop on dialogue with the other under the theme “Activation
of the Reference Guide for Dialogue with the Other and Redressing Stereotypes about
Muslims”, on 17-19 June 2014.
- Participation in the meeting on “the role of cultural mediation in promoting dialogue
among followers of religions and cultures”, held in Rome, on 16 September 2014.
- Participation in the workshop “the role of Arab youth living abroad in promoting the
culture of dialogue”, held in London, on 17-18 December 2014.
- Lecture delivered by Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri at the headquarters of the EuroArab Foundation of Higher Studies, on 19 November 2014, in Granada, Spain, on “the
Alliance of Civilizations and Countering Racist Currents”.
- Participation in an international symposium entitled “the role of universities and cultural and
research centres in dialogue of civilizations”, held by the Dialogue of Civilizations Research
Chair at the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, on 27-28 January 2015.
- Lecture delivered by Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri at King Faisal University in
N’Djamena, Chad, on “the alliance of civilizations and building a new world order”, on
24 March 2015.
- Calling for exploiting education, science and culture to enhance dialogue, peace and
coexistence and counter extremism, at the First High-Level Islamic Conference of the
Secretaries General of the National Commissions of the Member States of ISESCO, held in
Baghdad, on 28-29 March 2015, under the theme “Baghdad – Home for Peace and Religions”.
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- Organization of an intergovernmental meeting on Interreligious Education: “Pioneering
Policy and Practice: Technology and the Future of Interreligious and Intercultural
Education, at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat, on 20-21 April 2015.
- Organization of a panel on “models of promoting dialogue and mutual understanding
among cultures, civilizations and dialogue among followers of religions in the Islamic
World”, on the occasion of the Azerbaijan Cultural Day, hosted at ISESCO headquarters,
in Rabat, on 15 May 2015, in collaboration with the State Committee for Work
with Religious Associations in Azerbaijan and the Morocco-Azerbaijan Friendship
Association. A host of professors and experts from ISESCO, Azerbaijan and Morocco
took part in this panel.
- Organization of a photo exhibition named “Azerbaijan – the pearl of Islamic civilization”,
on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Cultural Day, held at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat,
on 15 May 2015.
- Participation in the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, in Baku, on 18-19 May 2015,
under the chairmanship of President Mr Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, and in cooperation
with UNESCO, UNAOC, the World Tourism Organization and the Council of Europe.
A myriad of themes were tackled at the Forum such as projects and programmes
marking the celebration of the International Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and
Development, and the role of faith, religions, migration, sports, arts and education in
building confidence among cultures and civilizations.
- Participation in the 5th Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, in
Astana, capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on 10-11 June 2015. The opening session
was presided over by President Nur Sultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, in the presence
of UN Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, the President of the Republic of Finland,
ISESCO Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, a number of world religious
and political leaders, officials from international and regional organizations, and
academic and cultural figures interested in issues relative to dialogue among followers
of religions, cultures and civilizations. Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri delivered an
address at the working session on “the impact of religions on the youth: education,
science, culture and the media”. He also delivered an address at the second opening
session of the Congress.
- Participation in the 26th annual session of the Crans Montana Forum, held in Brussels,
Belgium, over the period from 10 through 13 June 2015. ISESCO Deputy Director
General took part in this event on behalf of the Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman
Altwaijri. The Deputy Director General addressed a working session, organized jointly
with ISESCO, which discussed the problem of Europe-bound human migration. She
also chaired a working session of the African Women’s Forum, held in cooperation with
ISESCO to consider ways to boost the educational and social roles of the family. Another
working session, held in association with ISESCO, and chaired by the Deputy Director
General, was devoted to the role of religious leaders in promoting world peace and
acceptance of others.
Sector-specific strategies and academic publications:
In this field, the Organization prepared three strategies on the issue of intra-Islamic dialogue,
ways to bring Islamic Madhahib closer together, the role of Muslims in redressing the image of
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Islam in the West, and how the Islamic world can benefit from Muslim scholars living abroad
and put them to contributing towards bridging the cultural and scientific gap between
civilizations.
These strategies include:
1.Strategy for bringing Muslim Madhahib closer together ;
2.Strategy for Benefiting from Muslim Competencies outside the Islamic World;
3.Strategy for Islamic Cultural Action outside the Islamic World and its Implementation
Mechanisms.
ISESCO publications on the theme of dialogue included:
- “Dialogue and civilizational interaction from an Islamic perspective” (Dr Abdulaziz
Othman Altwaijri). The study was published in three editions in Arabic, English and
French.
- “Islam and religious coexistence” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri). The study was
published in three editions in Arabic, English and French.
- “Prospects of Dialogue between Muslims and the West” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri).
The study was published in three editions in Arabic, English and French.
- “Dialogue from an Islamic Perspective” (Dr Abbas El Jirari). The book was published in
three editions in Arabic, English and French.
- “Ethics of Disagreement in Islam” proceedings of a symposium held by ISESCO in Tunis,
in cooperation with Al-Zaituna University, published in Arabic.
- “Islam between Truth and False Allegations: A Response to the False Allegations Against
Islam” (Group of authors). The study was published in three editions in Arabic, English
and French.
- “Islamic Perception of Coexistence” (Dr Abbas El Jirari). The book was published in a
single edition in Arabic, English and French.
- Three books in Arabic, English and French on “Correcting the Errors and Misconceptions
on Islam” contained in The Islamic Encyclopedia, published by Brill, Leiden, Netherlands,
on the Holy Quran, the Biography of the Prophet and the Islamic Faith.
- “The Clash of Civilizations from an Islamic Perspective” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri).
The study was published in a single edition in Arabic, English and French.
- “The Characteristics of the Islamic Civilization and its Future Prospects” (Dr Abdulaziz
Othman Altwaijri). The study was published in a single edition in Arabic, English and
French.
- “The Role of Muslim Communities and Islamic Institutions in Highlighting the Image of
Islam” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri). The study was published in a single edition in
Arabic, English and French.
- “Globalization and the Cultural Life in the Islamic World” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri).
The study was published in a single edition in Arabic, English and French.
- “The Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among Followers
of Religions and Cultures: Achievements and Future Prospects” along with its Executive
Plan. It was translated into English and French.
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- “Cultural Roles of Civil Society in the Promotion of Dialogue and Peace”. The study was
published in Arabic, English and French.
- “Thought and Civilization” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri).
- “Media and Intercultural Dialogue” (Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri). The study was
published in Arabic and translated into English and French in 2014.
- “Countering Islamophobia” proceedings of an international symposium held by ISESCO,
published in Arabic (2015).
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B- ISESCO’s efforts as part of implementing
the Islamic Culture Capitals Programme, and under
the Islamic World Heritage Committee
ISESCO pursued the implementation of the Islamic Culture Capitals programme. Each
year, the Organization selects three Islamic cities, representing the Arab, African and Asian
regions, as capitals of Islamic culture pursuant to the list of capitals adopted by the 4th and
6th Islamic Conferences of Culture Ministers (Algiers, December 2004, and Baku, October
2009, respectively). The programme aims to enhance intercultural dialogue and alliance of
civilizations, spread the values of coexistence and mutual understanding among peoples,
especially as the Islamic world undergoes a critical transition. The objective is also to highlight
the glorious history of the celebrated culture capitals, their radiance, nationally, regionally
and internationally, and their valuable contribution to the Islamic culture on the one hand
and to enriching the human civilization on the other hand.
ISESCO celebrated Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah as Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 2013 as
the city hosted the 8th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers. The goal was to underscore the
religious and cultural contribution of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah to the Islamic civilization,
shed light on its most prominent figures, civilizational, archeological, religious and historical
landmarks. To this effect, a number of programmes and cultural activities were carried out
with a view to displaying the cultural and historical richness of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah
and its scientific institutions.
