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REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS ON CULTURAL AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
ADOPTED BY THE TENTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC SUMMIT CONFERENCE
(SESSION OF “KNOWLEDGE AND MORALITY FOR THE PROGRESS OF UMMAH”)
PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA
20-21 SHA’BAN 1424H 16-17 OCTOBER 2003
REPORT OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
(A) Studying Ways And Means Of Implementing The Cultural Strategy And Plan Of Action For The Islamic World
(B) The Cultural Aspects Of The Phenomenon Of Globalization
(C) The Universal Declaration On Dialogue Among Civilizations
(D) The Unified Hijri Calendar For The Beginnings Of Lunar Months And The Unification Of Islamic Holidays
(E) The World Week Of Mosques
(F) Promoting Waqfs And Their Role In The Development Of Islamic Societies
(G) The Adoption Of A Unified Stand On The Belittling Of Islamic Sanctities And Values
(H) Destruction Of The Babri Masjid In India And Protection Of Islamic Holy Places
(I) Destruction Of Charar-E-Sharif Islamic Complex In Kashimir And Other Islamic Sites Therein
(J) Destruction And Descration Of Islamic Historical And Cultural Relics And Shrines In The Occupied Azeri Territories Resulting From The Republic Of Armenia’s Aggression Against The Republic Of Azerbaijan
(K) Vision Of Assistance To The Muslims In Kosovo And Sanjak
(A) Women And Their Role In The Development Of Islamic Society
(B) Projects To Set Up A Mechanism Of Family Affairs.
(C) Child Care And Protection In The Islamic World
(D) The Education And Rehabilitation Of Muslim Youth
(A) The Islamic University In Niger
(B) The Islamic University In Uganda
(C) International Islamic University Malaysia
(D) Islamic University In Bangladesh
(E) The Proposed Project For A New Campus For The Zeitouna University In Tunisia
(F) Extending Assistance To The King Faisal University In Njamena, Chad
(G) The Support Of A Waqf For Islamic Universities
ISLAMIC
INSTITUTIONS AND CULTURAL CENTRES
(A) The Regional Institute Of Islamic Studies And Research, Timbuctu, Mali
(B) Regional Institute For Complementary Education (Rice), Islamabad (Pakistan)
(C) The Islamic Centre In Guinea-Bissau
(D) The Islamic Institute Of Translation In Khartoum
(E) Establishing An International Islamic Authority On The Holy Quran
(A) The Twinning Of Palestinian Universities In The Occupied Territories With Universities In Oic Member Countries
(B) The Teaching Of The Subject Of History And Geography Of Palestine
(C) The Educational Situation Ih The Occupied Palestinian Territories, And Occupied Syrian Golan
(D) Preservation Of The Islamic Character, Human Heritage And Religious Rights Of Al-Quds-Al Sharif
(E) The Israeli Aggressions Against Islamic Shrines In The City Of Al-Khalil (Hebron) And Other Palestinian Cities
(A) Research Centre For Islamic History, Art And Culture (Ircica), Istanbul
(B) Islamic Fiqh Academy
(C) The Islamic Solidarity Fund And Its Waqf
(A) The Islamic Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organization (Isesco)
(B) The Islamic Committee Of The International Crescent, Benghazi
(A) The Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (Issf) Riyadh
(B) The World Federation Of Arab Islamic International Schools
REPORT OF THE CULTURAL AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE TENTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC SUMMIT CONFERENCE
(SESSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND MORALITY FOR THE PROGRESS OF UMMAH)
PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA
The Cultural and Islamic Affairs Committee of the 10th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference (Session of Knowledge and Morality for the Progress of Ummah) met on 20-21 Sha’ban 1424H, 16-17 October 2003, to consider the Session’s Agenda items pertaining to Cultural and Islamic Affairs
2. His Excellency Ambassador Zakaria Sulong, Chairman of the Committee, opened the meeting. He welcomed the participating delegations and wished them a pleasant stay and success in the mission entrusted to them. His Excellency referred to the enormous work entrusted to the Committee and the shortage of available time, and expressed his confidence that the fraternal cooperation, the constructive Islamic spirit and mutual respect among the distinguished delegates will ensure the success of the Committee deliberations. The Committee approved the Agenda of the Meeting.
3. The General Secretariat was represented by H.E. Ambassador Ahmed Ali Ghazali, Assistant Secretary General for Information and Cultural Affairs.
4. The concerned subsidiary organs, specialized and affiliated institutions of the OIC also participated in the proceedings of the Committee.
5. The Committee examined resolutions under Agenda items 77 to 83 of the Session Agenda and adopted the draft resolutions unanimously. In addition, several new proposal were raised and written proposals would be submitted for consideration to the OIC General Secretariat.
6. The Committee paid special attention to the developments of the educational conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories and the difficult circumstances facing the Palestinian people in this field and to the destruction of the Palestinian civilization, cultural and religious institutions by the Israeli occupation forces.
7. The Committee addressed the financial difficulties faced by the universities, as well as cultural and educational institutions in the performance of their duties. The Committee appealed to the Member States to further extend their support to OIC and its institutions in particular to the Islamic Solidarity Fund.
8. The Committee recommended to support the Tunisian proposal that was submitted to 58th Session of the United Nations General Assembly to declare the year 2004, as the international year for physical education in the service of peace and development.
9. In conclusion, the Committee commended the Chairman for his excellent conduct of the deliberations and for his good performance of the meeting which contributed to a timely and optimal outcome of the meeting.
10. The Chairman expressed his thanks to all members for the brotherly spirit and seriousness which prevailed during the meeting and for their thorough knowledge of the issues examined which enabled the Committee to achieve positive results within the specified time. The Chairman also expressed his thanks to H.E. the Assistant Secretary General for Information and Cultural Affairs for his contribution in conducting the Committee’s proceedings. He also extended his thanks to the technical staff and translators and interpreters for the competent performance of their tasks.
H.E. Ambassador Zakaria Sulong
Ambassador of Malaysia to Bosnia Herzegovina
Chairman of the Cultural And Islamic Affairs Committee
13 October 2003
Resolutions for Cultural and Islamic Affairs
The Tenth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference (Session of Knowledge and Morality for the Progress of Ummah) held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, 20-21 Sha’aban 1424H (16 – 17 October 2003),
Recalling the principles and purposes of the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference,
Recalling the Resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit Conferences and other Islamic Conferences, in particular the Ninth Islamic Summit Conference;
Having considered also the report of the Secretary General on the Cultural and Social Matters;
Adopted the Resolutions related to the following issues:
(a) STUDYING WAYS AND MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING
THE CULTURAL STRATEGY AND THE PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE ISLAMIC WORLD
1. Affirms its mandate to the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in its capacity as the specialized body within the organization of the Islamic Conference and considering the fact that it is the living cultural conscience of the Muslim world, to pursue the implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World and to follow-up its implementation through the Consultative Council set up for that purpose, as well as to collaborate with relevant quarters in the Member States and the OIC General Secretariat.
