Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Meets ICESCO Director General in Rabat to Discuss Enhancing Cultural and Educational Collaboration 

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein, visited the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat On 6 February 2025, and met with the Director General of the Organization Dr. Salim AlMalik, to discuss prospects for cooperation between Iraq and the Organization in the cultural and educational areas.

Director General Al Malik welcomed the Minister, and provided a detailed explanation of ICESCO’s work and the challenges it faces, noting that the Organization includes a wide representation of Member States including Iraq, which participates with competencies working in various sectors, as well he affirmed  ICESCO’s readiness to provide support and assistance to Iraq, proposing the adoption of Baghdad as the Capital of Islamic Culture. 

On his part, Minister Hussein appreciated this initiative, commending the important role played by the Organization in the areas of education and culture, as an investment in human beings. The Minister also reviewed the severe damage to Iraqi heritage caused by the attacks of the Da’esh terrorist organization especially in the city of Mosul, where many archaeological sites were destroyed and thousands of heritage pieces were looted, stressing that Iraq, through recovery diplomacy, succeeded in recovering thousands of stolen artifacts.

The Minister also stressed the importance of moderate intellectual approaches in addressing cultural issues, and expressed Iraq’s aspiration to open an office for ICESCO in Baghdad, for its major role in enhancing cooperation between the two sides.

The meeting also touched on the efforts of the Iraqi government in the education sector, as the Minister indicated that the Foreign Ministry relies on cultural diplomacy as a soft power to enhance Iraq’s position on the international scene, based on the country’s ancient cultural and civilizational heritage, as well he expressed his hope to expand the scope of cooperation with ICESCO, especially in the field of protecting cultural property and recovering Iraqi antiquities.

At the end of the visit, Dr. Salim AlMalik accompanied the Minister on a tour in the organization’s headquarters, as he was briefed on its various divisions, and visited exhibitions that shed light on the civilizational and Islamic heritage.