The festivities started on 12 March 2013 at the cultural tent erected on this occasion next to
the Quba Mosque, under the Patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz,
Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. The event was organized by
the General Secretariat, in the presence of a host of Princes, Ministers, scholars, sheikhs and
security and military leaders.
Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah and Chairman
of the Higher Committee for celebrating Al-Madinah as the Islamic Culture Capital for the
year 2013, hailed the visit of the Crown Prince and his patronage of the opening ceremony
of this major Islamic cultural celebration. Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz highlighted
the importance of the event and historical role of the city of Al-Madinah in Islam. He also
pointed out the care received by the city from all Kings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since
the era of the late King Abdulaziz until the era of the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Evidence of such care is crystal-clear, notably in the
biggest extension of Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi, planned by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz,
to increase its capacity.
Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, ISESCO Director General, took part in the launch of celebrations
of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah as the 2013 Islamic Culture Capital for the Arab region. The
participation was meant to highlight the city’s glorious history and spiritual, scientific and
cultural outreach throughout the Islamic history with a view to raising the awareness of the
coming generations, and public opinion at large, of the importance of this sacred city and its
everlasting monuments.
As part of the celebration programme, various educational, cultural and scientific activities
were carried out, in 2013, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Information,
universities and competent authorities in Saudi Arabia. By way of example, a meeting for
officials of Quran radio stations in the Member States was held in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah,
on 13-14 April 2013. The meeting was aimed at promoting the role of radio stations in
publicizing the values of Islam. The participants recommended that an electronic link be
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established to help exchange information and expertise among Quran radio stations in the
Islamic world. During the meeting, the officials called for the elaboration of an adequate
strategy for Quran radio stations with a view to harmonizing objectives and working methods.
ISESCO held, in the French city of Lille, during the period from 7 to 9 June 2013, an international
symposium on “renewing Islamic discourse in the West to promote dialogue between
civilizations and religions” (under ISESCO Chair for Dialogue). Moreover, the 10th meeting of
the heads of Islamic Cultural Centres and Associations in Europe was convened, in London,
on 26-27 June 2013, to activate the “Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for
Dialogue among Followers of Religions and Cultures”.
ISESCO took part, on 13 April 2013, in Ghazni, Afghanistan, in the launch ceremony of
celebration of Ghazni as Islamic Culture capital 2013 for the Asian region. The celebration
programme featured various educational, cultural and scientific activities carried out in
collaboration with the Ministry of Culture in Afghanistan. These included celebrating Islamic
thinkers in Afghanistan, strengthening the professional capacities of museum staff, promoting
handicraft, highlighting cultural diversity, promoting cultural tourism, and rewarding creative
students, scientists, artists and craftspeople.
As part of the festivities marking the celebration of Ghazni as Capital of Islamic Culture for the
year 2013 for the Asian region, ISESCO held a national workshop, in Kabul, on 20-22 August 2013,
to build the capacities of museum staff in Afghanistan. The event was designed to train Afghan
museum professionals on the latest techniques to preserve museum items in Afghanistan.
From 20 to 22 May 2013, ISESCO organized a national seminar in Kabul on preventive
education and school hygiene. The aim was to examine the status of preventive education
and school hygiene in Afghanistan towards elaborating relevant comprehensive visions,
develop an efficient partnership among the school, the family, civil society, scholars and
preachers to address school hygiene issues, and increase commitment to common goals
among the parties concerned. 25 teachers, education officials, heads of NGOs and experts
from the Afghan Ministry of Health took part in the event.
ISESCO extended financial and technical support for the organization of the Islamic Heritage
Open Days in Ghazni, on 22-24 August 2013, as part of the festivities marking the celebration
of the city as the 2013 Islamic Culture Capital for the Asian region. The objective was to raise
awareness about the significance of the heritage and entrench pride in the cultural identity
of the Islamic Ummah.
In the same vein, ISESCO pursued the implementation of its Islamic Culture Capitals
programme for the year 2014 (Sharjah, Ouagadougou and Bishkek). In this regard, ISESCO,
in cooperation with the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, held a coordination meeting, on 28-29
January 2014, in preparation for the festivities marking the celebration of Bishkek as the 2014
Islamic Culture Capital for the Asian region. The meeting discussed the proposed cultural,
educational and scientific activities, examined their organizational aspects and fixed a date
for the launch ceremony.
On 20 May 2014, ISESCO Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, took part in the
official ceremony held in Bishkek to launch celebration of the city as the Asian region’s
Capital of Islamic Culture for 2014. The Director General delivered an address at the opening
ceremony. The festivities marking the celebration of Ghazni as the Islamic Culture Capital for
2013 were closed, on 23 February 2014. The closing ceremony featured an address by the
Afghan Minister of Culture, an address by ISESCO Director General, and award-giving.
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On 31 March 2014, ISESCO Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, took part in
the official ceremony held to launch the events celebrating Sharjah as the Islamic Culture
Capital for 2014, and chaired by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Member
of the Supreme Council and Ruler of the celebrated city. A host of sheikhs, ministers,
dignitaries and media professionals from various parts of the world participated in the
event. On this occasion, ISESCO Director General delivered an address in which he praised
the choice of Sharjah as Islamic Culture Capital for 2014, highlighting its cultural and
civilizational achievements. Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri presented HH Sheikh Dr Sultan
bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi with the shield of Sharjah – Islamic Culture Capital of the Arab
Region (SICC 2014). This was during the ceremony unveiling SICC 2014 memorial erected
at the main entrance of Sharjah.
Some of Sharjah museums were linked to ISESCO official website with a view to promoting
the cultural heritage in the city and facilitating the virtual viewing of Sharjah museums items.
In this respect, ISESCO awards were given to creative students, teachers, artists and the best
craftspeople in Sharjah. The award-giving ceremony was organized on 6 November 2014 at
the ISESCO stand at the 33rd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, in the presence of
ISESCO Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri.
On 28 June 2014, ISESCO launched the festivities marking the celebration of Ouagadougou
as the 2014 Islamic Culture Capital for the African region. The Director General, Dr Abdulaziz
Othman Altwaijri, took part in the official opening ceremony. In his address, he emphasized that
Ouagadougou has been a meeting point of races, ethnicities and cultures throughout history.
In this context, the celebrations of Bishkek as the 2014 Islamic Culture Capital for the Asian
region were closed on 15 January 2015. The ceremony featured an address delivered by the
Kyrgyz Minister of Culture and an address by ISESCO Director General. Awards were given to
brilliant students, teachers, artists and craftspeople. The Organization also took part in the
closing ceremony of celebrations of Ouagadougou as the 2014 Islamic Culture Capital for
the African region. The ceremony was held, in Ouagadougou, on 7 February 2015, by the
Burkinabe Ministry of Culture and Tourism. On this occasion, ISESCO’s prizes were awarded to
the best literary and artistic works and handicraft products in Ouagadougou.
The festivities marking the celebration of Nizwa as the 2015 Islamic Culture Capital for the Arab
region were launched on 25 February 2015. The inauguration coincided with the opening
ceremony of the 20th Muscat International Book Fair, under the patronage of HH Sayyid
Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture. On this occasion, the Director
General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, gave a lecture on “Modernization and renewal of
Islamic thought”, on 26 February 2015.
The festivities marking the celebration of Almaty as the 2015 Islamic Culture Capital for the
Asian region were launched on 24 February 2015, in the presence of political, religious and
intellectual figures from Kazakhstan and representatives of OIC and ISESCO Member States
as well as representatives of international organizations. Over 100 experts from 15 countries
participated in the event. The Mayor of Almaty delivered an address on behalf of the President
of the Republic.