2. Stresses the need to step up, coordinate and combine efforts and marshal potentialities and resources in order to give strong impetus to the implementation mechanisms of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic world and to adapt them to the regional and international developments as it is a flexible action plan and a dynamic framework that meet the requirements of the comprehensive and multi-purpose development of the Muslim world, taking into consideration differences, in situation and diversity in options and in national cultural policies of each Member State.
3. Exhorts the Member States to incorporate the cultural principles that help shape the individual, build civilization and attain development and progress, principles enshrined in the spirit of the Islamic civilization, into the core of national cultural policies,and stresses the need to promote the factors of complementarity, inter-relationship and solidarity within the Islamic brotherhood that holds together the peoples of the Muslim Ummah and to adopt it as a foundation of the joint Islamic cultural action.
4. Stresses the critical importance of deepening the concept of the cultural and civilizational unity of the Muslim Ummah, of strengthening that concept and harnessing it in order to shape the cultural identity of the Muslim world for it is the hard core that stands fast in the face of globalization’s challenges which are sweeping away the specificities of peoples and menacing their own cultural identities.
5. Calls upon the Member States which do not have national cultural councils, to create them, in order for the latter to coordinate activities of the cultural action therein, for the purpose of implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic world, whether as part of the mission devolved on the culture ministries of the Muslim States or their respective national cultural councils, so that those councils may become bodies that support and complement already existing institutions.
6. Notes with appreciation the ratification by the Twenty-ninth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Consultative Council’s reports on the implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World adopted by its first, second and third meetings.
7. Calls upon Member States wishing to implement cultural projects, to submit those projects to the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization which shall refer them to the Consultative Council for Implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic world.
8. Invites all the Member States to allocate additional financial resources to support the implementation of the projects of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic world in view of the difficulty of obtaining the necessary funds for implementing the projects approved by the Consultative Council in its previous sessions. It appealed to the next General Conference of ISESCO (Tehran, December 2003) to approve and implement the increase.
9. Stresses the importance of activating the role of the Higher Council for Education and Culture in the West operating within the framework of the Strategy for Islamic Cultural Action in the West, and calls upon the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to provide financial and moral support to the Higher Council for Education and Culture in the West through the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
10. Approves the constitution of Members of the Consultative Council for implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic world:
1. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2. Republic of Yemen
3. Islamic Republic of Mauritania
4. Republic of Chad
5. Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros
6. Republic of Guinea
7. Islamic Republic of Pakistan
8. Brunei Darussalam
9. Republic of Tajikistan.
11. Thanks ISESCO for its initiative in organizing the Islamic Conference of Education Ministers in the Member States in Paris on 17.10.2001 alongside the 31st Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in order to contribute to the implementation of the Cultural Strategy and adopts the Final Communique of the Conference.
12. Thanks ISESCO for its initiative to organize the third meeting of the Consultative Council on the Implementation of the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World at Riyadh in October 2002 and approves the resolutions and RESOLUTION NO.s of that meeting; expresses its high consideration and gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Abdul Azeez for his gracious hosting and patronage of the meeting, and adopts the strategy of benefiting from expatriate intellectuals in the West and its implementation mechanism drawn up by ISESCO in coordination with OIC Member States and Islamic Cultural Centres in the West and commissions it to implement it.
13. Takes cognizance of the inability for the Republic of Yemen to host the 4th Islamic Conference of Ministers for Cultural Affairs and commends fruitful contacts made by the ISESCO Director General with the Member States in this context, expresses its deepest gratitude and appreciation to the Democratic Popular Republic of Algeria for its understanding and acceptance to host the 4th Islamic Conference of Ministers for Cultural Affairs to be held in 2004 and entrusts ISESCO with the convening of the conference in coordination with the General Secretariat.
14. Welcomes the choice of Makkah Al Mukarramah as the capital of Islamic culture for the year 2004 and commends the initiative taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to set up a higher commission to liaise with ISESCO in the preparation o the details of the programme of this important event and calls upon the Muslim states to participate in the proceedings.
15. Expresses appreciation and commends the successive conference and meetings held by ISESCO in favour of the heads of Islamic associations and centres in the West, America and Asia which have contributed to the coordination of Islamic cultural activities in the emigrant host countries and met the challenges imposed by the September 11th events. It calls upon them to pursue their efforts in this context.
16. Commends
the role of the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference and of ISESCO in implementing the Cultural Strategy of the Islamic
world.
(b) THE CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE PHENOMENON OF GLOBALIZATION
1. Expresses thanks to the Secretary General for his initiative to submit this subject for consideration and requests him to prepare in cooperation with Member States an in‑depth study aimed at protecting Islamic culture and heritage against the negative impacts of globalization.
2. Commends the results of the international and regional conferences and symposia organized by the OIC General Secretariat and ISESCO on the cultural and educational aspects of globalization and adopts its decisions and Draft RESOLUTION NO.s.
3. Calls on the
OIC General Secretariat and ISESCO to pursue its efforts through convening
specialized symposia to address this issue;
(c) THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS
1. Welcomes the decision of the OIC Secretary General to entrust ISESCO with issuing a documentary white book (in two editions) in Arabic, English and French that includes all the basic documents on dialogue among civilizations to be distributed among all UN Member States during the meeting of the General Assembly. It expresses its deepest thanks and appreciation to the distinguished efforts exerted by ISESCO for preparing, publishing and distributing this book among the competent bodies in the member states as well as among relevant international and regional organizations.
2. Commends the distinguished standard and important conclusions of the international symposia, held by ISESCO in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat in the framework of implementing the programmes on dialogue assigned to ISESCO during the UN Year of Dialogue, and calls upon ISESCO to continue to implement as many of these conferences and symposia as possible; and expresses profound gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulazeez, and to His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Azeez bin Fahd bin Abdulazeez for the generous support they have extended to ISESCO to enable it implement the Islamic programmes relating to dialogue among civilizations,
and calls upon Member States and Islamic Institutions to provide further support to ISESCO so that it may continue to implement the dialogue programmes as required by current dispensation.