The festivities marking the celebration of Cotonou as the 2015 Islamic Culture Capital for
the African region were launched. ISESCO Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri,
took part in the official opening ceremony held under the patronage of the President of the
Republic of Benin. The Director General delivered an address in the presence of ministers,
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parliamentarians, ambassadors accredited to Cotonou, representatives of international
organizations, academic figures, artists, religious leaders and local and international media
professionals.
These festivities contributed to boosting the cultural life in the celebrated cities, promoting
their respective heritage nationally, regionally and internationally. The celebrated cities
received outstanding cultural elites and artistic groups from their respective countries and
beyond, within the cultural weeks organized in those cities. Those cities also hosted regional
and international conferences and contributed to reinvigorating cultural action. They also
enabled a larger number of participants to benefit from the cultural events organized on
this occasion. In addition, they triggered scientific and artistic competition through awarding
prizes to the outstanding cultural works presented during the celebration year.
ISESCO’s follow-up efforts on the implementation of the programme of the Islamic World Heritage Committee
As part of the care it devotes to the preservation of the civilizational and human heritage in
the Member States, ISESCO recommended the established of a specialized organ to boost
its action in this regard. Accordingly, the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers at its 5th
session held in Tripoli, Libya, in 2007, decided to set up the Islamic Heritage Committee to
best coordinate and make more effective ISESCO’s action in areas relating to Islamic cultural
heritage. The objective of the Committee is to preserve the rich human heritage and the
Islamic heritage, in particular, in the Member States.
Cognizant of the civilizational challenges facing the human and Islamic heritage, ISESCO, under
its present action plan, pursued efforts, through the Islamic World Heritage Committee, to
preserve the human heritage in general, and the Islamic heritage in particular. The Committee
continued inscribing Member States’ natural and archeological sites on the Islamic heritage
list, extending financial and technical support to build human capacities, and coordinating
Arab and Islamic stances to counter Israel’s repeated attempts to judaize Palestinian sites and
monuments and have them registered on the World Heritage List towards obliterating the
Islamic identity of Palestine.
Within the framework of ISESCO’s action plans aiming to preserve the historical landmarks
and cultural institutions in the Member States, under the mandate of the ISESCO’s Islamic
World Heritage Committee, ISESCO carried out the following activities:
- Extending financial and technical support for the inscription of historical and natural
sites of Member States on the Islamic World Heritage List and supporting Member
States to inscribe a number of civilizational monuments on the World Heritage List,
between the 7th and 8th sessions of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers.
- Holding the Islamic World Heritage Committee’s fourth meeting in Sana’a, Republic of
Yemen, on 5-7 November 2013, in cooperation with the Yemeni National Commission
for Education, Culture and Science. As well as pursuing examination of registration
files submitted by the Member States, the meeting aimed to inscribe the cultural and
natural sites which meet the required conditions on the Islamic World Heritage List.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of the states members of the IWHC:
namely, Egypt, Tunisia, Senegal, Niger, Malaysia and Iran as well as experts from Egypt.
The reports and assessments submitted by the Member States on the work of the Committee
revealed a positive interaction between the Committee’ Secretariat General and the competent
authorities in the Member States. One of the salient issues raised about the Committee was its
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very appellation “Islamic Heritage Committee” and the necessity to change it in such a way as
to ensure it encompasses the entirety of the Islamic heritage, including the human heritage
of civilizations prior to the Islamic civilization. The item was included in the agenda of the
Committee’s 3rd meeting, held in Tunisia, on 27-29 November 2012. The meeting concluded that
the name should be changed to “the Islamic World Heritage Committee”, given that the Islamic
world has preserved such heritage for centuries and integrated it into its civilizational cycle.
ISESCO’s major efforts through Islamic World Heritage Committee:
Based on the recommendations of the 3rd and 4th meetings of the Islamic World Heritage
Committee (Tunis, 27-29 November 2012; and Sana’a, 5-7 November 2013):
- The appellation of the Committee was changed from “the Islamic Heritage Committee”
to“the Islamic World Heritage Committee”;
- The number of the Committee members was increased to nine; three for the Arab
region, three for the African region, and three for the Asian region, instead of six
members (two members for each region). The members are elected, for a four-year
mandate, from among the representatives of the Member States during the sessions of
the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers;
- Inscription of Al-Quds Al-Sharif on top of the Islamic World Heritage List;
- Inscription of a number of historical and natural sites in the Member States on the
Islamic World Heritage List;
- The Islamic World Heritage Committee held its 5th meeting in Cairo, on 28-30 October
2014, in coordination with the Egyptian National Commission for Education, Science
and Culture. The meeting was aimed at pursuing the inscription of the historical and
natural sites that meet registration requirements on the Islamic World Heritage List,
and examining the reports submitted to the Committee. Took part in the meeting
representatives of Jordan, Yemen, the Sudan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mali and the
Comoros. During this meeting, the Committee members reviewed the inscription
form and amended the rules of procedure of the Committee. The meeting examined
the technical report on the risks posed to Cordoba Mosque and the best ways to save
this great civilizational monument. The Committee recommended commissioning
a heritage expert to prepare a technical report on “Cordoba Mosque” and the illegal
move aimed at transferring its ownership to the Diocese of Cordoba, for submission
to the competent international organizations. The meeting also examined applications
submitted by the Member States for the inscription of historical and natural sites on the
Islamic World Heritage List;
- Participation in the international symposium on the “protection of world cultural
heritage threatened with destruction”, hosted by the Moroccan parliament in Rabat, on
14-15 May 2015, in partnership with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean,
under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
The Islamic World Heritage Committee will continue deploying efforts to preserve the Islamic
civilizational heritage in the Member States through inscribing their historical sites on the
Islamic World Heritage List, and inscribing endangered historical sites on another list. The
Committee will also pursue coordination of Arab and Islamic stances to counter Israel’s
repeated attempts to judaize Palestinian sites and monuments and have them registered on
the World Heritage List.
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C- ISESCO’s efforts as part of implementing the Strategy for
Islamic Cultural Action outside the Islamic World
Cognizant of the strategic importance of the Islamic presence outside the Muslim world,
ISESCO’s focus under its Action Plan for 2013-2015, especially between the 8th and 9th sessions
of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, was placed on the care for the conditions of
Muslims outside the Islamic world regarding education, culture and communication areas.
The Organization sought to find adequate solutions to the various issues relating to the
image of Islam and Muslims, protection of the Islamic cultural identity, integration and
citizenship, teaching Arabic to Muslim children, development of adequate curricula for Arab
Islamic schools, provision of books for Arabic teaching and Islamic education and teacher
training, and training of imams and preachers in the values of dialogue, moderation and
middle stance.
Several objectives have been achieved since the elaboration and adoption of the Strategy
for Islamic Cultural Action for Muslims outside the Islamic World. Tens of activities and
programmes drawn from its contents were carried out under ISESCO’s successive action
plans, with the aim to foster cooperation between Islamic cultural centres and associations
outside the Islamic world, coordinate their actions within one strategy and integrated action
plans, raise awareness about Muslims’ cultural rights and benefit from Muslim competencies
outside the Islamic world. Other goals included promoting dialogue among followers
of religions and cultures, entrenching civilizational mediation as an advanced dialogue
mechanism to ease tensions and settle conflicts through the dissemination of the culture
of peace, human rights and coexistence, and immunizing youth against the tendencies of
extremism, stagnation, terrorism or over westernization through strengthening the Islamic
cultural identity that tolerates cultural diversity.
Based on its achievements in the field of Islamic cultural action for Muslims outside the Islamic
world, ISESCO pursued its efforts, between the 8th and 9th sessions of the Islamic Conference
of Culture Ministers, as follows:
First: Meetings of the Supreme Council for Education, Science and Culture for Muslims outside the Islamic world
and meetings of heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations outside the Islamic world
Holding the 14th meeting of the Supreme Council for Education, Science and Culture for
Muslims outside the Islamic World, in Rome, Italy, on 15-16 September 2014. The meeting
discussed the following agenda items:
- Report on ISESCO’s implemented activities and programmes under the Strategy for
Islamic Cultural Action for Muslims outside the Islamic World, between the two sessions
of the Supreme Council;
- Reports submitted by the President of the Council and the heads of the Council’s
specialized committees;
- Presentation of a document on the “role of cultural mediation in promoting intercultural
dialogue”;
- Presentation of a study titled “anti-Islam media content in light of the international law”.
After due discussion, the meeting adopted the submitted documents. Participants also put
forward a set of recommendations aimed at promoting Islamic cultural action outside the
Islamic world.
23
Holding the 9th meeting of the Heads of Islamic Cultural Centres and Associations in Latin
America and the Caribbean, in Georgetown, Guyana, on 9-11 February 2014, in cooperation
with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of the State of Kuwait, and in coordination
with the Islamic Organization for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Central Islamic
Organization of Guyana. The meeting featured:
- Presentation of the “Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue
among Followers of Religions and Cultures”;
- Presentation of the “Executive Plan of the Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques for Dialogue among Followers of Religions and Cultures”;
- Presentations and proposals by heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations in
Latin America and the Caribbean regarding their activities in educational, preaching
and social areas and regarding ways to activate the Initiative of the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among Followers of Religions and Cultures and its
Executive Plan in Latin America and the Caribbean;
- Presentation on financing projects on cultural action outside the Muslim world.
The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Guyana, the Prime Minister, Cabinet
members, as well as a host of political leaders from Guyana, representatives of the diplomatic
corps, and figures representing religions. 33 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean
took part in the meeting which was crowned with Guyana’s accession to ISESCO. On the
sidelines of the meeting, various activities were carried out such as the lecture given by the
Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, at the University of Guyana, on “Dialogue
of Cultures and Building a New World Order.” At the close of the meeting, the participants
adopted the documents prepared by ISESCO.
Second: ISESCO’s regional and international activities and support programmes for implementing the Strategy
for Islamic Cultural Action for Muslims outside the Islamic World
As part of implementing the Strategy for Islamic Cultural action for Muslims outside the Islamic
World, ISESCO carried out a number of relevant activities and programmes between the 8th
and 9th sessions of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers. ISESCO also co-organized
with specialized organizations regional and international conferences tackling the issues of
Muslim communities, such as:
- Appointment of the President of the Supreme Council for Education, Science
and Culture for Muslims outside the Islamic World as ISESCO’s Ambassador for
Dialogue among Cultures, at the Italian Senate, in Rome, on 15 September 2014;
- Holding a symposium on Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue for Women, at the French
Senate, in Paris, on 7 October 2014, in cooperation with the Association of Arab Women
of the Press and Communication (AFACOM). 100 participants from France, Belgium,
Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia as well as
international organizations took part in the symposium;
- Holding a workshop on “the role of Arab youth living abroad in promoting the
culture of dialogue”, in London, on 17-18 December 2014, in cooperation with
ALECSO, and in coordination with the Islamic Cultural Centre in London. 30 leading
youths living abroad took part in the workshop;
- Extending support to several cultural centres outside the Islamic world (in Latin
America) in implementing the Strategy for Islamic Cultural action for Muslims
24
outside the Islamic World throughout 2014, in collaboration with the Ministry of
Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of the State of Kuwait;
- Holding a symposium on ways to address anti-Islam Western media productions,
in Lille, France, on 6-8 June 2014, in collaboration with Avicenna Institute for Humanities
and the European Parliament. 50 experts in the fields of international public law, the
judiciary, human rights and media, from Europe and ISESCO Member States took part
in the symposium.
Third: ISESCO’s educational efforts for Muslims outside the Islamic world
In its programme schedules for 2014 and 2015, ISESCO has devoted more efforts to enhance the
action of educational and cultural institutions for Muslims outside the Islamic world through
the use of educational technologies and multimedia in teaching Islamic education and Arabic
for non-Arabic speakers. The Organization has also sought to upgrade the administrative
structures of those institutions and build their capacities in such a way as to enhance their role
in addressing Muslims’ educational and cultural issues outside the Islamic world.
Cognizant of the paramount importance of the role played by those institutions in
immunizing the educational, cultural and civilizational peculiarities of Muslims outside the
Islamic world, preserving their Islamic identity, enriching cultural diversity and fostering
dialogue among cultures and civilizations, and mindful of the strong bond between the
Holy Quran and the Arabic language, notably when it comes to teaching Arabic to Muslim
children outside the Islamic world, given that the religious motive is important in learning
this language, ISESCO has sought to achieve optimum efficiency in the programmes geared
to these institutions. The Organization attached particular attention to promoting cultural
contents in curricula relating to teaching Islamic education and the Arabic language. ISESCO
also raised the awareness of officials in charge of the said institutions on the importance of
modernizing educational methods and tools to teach Islamic culture and education and the
Arabic language to non-native speakers, highlighting success stories and leading projects in
teaching and textbook development. In addition, it sought to upgrade the performance of
educational supervisors, guidance counselors and teachers, harmonize teaching methods at
the teaching institutions of Islamic culture and the Arabic language to ensure a homogeneous
linguistic and cultural education, and elaborate visions and projects for the future likely to
contribute to the betterment of those institutions in the countries concerned.
During 2014-2015, ISESCO has strengthened partnerships and cooperation relations with
specialized Arab and Islamic organizations and academic institutions working in the field of
teaching Islamic culture, the Holy Quran and the Arabic language to non-native speakers. In
addition to the classical partners such as the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of the State
of Kuwait, the Holy Quran Memorization International Organization (HQMI), and Granada
Editions, ISESCO expanded the scope of partnership to include other institutions such as the
Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies in Granada, the Lille-based Avicenna Institute for
Humanities and the International Peace College of South Africa.
In this vein, ISESCO organized a number of meetings and training sessions, in 2014 and
2015, on teaching Islamic education and Arabic to Muslims outside the Islamic world. Three
training sessions for imams, preachers and Islamic education teachers were held to
improve teaching methods and enhance the role of education on shared human values,
in collaboration with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of the State of Kuwait. The first
was held in Belgrade, Serbia, on 25-28 March 2014; the second in Granada, Spain, on 27-30
25
April 2014; and the third in Saint Etienne, France, between 30 May and 2 June 2014. The
three sessions aimed to outfit imams with modern communication skills, promote the role
of imams, preachers and teachers in fostering positive coexistence of Muslim communities
and minorities with their social environment, hone the competencies of Islamic education
teachers towards providing them with the necessary expertise and skills in their field, enhance
their role in educating Muslim children in the values of dialogue and the culture of difference
through Islamic education textbooks, and encourage communication and exchange of
experiences and expertise among specialists in the field. The three sessions benefited 80
imams, preachers, guidance counselors and teachers.
In collaboration with the Holy Quran Memorization International Organization (HQMI),
ISESCO organized three educational symposia to develop the work of Quran institutions
for Muslims outside the Islamic world. The first was held in Haidarabad, India, from 25 to
28 January 2014; the second in Madrid, Spain, on 18-21 June 2014; and the third in Marawi,
the Philippines, on 5-8 February 2015. The objective of the three symposia was to diagnose
the situation of Quranic institutions, identify their scientific, educational, administrative and
financial obstacles and propose adequate solutions towards upgrading their performance
through developing their respective planning methods and building on success stories in the
field. The three symposia benefited 158 university professors, Quranic institutions officials
and Quran memorization teachers.