3. Expresses its utmost appreciation and gratitude to His Majesty King Muhammad VI for kindly patronizing the Symposium organized by ISESCO in Rabat on Dialogue Among Civilizations in July 2001, and the International Symposium on Image of Islam in Western Media: between Justice and Unfairness, in January 2002. It adopts the statements issued by both Symposia. It highlights the call made by His Majesty to hold an international meeting on dialogue among civilizations and religions.
4. It expresses again its utmost thanks and gratitude to His Excellency Dr. Bashar Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic, for kindly to hosting and patronizing the International Symposium on Dialogue Among Civilizations for Co-existence (Damascus, 18-20 May 2002) and adopts the Damascus Declaration issued by the Symposium and its Draft RESOLUTION NO.s.
5. Appreciates the efforts and initiatives by ISESCO in holding a series of symposia on Dialogue among Civilizations in 2002, notably the International Symposia on “Peace through Dialogue of Cultures (Geneva, 2002); on “Islam in the Media” (London, June 2002); on “Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations: Comprehension and Mutual Understanding” (Liechtenstein, October 2002) on “Islam’s perspective on Peace and Security” (Washington, November 2002).
6. Commends the scholarly standard of the studies prepared by ISESCO on its vision and efforts in the area of strengthening dialogue between civilizations, adopts the studies, and calls upon ISESCO to distribute them to Member States and relevant Organizations.
7. Calls upon ISESCO to cooperate with UNESCO to convene periodical meetings on the definition of terrorism thus putting an end to the confusion related to that principle, insisting on the principle of the willingness of Islamic States to start an effective dialogue among civilizations and on the importance to make Islamic culture and our religion and behaviour in the field of human transaction better known. It also calls upon Member States to support the proclamation of a world agreement on cultural differences respecting and acknowledging the specificities of all civilizations and cultures. It welcomes the choice of ISESCO as a member of a team for Euro-Arab dialogue.
8. Call upon the Member States to integrate the discipline of dialogue among civilizations within their educational curricula in order to dedicate those principles in the minds of the future Islamic generations and enhance the outstanding experiences of the Member States aiming at encouraging dialogue and correcting the wrong image on Islam and the Muslims with a view to disseminating them in the modern languages.
(d) THE UNIFIED HIJRI CALENDAR FOR THE BEGINNINGS OF LUNAR MONTHS AND THE UNIFICATION OF ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS
Having considered the report of the Secretary General on the subject;
1. Requests the 9th Session of the Islamic Committee on Establishing a Unified Hijri Calendar to prepare a
unified Hijri Calendar to be adhered to by the Islamic States based on the appearance of the new moon
before sunset and its disappearance after sunset according to Makkah Al‑Mukarramah time or to any of
the Islamic country that shares with the Holy City a sufficient part of the night.
2. Observance of Friday as a weekly holiday for Muslims in all countries.
3. Ascertaining the beginning and end of the month of Ramadan as well as the beginning of the month of
Dhul Hijjah through Shariah sighting that is irrefutable by scientific sensory or mental proof, pursuant to
the Hadith of the Prophet (Peace be upon him): "Fast and break your fast as a result of sighting the
crescent. However, if the sky is overcast consider the month of Shaaban to be thirty days", and to the
Hadith: "Do not fast until you sight the new moon".
4. Invites the Member States, especially the able ones, to support the project of His Eminence Mufti of the
Arab Republic of Egypt; the 9th Islamic Summit Conference had already welcomed the project.
(e) THE WORLD WEEK OF MOSQUES
1. Adopts the observance of the World Week of Mosques to begin on the 21St August of every year,
anniversary
date of the burning of the Al Aqsa Mosque by Zionist fanatics;
2. Calls on Member States to commemorate the week through celebrations with a view to consolidating and
safeguarding mosques, as holy places in accordance with the tolerant Islamic values.
(f) PROMOTING WAQFS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC SOCIETIES.
1. Urges the Islamic Member States to provide further attention to Waqfs in the legislative and administrative fields,
and give them the chance to develop their societies.
2. Calls on the Member States and the concerned organs therein to coordinate with the State of Kuwait in the field
of exchanging expertise, information and experiences as holding academic meetings to activate the performance of
national Waqf institutions and to develop them.
3. Expresses satisfaction for the efforts exerted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the management and
preservation of the Waqs, consisting of an inventory , registration and in enhancing their financial resources
through development and investment by all means appropriate to raise funds and spend them on charity projects.
Also expresses gratitude for the care taken by the Kingdom to manage the Waqs libraries and develop resources.
4. Expresses satisfaction for the efforts of the Islamic Development Bank to pay attention to Waqfs, hold seminars
and meaningfully contribute towards investing and developing Waqf assets.
5. Welcomes the existing cooperation between ISESCO and the General Secretariat of the Waqfs and the World Islamic
Charitable Foundation in Kuwait to look after the Waqfs and to develop them, and to organize specialized scientific symposia
and to publish studies and research papers on the subject in Arabic, French and English.
(g) THE ADOPTION OF A UNIFIED STAND ON THE BELITTLING OF ISLAMIC SANCTITIES AND VALUES
1. Condemns once again these aggressions and violations wherever they may occur and whatever their source, means or manifestation.
2. Strongly reaffirms all the provisions of the statements and Draft RESOLUTION NO.s adopted by the previous Islamic Summit and Foreign Ministers Conferences, particularly the Ninth Islamic Summit.
3. Commends the efforts of ISESCO and Al‑Azhar Al‑Sharif to prepare appropriate replies in the Internet to stop falsehoods against Islamic values and it calls for constituting a group of experts and scholars in order to establish a monitoring system in the Internet sites which introduce Islamic materials, sciences and fatwa. The group shall draw attention to the information sites which provide correct material and those which introduce erroneous religious materials.
4. Commends the
efforts made by ISESCO to project the true image of Islam in Western media and
adopts the final declaration, the Draft RESOLUTION NO.s and Draft
Resolution No.s of the international symposium on the West and Islam in the mass
media that it organized in London from 20 to 21 April 2002.
(h) DESTRUCTION OF THE BABRI MASJID IN INDIA AND PROTECTION OF ISLAMIC HOLY PLACES
1. Recalling the resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit and other Islamic Conferences, in particular the Ninth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference;
2. Recalling the objectives of the OIC which stress the need for coordinated effort to safeguard the Islamic Places and strengthen the struggle of Islamic peoples for the preservation of their dignity, independence and national rights;
3. Also recalling the resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, on the unified stand against the desecration of Islamic Holy Places, especially Resolution No.3/6-C(IS) of the Sixth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference;
4. Noting that the Babri Mosque with its history spanning five centuries was the object of veneration and respect of Muslims all over the world;
5. Also noting with regret that the 10th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid has passed without concrete steps being taken towards rebuilding of the Masjid or punishing those responsible for the sacrilegious act of its destruction;
6. Recalling also that the Organization of the Islamic Conference made several appeals to the Indian government to prevent any violation of sanctity of the Mosque and emphasized the responsibility of the Government of India for safeguarding the inviolability of the Mosque and protecting its building against attacks by Hindu extremists;
7. Expressing deep concern over acts of vandalism and violence perpetrated by Hindu extremists in India against the Muslim minority aimed at uprooting the Islamic culture and heritage in India. Also expressing deep anger and indignation at the destruction of the Babri Mosque, resulting in killing of thousands of innocent Muslims and the indiscriminate destruction of their homes;
8. Noting with deep concern Indian statements in December 2000 on the destruction of the Hindu temple at the site of the Babri Mosque;
9. Also noting with deep concern statements by some Indian officials on the construction of the Ram Temple at the site of the Babri Mosque which was set for March 12, 2002; and that this intention remains on the agenda of the Hindu extremist organizations who have expressed their determination to revive the Ram Temple movement with a view to start construction of the Temple any time in the next 18 months.
10. Recalling the resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on the unified stand against the violations of the sanctity of Sacred Muslim Places;
11. Having considered the Resolutions of the Twenty-fifth Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs;
12. Having considered the Report of the Secretary General on the subject;
1. Recommends the Member States and the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to follow-up the implementation of the operative paragraphs of Resolution No. 19/9-C(IS) adopted by the Ninth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference which calls upon the government of India to:
a) Ensure the safety and protection of the Muslims and all Islamic Holy Sites throughout India in accordance with its responsibilities and obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international Instruments.
b) Take immediate steps to implement its solemn commitment to reconstruct the Babri Mosque on its original site, to restore it as a Holy Place for Muslims, and to punish those guilty of the sacrilegious act of destroying a revered religious symbol of the Islamic world.
c) Remove the makeshift Hindu temple, put together on the site of the Babri Mosque which is a continuation of the acts of desecration and an affront to the feelings of the Muslims in India and all parts of the Muslim world.
d) Take effective measures to prevent construction of a temple on the site of the Babri Mosque.
e) Take immediate steps to ensure the protection of the other 3,000 Mosques, especially those at Mathura and Varanasi, which have been the targets of threats and destruction attempts by Hindu extremists.
2. Strongly condemns the destruction of the historic Babri Mosque in Ayodya, India, by Hindu extremists and hold them responsible for this outrageous act of destruction and sabotage.
3. Expresses deep regret over the failure of the Indian authorities to take appropriate measures to protect this important Muslim holy site.
4. Condemns the forced and illegal entry of Hindu militants into the site of the Babri Masjid on 17th October 2001.
5. Expresses its deep concern over the safety and security of the Muslim minority in India, in view of the gross human rights violations of thousands of innocent Muslims in various parts of India, including their right to life.
6. Recommends that the issue be submitted to the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) through the OIC Member States’ Ambassadors accredited to Paris.
7. Welcomes in this respect, the decision made by the Supreme Court of India on
24th October 1994 that the “the settlement of disputes were outside its jurisdiction”.
(i) DESTRUCTION OF CHARAR‑E‑SHARIF ISLAMIC COMPLEX IN KASHIMIR AND OTHER ISLAMIC SITES THEREIN
Recalling the Resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit and other Islamic Conferences, in particular the Ninth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference;
Deeply concerned that, as a result of Indian armed action on the occasion of Eidul‑Adha in 1415H (1995), over 1500 houses and shops were gutted, holy relics were destroyed and the mosque and the Islamic Complex of Charar‑e‑Sharif razed to the ground, the Shrine of the Shah‑e‑Hamadan was burnt to ashes by the Security forces in the town of Karal in December 1997 and the Jamia Mosque of Safapur in Baromula district was desecrated by the troops in January 1998, and the historic Jamia Mosque at Kishtwar was burnt down in January 2001, a mosque in Chadora was besieged by Indian troops in October 2001 and a mosque and copies of the Holy Quran was desecrated in Srinagar on 14 December 2002 by Hindu extremists. .
Having in consideration the report of the Secretary General on this matter:
1. Strongly deplores the destruction of the 536 year old Islamic complex at Charare‑Sharif which constitutes a serious aggression against the Islamic heritage of the Muslim people of Kashmir.
2. Expresses its concern over the loss of life and the burning of over 1500 houses of the civil residents of Charar‑e‑Sharif.
3. Strongly condemns the burning of the Shrine of Shah‑e‑Hamadan and the desecration of the Jamia Mosque at Safapur, and the burning of the Jamia Mosque at Kishtwar and other incidents of desecration of Muslim Holy places.
4. Also condemns the continuing desecration of Mosques and Muslim Holy Places and denial of religious rights to the Muslim population in the Indian Occupied State.
5. Urges the international
community, especially the Member States to exert utmost efforts to protect the
basic rights of the Kashmiri people, including their right to self‑determination
according to the relevant UN Resolutions as well as to safeguard their religious
and cultural rights and their Islamic heritage.
(j) DESTRUCTION AND DESECRATION OF ISLAMIC HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RELICS AND SHRINES IN THE OCCUPIED
AZERI TERRITORIES RESULTING FROM THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA'S AGGRESSION AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF
AZERBAIJAN
1. Strongly condemns the barbaric acts committed by the Armenian aggressor in the Republic of Azerbaijan aiming at the total annihilation of the Islamic heritage in the occupied Azeri territories;
2.Vigorously demands the strict and unconditional implementation by the Republic of Armenia of UN Security Council Draft RESOLUTION NO.s nos. 822, 853, 874 and 884.
3.Emphasizes its support of the efforts exerted by Azerbaijan at international organizations designed to put an the end to the armed aggression, erase its sequels and honouring the pledges and commitments spelled out in the relevant paragraphs of the Convention reached in the Hague in 1954 on the protection of valuable cultural items in the course of military conflicts. Those paragraphs include a reminder that where an armed conflict erupts, the states undertake to prevent the smuggling of valuable cultural items from the territories under occupation. Likewise, governments are bound to ban theft and looting of whatever type, acts of illegal violations of cultural values [which are tantamount to rape] as well as savage prejudice to the above values. They are committed to prevent such acts or reverse their effects where necessary.
4. Asserts that Azerbaijan is entitled to receiving adequate compensation for the damage it sustained and considers that it is the responsibility of the Republic of Armenia to give full compensation for such damage.