ISESCO also organized a sub-regional workshop on the “use of modern educational
approaches and technology in teaching Arabic to foreigners in Scandinavian countries”,
in Oslo, Norway, on 19-21 September 2014. 38 teachers and educational officials from public
educational institutions in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland took part in the event.
Besides, ISESCO co-organized the 8th annual conference on Arabic teaching programmes
for foreigners in Europe, in Lille, France, on 7-8 June 2014, under the theme “Arabic teaching
in light of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: B1/B2 levels”.
A host of experts and researchers in the field of teaching Arabic as a foreign language from
Arab and European countries took part in the event. In addition, the Organization held two
workshops on “modern methods and aids for teaching Arabic as a foreign language”, in
Cape Town, South Africa, on 19-22 June 2014, and in Granada, Spain, in October 2015, with
the participation of 49 educational officials and Arabic teachers.
As part of the implementation of the Strategy on the,Promotion of Education in Arab Islamic
Schools outside the Islamic World, notably with regard to ISESCO’s programme for the
promotion of Arabic teaching as a foreign language at university departments and Islamic
educational institutions outside the Islamic world, the Organization continued over 2014 and
2015 dispatching Arabic language and Islamic education teachers to a number of universities
and educational and cultural institutions in Costa Rica, Venezuela, Peru and the Philippines.
26
D- ISESCO’s efforts as part of implementing the Strategy
for ICTs Development in the Islamic World
Between the 8th and 9th sessions of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, ISESCO pursued
the implementation of the Strategy for ICTs Development in the Islamic World, adopted by
the 4th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers. In this respect, a number of activities and
programmes relating to the development of media laws in the Member States and upgrading
ICT’s professionals were carried out.
ISESCO extended assistance to Member States for their integration in the information and
knowledge society, through supporting the implementation of projects aimed at developing
policies and strategies relating to ICT’s. In this vein, it extended financial and technical
support to the Burkinabe Culture Ministry to organize an experts meeting on the role of
ICT’s, including social media, in fostering dialogue among religions and preserving tangible
heritage in Burkina Faso, on 9-10 October 2014, in Ouagadougou. The event benefited
journalists specialized in cultural and religious affairs and the preservation of tangible
heritage from different parts of the country.
In the same vein, ISESCO, in cooperation with the Senegalese National Commission for
Education, Science and Culture, organized a national workshop for journalists, in Senegal,
on 25-26 February 2014. The workshop benefited 25 journalists from the Senegalese News
Agency, newspapers, digital newspapers and community radio stations from various
provinces.
ISESCO, jointly with the Regional Academy for Education and Training in Oujda, Morocco, held
a national training session on new technologies of information and communication with the
public opinion, on 24-25 February 2014. The training benefited 25 executives in charge of
communication and public relations at the regional delegations of the Moroccan Ministry of
National Education in the eastern provinces.
ISESCO co-organized a seminar, in Agadir, Morocco, on 2-3 May 2014, on regional media in
Morocco in the light of ICT’s development. The seminar was organized in collaboration with
the Moroccan Centre for Studies and Research in Human Rights and Media and the Ministry
of Communication of Morocco. The event saw the participation of more than 60 media
professionals and information law professors.
In 2014, ISESCO took part in WSIS + 10 High Level Event organized by the Geneva-based ITU,
on 10-13 June 2014, in cooperation with UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD.
As part of its constant support of scientific research in the fields of information and
communication in the Member States and in a bid to encourage young researchers publicize
their efforts in this area, ISESCO organized a competition for the best academic research in
new media in Arab Member States. The prize was awarded to Dr Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Hokail,
professor at the Mass Communication and Media College of Imam Muhammad bin Saud
Islamic University, Saudi Arabia, for his research paper entitled “the methodological reference
in measuring interaction in new media”.
Within the framework of the programme of cooperation with Munazzamat al-Da’wa alIslamiia in the Sudan, ISESCO organized a sub-regional training session on “digital journalism
and new media techniques”, in Khartoum, on 22-24 December 2014. The session benefited
12 journalists from Egypt, Libya, Chad, Djibouti, Niger and the Sudan. The participants were
initiated to the state-of-art techniques in electronic journalism, and were sensitized to its
role in promoting development projects in African Member States, ensuring information
circulation and reducing the rural-urban digital divide.
29
In the same vein, ISESCO held a sub-regional training session on techniques for preparing
media, environmental and health campaigns for the communities of the African Sahel
countries, in Niamey, capital-city of Niger, on 11-13 July 2014. The session benefited 20
participants from Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Chad and Niger.
30
E- ISESCO’s efforts under the Executive Plan for the Initiative
of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue
among Followers of Religions and Cultures
In a context marked by the escalation of hatred against Islam and defamation of religions
and religious symbols, the Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue
among Followers of Religions and Cultures came to contribute to the international efforts
aimed at fostering intercultural dialogue and alliance of civilizations. It also sought to open
up fresh avenues and channels for human cooperation through dialogue with a view to
ending the stagnation that marked international relations towards fostering rapprochement
between peoples.
The Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques came in due time to foster dialogue
among the followers of religions and cultures. It also complements previous international
and Islamic initiatives at a time when the world aspires to narrow the range of tensions and
settle the conflicts that pose threats to world peace and security.
This praiseworthy Initiative went through several stages. First, the World Islamic Conference
on Dialogue was held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in June 2008. One month later, the World
Conference on Dialogue was held in Madrid. These efforts were crowned with the convening
of the High-Level Meeting for Dialogue among Religions, Cultures and Civilizations, in
November 2008 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
These international meetings substantially contributed to finding a practical way to set
the initiative into motion. It is in this spirit that the King Abdullah International Centre for
Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) was established in Vienna, in October 2011.
In a bid to push forth the initiative on a global scale, the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
International Prize for Dialogue of Civilizations was established, and the “King Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz International Programme for a Culture of Peace and Dialogue was launched at
UNESCO.
Given that this Initiative is an embodiment of the Muslim world’s view to dialogue issues,
ISESCO prepared an analytical document underlining the religious, cultural, civilizational
and human dimensions of the Initiative within a comprehensive view. This document was
presented to the 7th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers (Algiers, December 2011). After
discussion and adoption of this document, the Conference commended the outcome of
the Initiative and invited the relevant parties in the Member States, along with specialized
regional and international organizations and bodies, on top of which is ISESCO, to increase
effort to gear the Initiative’s constructive proposals and implementation mechanisms to
achieve the lofty objectives which have been set for it. Furthermore, the Conference invited
ISESCO to prepare a detailed action plan to carry out the conclusions and recommendations
contained in this document.
Accordingly, ISESCO prepared an executive plan for the Initiative of the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques for the Followers of Religions and Cultures, which was adopted by the 8th
Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers (Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, January 2014).
The Executive Plan took into account the international context of the Initiative of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, marked by three key features: First, the wave of terrorism
and extremism. Second, the widespread tendency of Islamophobia among large sections in
Western societies. Third, the growing role of the religious factor in regional and international
conflicts. The particular focus of the Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
was on the factors, challenges and prerequisites for peaceful coexistence and constructive
cooperation, instead of dwelling on creed and doctrinal considerations which have proved a
stumbling block for previous dialogue initiatives.
33
Against this backdrop, the Executive Plan of the Initiative is founded upon an intellectual and
strategic vision of dialogue through four axes:
First: The place of religion in the current global context
Second: Religion and the State
Third: The issue of values
Fourth: Requirements of Coexistence
The first three axes constitute the theoretical prelude leading to the fourth axis. The plan
detailed the programmes and projects to be implemented as part of the Initiative of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among the Followers of Religions and
Cultures.
Activities and programmes implemented under the Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for
Dialogue among the Followers of Religions and Cultures and its Executive Plan
ISESCO published two documents in its working languages and distributed them during its
various activities. It also publicized the two documents at the international conferences and
symposia which it held or participated in. Following are some of the most salient activities
carried out within the Initiative and its Executive Plan:
- The 10th meeting of heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations in Europe,
in London, on 26-27 June 2013, to examine ways to implement the Initiative of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among the Followers of Religions and
Cultures and its Executive Plan outside the Islamic world;
- The 9th meeting of heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations in Latin
America and the Caribbean, in cooperation with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic
Affairs of the State of Kuwait, and in coordination with the Islamic Organization for Latin
America and the Caribbean, and the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana, on 9-11
February 2014.
The meeting examined the following issues and topics:
- The Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among the
Followers of Religions and Cultures;
- The Executive Plan of the Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for
Dialogue among the Followers of Religions and Cultures;
- Presentations by the heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations in Latin America
and the Caribbean, and their proposals for the implementation of the Initiative of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for Dialogue among the Followers of Religions
and Cultures and its Executive Plan in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Coordination meeting of ISESCO and the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz for
Dialogue among the Followers of Religions and Cultures (KAICIID), held at ISESCO
headquarters in Rabat, on 14 April 2014;
- International Conference on “Comparison of National Commissions’ Experiences
in Promoting Cultural and Religious Diversity”, held in Vienna, Austria, on 28-31 May
2014, in cooperation with the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for
Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID);
34
- Symposium on the role of ISESCO in enhancing dialogue among followers of
religions, cultures and civilizations, at the close of the 25th annual meeting of the
Crans Montana Forum, at ISESCO headquarters, on 22 June 2014;
- Workshop on “the role of Arab youth living abroad in promoting the culture of
dialogue”, held in London, on 17-18 December 2014;
- Meeting to examine the new strategy on “Rapprochement of cultures”, held at
UNESCO headquarters, on 23-24 March 2015. A number of UN-affiliated organizations
took part in the meeting which aimed to set up a specialized committee of international
organizations experts to propose the best practices in this field;
- Intergovernmental meeting on Interreligious Education: “Pioneering Policy and
Practice: Technology and the Future of Interreligious and Intercultural Education”,
at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat, on 20-21 April 2015, in collaboration with the
Vienna-based King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and
Intercultural Dialogue.
35
F- ISESCO’s efforts under the Islamic Declaration
on Cultural Rights
To keep up with the international efforts to preserve human dignity and expand the
scope of human rights, ISESCO prepared a document entitled “the Islamic Declaration on
Cultural Rights”, adopted by the 8th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers (Al-Madinah AlMunawarah, January 2014). The document came to showcase the Islamic world’s vision of this
vital topic as part of its constant efforts since the 4th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers
(Algeria, December 2004) had adopted the “Islamic Declaration on Cultural Diversity” and the
adoption of UNESCO’s relevant convention in 2005.
The issue of cultural diversity eventually led to the topic of cultural rights. As a matter of fact,
it was necessary to keep up with this development. ISESCO thus took the initiative to draft
the “Islamic Declaration on Cultural Rights” to highlight the vision of its Member States in this
regard, especially that the topic has repercussions on the management of public affairs. The
document achieved its goal and became one of the international reference documents to be
considered to understand cultural rights. Besides, ISESCO’s Member States are called to adapt
their respective legal arsenal in such a way as to integrate the contents of the Declaration into
their respective public policies, notably guaranteeing the rights associated with participation
in public life, the right to identify with a cultural affiliation, the right to use the mother tongue
in legal and judicial fields, the right to have one’s religious sanctities respected, the right
to collective memory preservation and the rights associated with intellectual, literary and
creative production and copyright.
Indeed, the significance of the Islamic Declaration on Cultural Rights increases as the cultural
and civilizational heritage is being systematically vandalized in the Islamic world and in some
Member States in the Arab, African and Asian regions. A great many invaluable cultural items
were destroyed and stolen by extremists, smugglers or foreign forces.
The Islamic Declaration on Cultural Rights urged the Member States to establish a reference
body to ensure the right of appeal for everyone whose cultural rights come to be violated. Some
Member States met this recommendation through the creation of mediatory institutions,
hence the importance of cultural mediation submitted to the 9th Islamic Conference of
Culture Ministers. As a matter of fact, cultural mediation is one of the mechanisms required
to ensure cultural rights and the right to complain, and is a means of settling disputes and
managing difference in practical and peaceful ways.
ISESCO published the Declaration in its working languages and distributed widely in the
Member States and outside the Islamic world at the different regional and international
conferences, seminars and symposia it organized on its own initiative or jointly.
The Organization also included the contents of this document in its action plans, activities
and programmes such as its programmes of celebration of Islamic Culture Capitals, as well
as through scientific research institutes, FUIW-affiliated universities, ISESCO’s Chairs, and
programmes destined for Islamic cultural centres and associations outside the Islamic world.
It is worth noting that the UN Rapporteur on Cultural Rights praised the Declaration and
mentioned it in her annual report submitted to the competent international organizations.
As part of the promotion of the Islamic Declaration on Cultural Rights, ISESCO carried out the
following activities, among others:
- International symposium on ways to activate the role of civil society, held in Rabat,
on 20-21 February 2014;
39
- Regional workshop on “Cultural, Educational and Media Rights: Towards an Arab
Document for Woman Rights”, held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, on 26-27 February 2014;
- Participation in the celebration of the 22nd Anniversary of the extermination of
the village of Khojaly in Azerbaijan, to remind of cultural rights in the occupied
province of Karabakh, at ISESCO headquarters, Rabat, on 26 February 2014;
- “National Dialogue on Civil Society and the New Constitutional Prerogatives”,
held in Rabat, on 21-22 March 2014;
- “Islamic Open Days in Turin”, Italy, on 15-16 May 2014;
- International Conference on “Comparison of National Commissions’ Experiences in
Promoting Cultural and Religious Diversity”, held in Vienna, Austria, on 28-31 May 2014;
- Regional meeting on the cultural roles of youth in fostering the values of dialogue
and peace in the Arab world, held in Tunis, on 14-16 October 2014;
- The launch of the “international campaign to prevent transfer of ownership of the
Mosque of Cordoba to the church in Al-Andalus province”. ISESCO launched the
campaign to urge the government of Andalucía, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee
and the Islamic World Heritage Committee to prevent the transfer of Cordoba Mosque,
registered on the World Cultural heritage List, to the Diocese of Cordoba and respect
the cultural rights of Spanish Muslims in this universal landmark;
ISESCO held three meetings an item of whose agendas was devoted to this issue:
- 14th meeting of the Supreme Council for Education, Science and Culture for
Muslims outside the Islamic World, held in Rome, Italy, on 15-16 September 2014;
- 5th meeting of the Islamic World Heritage Committee, held in Cairo, on 28-30
October 2014;
- 13th meeting of the Consultative Council in charge of Implementing the Cultural
Strategy for the Islamic World, held in Sharjah, UAE, on 12-13 November 2014.