5. Requests the relevant OIC subsidiary organs and specialized agencies to explore the possibility of drawing up a program to help rebuild the mosques, educational institutions, libraries and museums in the Azeri territories liberated from occupation with the help of OIC Member States.
6. Thanks the
Secretary‑General for conveying the OIC Member States' stance on this issue to
the United Nations (UNO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) and other international bodies, and for the coordination
procedures undertaken in the framework of OIC subsidiary, specialized and
affiliated organs. It also thanks those organs and organizations for
their response, especially for the adoption by the IDB and ISESCO of programmes
to implement projects to protect Islamic holy places in the Republic of
Azerbaijan.
(k) VISION OF ASSISTANCE TO THE MUSLIMS IN KOSOVO AND SANJAK
1. Urges all OIC Member States and the relevant OIC organizations to extend assistance to the Muslims in Kosovo and Sanjak to reconstruct their war-damaged country in the field of cultural heritage, keeping in mind and respecting the original architecture of the Islamic Shrines which existed in these places for hundreds of years.
2. Requests the IDB and the Islamic Solidarity Fund to undertake the study of cultural and economic projects with a view to implementing them to consolidate the links between the populations of these regions and their cultural heritage, identity and cultural roots and ward off the dangers threatening their Islamic identity.
3.Extends its thanks to all member states which provided help and assistance to the people of Kosovo during its ordeal in confronting the Serbian aggression.
(a) WOMEN AND THEIR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC SOCIETY
Having taken note of the Secretary General's Report
1. Requests Member States to take the appropriate steps to organize Women's activities at national and international levels and in different fields consistent with the nature of women and the precepts of the Shariah.
2. Requests the General Secretariat to coordinate with the governments of Member States to support direct and sustainable relationships among Muslim Women Associations in Member States and cooperate with the existing International Women Organizations in Islamic Countries.
3. Requests the General Secretariat to liaise with Member States in order to hold a ministerial conference on women with a view to developing an action plan to enhance women’s role in the development of Muslim societies and creating greater opportunities for women in all walks of public life.
4. Urged Member States to adopt a participatory approach that takes into account women’s needs and strategic interests and enables women’s participation in all projects and programmes developed and implemented within the Muslim Ummah.
5. Takes cognizance of the view of the Islamic Fiqh Academy on the study which had been referred to it by a RESOLUTION NO. of the 23rd ICFM on Women and Their Role in Development of Society. It thanks the General Secretariat for communicating this study to the Member States aimed at coordination with them in order to support direct relations with Muslim women societies, and cooperate with world organizations of Muslim women in Islamic countries.
(b) PROJECT TO SET UP A MECHANISM OF FAMILY
AFFAIRS
(submitted by the State of Qatar)
1. Affirms that the teachings of the righteous Islamic religion grant special status to the family as the nucleus on which is built the Muslim society founded on religion and ethics, and reiterates the importance of Islamic teachings calling for the promotion of the status of the family.
2. Reiterates the need to set up a comprehensive mechanism to help the Islamic family meet the challenges of the ongoing international developments and to strengthen the capacity of the OIC Member States to face the issues related to all categories of families.
3. Take into consideration the proposal made by the State of Qatar aiming at setting up a mechanism in charge of all the categories of families within OIC organigram with a view to harmonizing the positions of the Islamic States on the international scene.
4. Entrusts the Secretary General to work towards the creation of a mechanism within the General Secretariat structures in charge of the family, women, children, youth, the elderly and special needs categories to follow up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next meeting of the Islamic Co0nference of foreign Ministers.
(c) CHILD CARE AND PROTECTION IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD
1. Recalls the principles and resolutions of the United Nations on the rights of children adopted by all OIC Member States.
2. Also recalls the ratification by all OIC Member States the UN Declaration on the new Millennium, including the development goals of the Millennium relates to the rights of children to health, education and equality, in reference to the declaration on “A World Worthy of Children” and the Plan of Action also founded on the rights of children, adolescents and youth for protection.
3. Commends the outstanding and fruitful cooperation between OIC Member States, the General Secretariat, subsidiary, affiliated and specialized organs and UNICEF aiming at ensuring the safety, protection and development of children all over the world.
4. Urges the Member States to place the issue of the Palestinian children’s care and protection high on the priority list commanding attention to what they are facing in terms of deliberate killings, maimings, repression and psychological destruction at the hands of the occupation forces and Jewish settlers, not to mention the obstruction of their education and health care through internal and external blockades and sieges of towns and villages and the cutting off of the roads that lead to schools and hospitals.
5. Calls on the Member States, in their consideration of the measures relevant to conflict prevention, management and settlement, to take all necessary measures to prevent any further armed conflicts and to provide particular care for the needs of children and women who are the main victims of such conflicts, and particularly to encourage periods of truce during conflicts, as well as safe passages such as to allow the channeling of food supplies and vaccinations and health care services, and to ban the production, storage, import, export and use of landmines. The Conference also urges the member States that planted such landmines, to assume their removal or at least to extend technical and financial assistance for the clearing of existing mine-fields whose victims in fact are more often than not among women, children and other civilians, and whose devastating effects extend far beyond the conflict period.
6. Urges Member States to work with the assistance of the international community to improve the conditions of children, particularly those living under difficult conditions in conflict-ridden regions and those suffering from the effects of economic blockades and sanctions imposed on their countries, as well as displaced children refugees, by providing for their physical and moral needs and by taking interest in their education and helping them to return to normal lives, and commends the efforts expended by a number of Islamic countries in this direction.
7. Calls for the convening of the First Ministerial Conference on the Child and Social Affairs, during the year 2004, and commissions the Secretary General and the Director General of ISESCO to make necessary consultations with the Member States in this connection, particularly those which have outstanding expertise in this field It also charges ISESCO to organize this Conference in conjunction with the General Secretariat.
8. Calls on Member States to continue to strive for guaranteeing the human rights of children of both sexes, as they constitute the best means to achieve social justice. Also calls for the organization of a sensitizing campaign on issues of interest to them and with a view to integrating them in the national curricula of Member States in accordance with their conditions.
9. Requests Member States to take the necessary measures to protect children from the dangers resulting from harmful mass media programmes and to support programmes which lead to the promotion of the cultural, moral and ethical values of children.
10. Also requests Member States, in order to ensure the safety of the paid working children and their morals, to forbid any form of dangerous employment and to assist them to enjoy social security benefits.
11. Requests the Secretary General to study the conditions of the schools of Muslim minorities living in non-Islamic countries in coordination with the government concerned and to submit to the next ICFM a report on the possible means to increase their numbers and to rationalize their management after receiving the views of Member States thereon.