ISESCO Director General, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, addressed letters on this subject
to the head of the Regional Government of Andalusia, as well as to UNESCO Director
General, the OIC Secretary General and the Arab League’s Secretary General, urging them
to act within the scope of their powers and functions to prevent the church’s appropriation
of the mosque and to maintain it as an open universal heritage. The Organization also
mounted a media campaign and issued a number of communiqués on this subject, which
it published on its official website and dispatched to Arab, Islamic and international news
agencies.
- Workshop on “the role of Arab youth living abroad in promoting the culture of
dialogue”, in London, on 17-18 December 2014, held in London, on 17-18 December
2014, to publicize the Islamic Declaration on Cultural Rights;
- Symposium on participatory democracy in the world, held by the Moroccan Ministry
in charge of Relations with the Parliament and Civil Society, at ISESCO headquarters, on
13-14 March 2015. The symposium reviewed the Croatian and British experiences with
the civil society;
- Participation in the 3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, held in Baku,
Azerbaijan, on 18-19 May 2015;
40
- Participation in the meeting of the board of trustees of the Baku International
Multiculturalism Centre, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 18 May 2015. The meeting
reviewed implemented activities and those scheduled for the period between June and
December 2015. In 2014, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan appointed Dr Abdulaziz
Othman Altwaijri, member of the Board of Trustees of the said centre;
- Participation in the 3rd edition of the Cultural Diplomacy Festival, held in Rabat,
on 21-23 May 2015, in celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue
and Development, under the theme “Towards the entrenchment of the culture of the
universality of poetry and poets”, and with the participation of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Cooperation, the Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman
in Rabat, and the Rabat City Council.
41
ANNEXES
13th Meeting of the Consultative Council in
Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy
for the Islamic World
Final Report
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
19-20 Muharram 1436 H/12-13 November 2014
As part of its three-year action plan (2013-2015), and following a decision by the Eighth
Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers (Al Madinah – Capital of Islamic Culture, Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, January 2014), ISESCO in coordination with Sharjah Government Department
of Culture and Information held the 13th meeting of the Consultative Council in Charge of
Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World (Sharjah, 19-20 Muharram 1436 H
/ 12-13 November 2014). The meeting was convened as part of the celebration festivities
of Sharjah – Capital of Islamic Culture for 2014 (SCIC 2014), and alongside the 33rd Sharjah
International Book Fair.
Participants included consultative council’s members, representing the following countries:
United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Oman, Tunisia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia,
Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The representatives of Egypt, Kyrgyzstan and the OIC failed
to attend.
The opening session:
The meeting opened on November 12th with recitation of verses of the Holy Quran, followed
by a speech by ISESCO’s representative, who greeted the Council’s members on behalf of the
Director General and wished them success in their work. He also stressed the importance of
cooperation between the Council and ISESCO’s General Directorate in advancing joint Islamic
cultural action as well as in implementing and monitoring implementation of the Cultural
Strategy for the Islamic World. He also expressed hope that the Council would contribute,
through discussing the key documents prepared by ISESCO’s General Directorate, to the
development of a clear vision of the main topic of the Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture
Ministers, which is scheduled for November 2015 in Oman (Nizwa - Capital of Islamic Culture
for 2015). The representative of ISESCO also placed on record his grateful appreciation to the
Department of Culture and Information (Government of Sharjah) both for cooperating and
for hosting this meeting.
Thereafter, the floor was taken by the UAE representative, H.E. Mr Muhammad Ibrahim AlQassir, Head of Culture Affairs at the Department of Culture and Information of the Government
of Sharjah, who thanked ISESCO and hailed its efforts to promote joint Islamic action. He
also praised ISESCO’s calendar of culture capitals, and gave an account of the efforts made
by the Government of Sharjah, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin
Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in making
SCIC 2014 festivities a success.
During the procedural session, the Council elected its bureau comprising H.E. Mr Khamis
bin Abdullah Shamakhi (Oman) as chairperson; Prof. Mourad Riffi (Morocco) as rapporteur;
and ISESCO. After adopting the meeting’s programme, the Council started discussing the
documents placed on its agenda: namely, the draft broad lines of the draft action plan for
promoting the role of cultural mediation in the Muslim world; the study on Western media
content about Islam in the light of the international law; and the draft agenda of the Ninth
Islamic Conference of Ministers of Culture.
Panel discussions covered the following points:
- Stressing the importance of consolidating communication and consultation between
the Council’s members and ISESCO’s General Directorate on issues falling within the
Council’s ambit and effective implementation mechanisms.
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- Inviting the Member States’ competent authorities in charge of the celebration festivities
of Islamic culture capitals to directly coordinate with ISESCO regarding organizational
arrangements, while welcoming Arab, Islamic and international organizations wishing
to participate.
- Highlighting the importance of the topics discussed both by the Council and by
the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, while commending the quality of the
documents associated with these topics and the effort that has been made to keep
track of new cultural roles.
At the end of its work, the Council adopted the “draft broad lines of the draft action plan
for promoting the role of cultural mediation in the Muslim world”, and the “study on media
content about Islam in the light of international law” and “the draft agenda of the Ninth
Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers”. It also called on ISESCO’s General Directorate to
submit these documents, in their final versions, to the 14th Council’s session, ahead of the
Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers.
Based on the proposal by Azerbaijan’s representative, the Council endorsed the offer to
convene its 14th session in Baku, on the sidelines of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue
(May 2015), and on the occasion of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and
Development.
In addition, the Council adopted the following recommendations:
1. Invite ISESCO to redouble efforts to largely publicize the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic
World (in its updated version) to the competent authorities in the Member States, the
civil society, and similar regional and international organizations.
2.Stress the importance for the Council to cooperate and coordinate with ISESCO, by
contributing proposals and insights on joint Islamic cultural action promotion and
priority areas of action under ISESCO’s plans.
3.Urge Member States to continue efforts to integrate the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic
World’s key elements and orientations, along with the documents of the Council’s
previous meetings and the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, into their action
plans and cultural programmes, and give priority to cultural action for sustainable
development, given its potential to attract investment and its role in socio-cultural
development for individuals and communities, and propose dedicating 1% of each
country’s overall budget to culture.
4.Call on Member States to diversify financing sources for cultural projects, invest
endowment funds and tax benefits, create partnerships with private sector companies
for this purpose, and establish national funds to support independent initiatives.
5.Commend ISESCO for its efforts to promote Islamic cultural action for Muslims outside
the Islamic world, its dedication to activate the Supreme Council for Education, Science
and Culture for Muslims beyond the Muslim world, and the support it provides to
cultural centers and Islamic associations in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Pacific,
South America and the Caribbean, Southeastern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, and
invite it to continue these efforts to advance Islamic cultural action for the benefit of
Muslims outside the Islamic world.
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6.Commend the efforts of Member States whose cities have been celebrated as capitals
of Islamic culture for 2014, and invite the competent authorities in the Member States
with cities listed on the celebration calendar for the coming years to coordinate,
exchange expertise, benefit from previous experiences, and accord special attention to
these festivities through large-scale advertising and media coverage among the public
opinion, both locally and internationally, and stimulate those sectors involved to carry
out cultural projects on the occasion.
7.Endorse the membership, in the Council, of the State that has one of its cities selected
as capital if Islamic culture, should it play host to one of the meetings of the Council
under its mandate, and call on the Conference to decide on the matter.
8.Call on the Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers to make a resolution on
protecting Islamic heritage sites outside the Muslim world from obliteration and
destruction, and mandate ISESCO to pursue its campaign in this connection, through
the Islamic World Heritage Committee, and coordinate the Arab-Islamic group within
UNESCO World Heritage Committee to prevent the transfer of ownership of the Mosque
of Cordoba, registered on the World Heritage List, to the Diocese of Cordoba, and call
for declaring the Mosque a universal cultural and civilizational monument.
9.Commend ISESCO for choosing as a core topic for the Ninth Islamic Conference of
Culture Ministers the promotion of cultural mediation in the Muslim world, in view
of its important role in cultural peace in the Member States, and invite the Member
States both to align their cultural policies with this strategically grounded vision, and
to establish focal points to coordinate relevant programmes and activities.
10.Call for orienting cultural mediation training programmes toward building social
peace in the Member States for the youth and women.
11.Coordinate Member States’ stances at international forums to address Islamophobia
through a three-pronged, holistic approach involving the media, human rights and
culture.
12.Welcome the proposal by the representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to invite,
in coordination with ISESCO, a number of Islamic culture capitals to take part in the
World Intercultural Dialogue Forum (Baku, May 2015).
13. Welcome the invitation extended by the representative of Indonesia to the Council’s
members and the Member States to take part in the international meeting scheduled
for November 2015 in Bali on the theme “culture, wisdom, clash and understanding”.
14.Extend thanks and appreciation to the State of the United Arab Emirates, and the
Government of Sharjah, represented by the Department of Culture and Information,
for cooperating and hosting the 13th meeting of the Consultative Council in Charge
of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, in coordination with
ISESCO’s General Directorate and its regional office in Sharjah.
15.Address a message of thanks to H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi,
Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and congratulate His Highness
both on the successful conclusion of “Sharjah – Arab Region’s Islamic Culture Capital
2014” festivities, and on the cultural and civilizational advancement achieved by
Sharjah.
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16.Extend congratulations and appreciation to H.E. Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri,
Director General of ISESCO, on his nomination as Cultural Personality of the Year
2014, and on selecting ISESCO as guest of honor in the 33rd Sharjah International
Book Fair (SIBF), in appreciation of the Director General’s efforts toward joint Islamic
action advancement; and commend the civilizational achievements made by ISESCO
in its areas of competence (education, science, culture and communication), as part
of the mandate given to Dr Altwaijri as Director General by the Member States.
Done in Sharjah, on 20 Muharram 1436 A.H. / 13 November 2014
The Members of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing
the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World
52
14th Meeting of the Consultative Council in
Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy
for the Islamic World
Final Report
Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan
18 May 2015
As part of its three-year action plan (2013-2015), pursuant to a decision by the Eighth
Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers held in Al Madinah Al Munawarrah, as part of
the festivities marking the celebration of this city as the Islamic Culture capital (January
2014), and as a follow-up to the recommendations of the 13th Meeting of the Consultative
Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, ISESCO, in
coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan and
concurrently with the 3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, held the 14th meeting of
the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic
World, in Baku, on 18-19 May 2015.
Participants included the Consultative Council’s members representing the following
countries: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of
Indonesia, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Niger, in addition to the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) and the representative of Sharjah Government’s Department of Culture
and Information.
The opening session:
The meeting opened on 18 May 2015 with recitation of verses of the Holy Quran. Then,
ISESCO Director General gave an address wherein he welcomed the Council’s members and
wished them success in their work. He also stressed the importance of cooperation between
the Council and ISESCO’s General Directorate in advancing joint Islamic cultural action as well
as in implementing and monitoring implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic
World. Besides, he expressed hope that the Council would contribute, through discussing
the key documents prepared by ISESCO’s General Directorate, to the development of a
clear vision of the main topic of the Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, which is
scheduled for November 2015 in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman on the occasion of selecting
Nizwa as the Islamic Culture Capital for 2015. In addition, ISESCO Director General placed
on record his grateful appreciation to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of
Azerbaijan both for cooperating and for hosting this meeting.
Thereafter, the floor was taken respectively by the Chairperson of the Consultative Council
and the representative of the Sultanate of Oman, Dr Khamis bin Abdullah Shamakhi, and
the representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr Vasif Eyvazzade, Head of International
Relations Department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
After adopting the meeting’s programme, the Council started discussing the documents
placed on its agenda: namely, the draft broad lines of a draft action plan for the promotion
of the role of cultural mediation in the Islamic world; the study on Western media content on
Islam in light of the international law; and the draft agenda of the Ninth Islamic Conference
of Culture Ministers.
At the end of its work, the Council adopted the “Draft Broad Lines of a Draft Action Plan
for the Promotion of the Role of Cultural Mediation in the Islamic World”, and the “Study
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on Western Media Content on Islam in light of the International Law” and the “Draft
Agenda of the Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers”. It also thanked ISESCO’s
General Directorate for preparing these documents.
In addition, the Council adopted the following recommendations
1.To call on ISESCO to redouble efforts to largely publicize the Cultural Strategy for the
Islamic World in its updated version to the competent authorities in the Member States,
the civil society, and similar regional and international organizations.
2.To stress the importance for the Council to cooperate and coordinate with ISESCO, by
contributing proposals and insights on joint Islamic cultural action promotion and
priority areas of action under ISESCO’s action plans.
3.To urge Member States to continue efforts to integrate the Cultural Strategy for the
Islamic World’s key elements and orientations, along with the documents of the
Council’s previous meetings and the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, into their
action plans and cultural programmes.
4.To call on Member States to diversify financing sources for cultural projects, invest
endowment funds and tax revenues, create partnerships with private sector institutions
for this purpose, and establish national funds to support independent initiatives.
5.To invite Member States to inscribe their archaeological and heritage sites on the
Islamic World Heritage List.
6.To commend ISESCO for its efforts to promote Islamic cultural action for Muslims
outside the Islamic world, and to invite it to continue these efforts to advance Islamic
cultural action for the benefit of Muslims outside the Islamic world.
7.To commend the efforts of Member States whose cities have been celebrated as capitals
of Islamic culture for 2015, and to invite the competent authorities in the Member
States with cities listed on the celebration calendar for the coming years to coordinate,
exchange expertise, benefit from previous experiences, and accord special attention to
these festivities through large-scale advertising and media coverage among the public
opinion, both locally and internationally, and stimulate those sectors involved to carry
out cultural projects on the occasion.
8.To endorse the membership, in the Council, of the State that has one of its cities
selected as capital of Islamic culture, should it play host to one of the meetings of the
Council under its mandate, and to call on the Conference to decide on the matter.
9.To call on the Ninth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers to make a resolution on
protecting Islamic heritage sites outside the Muslim world from obliteration and
destruction, and mandate ISESCO to pursue its campaign in this connection, through
the Islamic World Heritage Committee, and coordinate the Arab-Islamic group
within UNESCO World Heritage Committee to prevent the transfer of ownership of
the Mosque of Cordoba, registered on the World Heritage List, to the Diocese of
Cordoba, and call for declaring the Mosque a universal cultural and civilizational
monument.
10.To commend ISESCO for choosing as a core topic for the Ninth Islamic Conference of
Culture Ministers the promotion of cultural mediation in the Muslim world, in view
of its important role in cultural peace in the Member States, and invite the Member
States both to align their cultural policies with this strategically grounded vision, and
58
to establish focal points to coordinate relevant programmes and activities.
11.To call for orienting cultural mediation training programmes toward building social
peace in the Member States for the youth and women.
12.To coordinate Member States’ stances at international forums to address Islamophobia
through a multi-pronged, integrated approach involving culture, education, the
media and human rights.
13.To extend thanks and appreciation to the Republic of Azerbaijan, represented by the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, for cooperating and hosting the 14th meeting of the
Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic
World, in coordination with ISESCO’s General Directorate.
14.To express appreciation to H.E. Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, ISESCO Director
General, for his efforts toward joint Islamic action advancement, while commending
the achievements made by ISESCO in its areas of competence.
Done in Baku, on 18 May 2015
The Members of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing
the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World
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