12. Takes note of the meeting held by the General Secretariat on formulating a Covenant for Child in Islam based on authentic Sharia sources; it also takes note of steps achieved in this respect.
13. Commends the role played by UNICEF since its establishment for the survival, protection and development of children worldwide, particularly in the developing countries; and especially the ongoing cooperation between the OIC and the UNICEF relating to the child care and protection in the OIC countries.
14. Invites Member States to combat child trafficking through awareness raising, capacity building of law enforcing agencies and setting up rescue and rehabilitation centers for the victims.
15. Urges the OIC General Secretariat and UNICEF to support Member States, when the need arises, through joint efforts and programmes in order for them to abide by their commitments vis-à-vis the children.
(d) THE EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION OF MUSLIM YOUTH
1. Requests the General Secretariat to prepare the Conference programmes and determine the questions and topics to help trigger debates, and to enrich them with a view to better serving the youth of the Islamic Ummah in addition to the appointing of the appropriate date for the holding of the Conference in close coordination with the Sports Federation for Islamic Solidarity Games.
2. Welcomes enhancement of cooperation among Member States to achieve better exchange of ideas and experience between Muslim youth and youth organisations in different societies, and underlines the need to provide youth with sound entertainment and sport with the aim of developing the academic and cultural capacity of youth.
3. Expresses its satisfaction with the results reached at the Meeting of Experts held from 17 to 19 Muharram 1418H (24‑26 May 1997) in preparation for the First Islamic Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports, while welcoming again the decision of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to host the First Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the Sports Federation of the Islamic Solidarity Games.
4. Commends the activities of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Riyadh aimed at raising the cultural and religious standards of Muslim youth all over the world.
5. Expresses its thanks to the Secretariat of the Sports Federation for Islamic Solidarity for charging a group of experts in the field of youth and sport to enrich the subjects and themes which will be discussed by the First Islamic Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports.
6. Encourages the Member States to enhance the vocational and professional skills of their youth imparting proper education and training and introduce micro-financing schemes towards engaging them in income generating activities and creating opportunities for self-employment.
7. Reiterates its support to the proposal put forth by the Republic of Tunisia, backed by a group of other States during the 58th Session of the UN General Assembly declaring the year 2004 as the International Year of Sports, Physical Education in the service of Peace and Development in the World.
(a) THE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY IN NIGER
1. Appeals to the Member States, the Islamic Development Bank, and Islamic Philanthropic organizations to extend financial and material support to this important Islamic institution, considering the annual deficit in the modest budget of this university due to the lack of resources.
2. Underlines the need of contributing to the University Waqf, whose Statute had been approved during the 26th ICFM in Burkina Faso, and urges the donors to step up their efforts to achieve this objective and commissions the Secretary General and the University Board of Trustees to work in this sense to secure the sufficient funds for the Waqf of the University
3. Expresses its thanks to the Islamic Development Bank for its donation of $1.2 Mission in order to finance the initial stage of the building of a new university for girls in Niamey.
4. Thanks the Government of Niger for its commitment to take the necessary procedures to deliver all the University land allocated for the girls College, to build the Wall in Sai University, and finalize other projects scheduled for establishment.
5. Calls on the Secretary General to intensify his contacts with the Member States to urge them to offer donations to the Islamic universities in Niger and Uganda.
6. Expresses its heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Government of Niger and the University Board of Trustees for their fruitful cooperation and persistent efforts for the good running of the University, also expresses its thanks to the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the generous donations of US.$ 650,000 for building the outer wall of the University, and also to the Government of the State of Kuwait for a donation of US$1,800,000.00 in favour of the Waqfs of the Islamic Universities in Niger and Uganda and to the General Secretariat of Waqfs in Kuwait, and also expresses thanks to His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al‑Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the State of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharja, for his donation to build the second part of the University library.
7. Commends the consistent support extended by the ISF to finance the greater part of the annual budget of the University and expresses thanks to it for allocating US.$ 100,000 to open an account at Rajhi Investment Company as a nucleus for the Waqf of the Islamic University in Niger [Account No. 4627520/0100037 in the name of the ISF (Niger University Waqf)].
8. Entrusts the Board of Trustees of the to make another tour to inform about the Waqf of the two Universities, re-establish contacts with the donor bodies, and urge them to extend donations, as of the beginning of October 2001, in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat.
9. Thanks ISESCO for the assistance offered to the University in terms of lecturers, scholarships and printing machines with standardized Quranic characters. It welcomes ISESCO’s approval to monitor the project related to the revision of the University’s programmes and curricula and its willingness to link the University with a number of Arab and Islamic institutions to develop library services and restore the manuscripts therein.
10. Commends the continuous support granted to the University by the Islamic Development Bank, the International Cooperation Agency in the Kingdom of Morocco, the World Islamic Dawa Association, Zaid Ibn Sultan Al-Nahyan Charitable Foundation, the Kuwait Beit Al Zakat, the Charity Association in Ujman, the Sharja Charity Association and Fujeira Charity Committee.
(b) THE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY IN UGANDA
1. Invites the Board of Trustees to continue its endeavours to ensure appropriate conditions for the University to fulfill its tasks in accordance with its Statute and the Headquarters Agreement signed by the Government of Uganda and the OIC General Secretariat.
2. Appeals to Member States, the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic charitable institutions, to contribute material and financial assistance to the annual operational budget of the Islamic University in Uganda.
3. Requests the Member States, the Permanent Council of the Islamic Solidarity Fund, the Islamic Development Bank and Charity institutions to accord debts clearance for the Islamic University in Uganda special priority to enable its managers run its affairs in an appropriate environment.
5. Requests ISESCO to continue programming the follow‑up of the University reform in ISESCO's future plans and programmes, including sending experts to conduct field inspection of the University once or more annually, if necessary. It requests the University Board of Trustees and Administration to follow up the implementation, as soon as possible, of the Draft RESOLUTION NO.S contained in the report.
6. Commends the consistent support extended by the ISF to finance the greater part of the annual budget of the University. It thanks the ISF for allocating US.$ 100,000 to open an account at Rajhi Investment Company as a nucleus for the Waqf of the Islamic University in Uganda.
6. Approves the report and Resolution No.s of the Third Meeting of the Committee for supervision of the management of the King Fahd Plaza in Uganda, and requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of the Draft Resolution No.s contained in the report.
7. Entrusts the Board of Trustees of the University to conduct a new tour to inform about the Waqf of the two Universities and re-establish contact with donors and urge them to extend donations in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat.
8 Welcomes the preparation by ISESCO of the Draft Financial and Administrative Regulations for the Islamic University in Uganda, and the Structural Organization of its organs, and its functional description. It also welcomes the review by ISESCO of the Strategy of the University for the years 2000-2005, stresses the need to complete the rest of the assessment process in the University, and thanks it for these efforts.
9. Adopts the membership of H.E Dr. Abdullah Umar Nassif in the Board of Trustees of the Islamic University in Uganda.
(c) INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
1. Renews Contribute to the progress and development of the Islamic University in Malaysia with the aim of enhancing its capacity and enabling it to operate with its full potential to achieve its objectives.
2. Appeals to all Member States, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Solidarity Fund, ISESCO, the World Convention of Islamic Youth, the Islamic World Federation, the World Islamic Dawa Association and all other Islamic institutions to support the programmes and activities of the World Institute for the Unity of Muslims which was lately founded within the International Islamic University Malaysia, to help it build its capacity and enable it to fully operate in order to carry out its objectives aiming at dedicating solidarity and communication among Islamic peoples.
3. Notes with great satisfaction the progress achieved by the University in the fields of research and learning, thanks to its enlightened management and support extended by the Malaysian Government to all its activities.
4. Thanks all charitable organizations, societies, bodies and institutions for their material and moral support, and continuous backing to the fund of needy foreign students. It lauds, in this respect, the contributions of the IDB, the ISF, the International Islamic Charitable Foundation in Kuwait, Iqraa Society, and Rahma Society in Britain.
5. Thanks also Malaysia for its decision to raise the percentage of foreign Muslim students from 12% to 20% in the coming years. It also thanks the University for bearing the tuition and accommodation fees of outstanding but poor students.
6. Thanks the Government of the Prime Minister of Malaysia which launched this institution and calls it to continue supporting its activities and programmes.
(d) ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY IN BANGLADESH
1. Urges all Member States, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Solidarity Fund, the Muslim World League and other Islamic financial institutions to provide adequate academic and financial assistance to the University so that it can achieve its objectives.
2. Calls upon the General Secretariat to pursue its contacts with the People's Republic of Bangladesh to ensure continued financial and moral support to the University.
3. Also calls upon the General Secretariat to continue cooperation with ISESCO, to provide academic assistance to the Islamic University in Bangladesh, from Member States Universities, in accordance with the specific requirements of the University.
4. Decides that ISESCO be a member of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic University in Bangladesh, and stresses the necessity for the University to contact ISESCO and invite the latter to attend the meetings of the Executive Councils of the University.
5. Expresses its appreciation to the Member States and Islamic institutions which have extended assistance to the University.
6. Commends the steps taken by the People's Republic of Bangladesh for the development of the University, bearing its operational costs and the building of the new University Campus so as to accommodate a larger number of students.
7. Encourages the Islamic University in Bangladesh to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Universities and higher seats of learning of repute within the Member States so as to enable its students and teachers to embark on advanced studies and research at the institutions of their choice.
(e) THE PROPOSED PROJECT FOR A NEW CAMPUS FOR THE ZEITOUNA UNIVERSITY IN TUNISIA
1. Reiterates its support for the construction of a new campus so as to enable the University to consolidate its educational and cultural role, and for the implementation of the project.
2. Commends the initiative of the Republic of Tunisia to create the Higher institute and Tunisia House for Islamic Civilization and Comparative Civilizations and calls on the Member States, the IDB and donor Islamic institutions to support the achievement of this important cultural project.
3. Thanks the IDB for extending assistance to the Zaitouna University and calls on it to continue extending material support until the completion of the construction of all the components of the project.
4. Appreciates the initiative of the government of Tunisia for granting scholarships to 86 Muslim students from different parts of the world to study at the Higher Institute for Islamic Civilization of Zaitouna University.
(f) EXTENDING ASSISTANCE TO THE KING FAISAL UNIVERSITY IN NJAMENA, CHAD
1. Urges Member States to extend material and moral aid to King Faisal University in N'djamena, Chad.
2. Thanks the ISF for its assistance to the University and invites it to continue to do so. It also calls on the Islamic Development Bank and other Islamic institutions to extend every possible aid to the University
(g) THE SUPPORT OF A WAQF FOR ISLAMIC UNIVERSITIES
1. Expresses its thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates for this constructive proposal which allow universities to achieve financial outgoing.
2. Appeals to Member States to extend all assistance possible to the Waqf.
ISLAMIC INSTITUTIONS AND CULTURAL CENTRES
(a) THE REGIONAL INSTITUTE OF ISLAMIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH, TIMBUCTU, MALI.
1 Appeals to all Member States, the Islamic Solidarity Fund, the Joma'a Majid Foundation in the Arab United Emirates, and other Islamic institutions to continue providing material support to the Regional Institute of Islamic Studies and Research in Timbuctu so that it may achieve its objectives.
2. Appeals to the Member States which have technical capabilities in the fields of conservation and processing of manuscripts to provide scholarships to the officials of the Institute to enhance their competence in these fields.
3. Expresses its thanks to the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) and invites them to pay greater attention to the Institute and provide it with the necessary technical assistance so that it may continue to carry out its functions.
4. Calls on all Member States to provide the Institute with teachers and technical infrastructure to enable it to take in students in the fields of science and technology.
(b) REGIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COMPLEMENTARY EDUCATION (RICE), ISLAMABAD (PAKISTAN)
1. Emphasizes once again the importance of establishing the Regional Institute for Complementary Education (RICE) in Islamabad, Pakistan, and encouraging the teaching of the Arabic language and Islamic culture in non-Arabic speaking Asian countries.
2. Appeals to the Member States, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Solidarity Fund and the World Federation of International Arab‑Islamic Schools to contribute generously to this project.
3. Expresses its appreciation of the efforts of the Government of Pakistan to establish this Institute and ensure its operation and extends its thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the financial support it has extended to the Institute and to the Arab Republic of Egypt for the secondment of a number of Arabic and religious affairs teachers. It also expresses appreciation to the ISF for its financial assistance to the Institute.
(c) THE ISLAMIC CENTRE IN GUINEA‑BISSAU
1. Invites the Government of the Republic of Guinea‑Bissau and the General Secretariat to continue their coordination with a view to completing the ongoing construction of the Great Mosque in Bissau, and its affiliated structures within the limits of the financial resources currently available.
2. Calls on all Member States, the Islamic Development Bank and the Islamic institutions to provide financial and material assistance to the project of the Islamic Centre in Guinea‑Bissau.
3. Expresses satisfaction with the supervision work carried out by the Africa Muslim Committee of the implementation of the remaining phases of the Islamic Centre Project in Guinea Bissau, and appeals to the ISF to extend the necessary financing to finish it and to build a clinic in the Centre.
4. Expresses sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the State of the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for the financial support and assistance they have extended to the Centre.
(d) THE ISLAMIC INSTITUTE OF TRANSLATION IN KHARTOUM
1. Urges the Member States to extend assistance to the Institute so as to enable it to fulfill the mission entrusted to it.
2. Urges the Islamic Development Bank and Islamic financial institutions to extend necessary financial assistance to support the efforts of the Institute to enable it to continue functioning in the best way and thanks to the Islamic Solidarity Fund for its continuous support of the Institute.
3. Urges the Institute of Translation in Khartoum to cooperate with King Fahd Institute of Translation in Tangier and the other similar institutions.
4. Commends the financial support extended by the Government of the Sudan in favour of the budget of the Institute to enable it to perform its role in an optimal manner, and to solve the financial difficulty it is facing.
(e) ESTABLISHING AN INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC AUTHORITY ON THE HOLY QURAN
1. Recommends to finalize consultations between the Ministry of Waqfs and Islamic Affairs in the State of Qatar, the Sponsor of the project, the Ministry of Waqfs, Islamic Affairs, Dawa and Guidance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the King Fahd Academy of the Holy Quran in Al-Madinah Al-Munawara and the World Muslim League (WML).
2. Recommends also for the OIC General Secretariat and Al-Azhar Al-o take part in consultations with the authorities cited in the above-mentioned RESOLUTION NO. of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, as recommended by the Islamic Fiqh Academy and recommends also the taking part in consultations of the Al Azhar University (Cairo) and the World Muslim League besides the cited authorities in the above mentioned resolution of the Islamic Fiqh Academy.
(a) THE TWINNING OF PALESTINIAN UNIVERSITIES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES WITH UNIVERSITIES IN OIC MEMBER STATES
1. Calls on the Member States to allocate scholarships for the Palestinian students injured in Al‑ Quds Al‑Sharif Intifada and the other students who are members of families of the Intifada martyrs and detainees. It calls on the Universities of the Member States to allocate scholarships in the names of child martyrs of the Intifada, and to name one of those scholarships as Mohammad Al‑Durra Scholarship.
2. Recommends the necessity of strengthening Islamic solidarity with the people and students of Palestine through establishing twining relations between universities in OIC Member States and Palestinian universities in the Occupied Territories to enable the latter to overcome their difficulties, confront Israeli designs aimed at impeding their functioning, fulfill their educational mission in the best manner and contribute to the reinforcement of the Palestinian national authority.
3. Recommends also to extend every kind of financial and academic support and assistance to Palestinian universities so that they may be able to play their national and educational role, and support in particular the Open University of Al‑Quds in view of its importance of supporting the steadfastness of its people and preserving the Arab and Islamic heritage of the Holy City.
4. Calls upon Member States to see to it that their universities receive delegations of trainees and academics from the Palestinian Universities in order to offer them work.
5. Calls upon the Member States to contribute towards qualifying Palestinian youth in their Universities and exchanging educational delegations with the Palestinian Universities in various academic fields, so as to assist the Palestinian Universities in performing their tasks within the framework of overall reconstruction by the Palestinian National Authority and lessen the material and academic difficulties which may emerge.
(b) THE TEACHING OF THE SUBJECT OF THE HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE
1. Calls on the General Secretariat and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to follow up the printing and communicating the curricula to the Member States in implementation of relevant Islamic Draft RESOLUTION NO.s.
2. Urges the competent authorities in the Palestinian National Authority to expeditiously produce the new curricula for the teaching of the history and geography of Palestine.
3. Calls upon Ministries of Education and all educational organisations and institutions in Member States to contribute effectively to the teaching of the subject of the History and Geography of Palestine approved for the three levels of education so as to inform the young generations of Muslims about the land of Palestine as well as its identity and history and the rights of its Muslim Arab people, and safeguard the Islamic, human and historic heritage of Palestine, particularly in Al‑Quds Al‑Sharif.
4. Appeals to the Member States and the IDB to contribute to financing the printing of the approved curricula in the three OIC languages as well as in the national languages of non‑Arabic‑speaking States.
5. Recommends to ISESCO to supervise the publication of the curricula and Requests it to distribute them to Member States.
(c) THE EDUCATIONAL SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, AND OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN.
1. Condemns the measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities against the educational and cultural organizations and institutions in the Palestinian territories aimed at denying the Palestinians access to education, so as to obliterate their national identity and severe them from their culture and history, and distort their civilization to serve the designs of occupation.
2. Appeals to Member States to support the efforts of the Palestine Liberation Organization aimed at promoting the educational process in the Palestinian territories under its National Authority during the transitional period, and to provide it with all technical and financial means to develop curricula for all educational levels.
3. Calls upon Member States to promptly extend every kind of academic and financial assistance and support to the educational sector in the occupied Palestinian territories so that it may fulfill its mission in the reconstruction of the Palestinian national institutions and so that the educational institutions may contribute to the establishment of the Palestinian people's national authority on their homeland, and thus further enhance Islamic solidarity with the people of Palestine.
4. Calls upon Member States to extend every necessary financial assistance to provide the funding required for the promotion of education in the occupied territories in general and in the City of AI‑Quds Al‑Sharif in particular, in view
of the great difficulties faced by the educational process in the Holy City on account of the practices of the Israeli occupation authorities aimed at the judaization of the Holy City and at severing it from its Arab‑Islamic environment.
5. Reiterates its full support and assistance for the inhabitants of occupied Syrian Golan in their resistance against the oppressive Israeli practices, and their legitimate struggle to preserve their cultural, national and Arab identity, and appeals to the United Nations, to specialized international bodies and institutions and in particular to UNESCO, to counter those Israeli policies which violate international laws and conventions.
6. Calls for support to the steadfastness of the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan against the Israeli practices aimed at obliterating their Arab cultural identity and proclaims its support for the maintenance of Syrian Arab educational curricula and the provision of educational and cultural material.
7. Recommends to provide all kinds of financial and academic assistance and support to the Palestinian universities in implementation of the Draft RESOLUTION NO.s of successive Islamic Conferences, and to work for the establishment of a Centre of higher studies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
8. Calls upon the international community to shoulder its full responsibility in forcing Israel to abide by the principles of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and of all international conventions on human rights, particularly the Geneva Convention of 20.8.1949 on the Protection of Civilians in Time of War, as well as the relevant Draft RESOLUTION NO.s adopted by the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
9. Invites Member States to extend the necessary facilities to Palestinian students to enable them to enroll in their universities and specialized institutes and thus help them complete their university studies and also stresses the need to increase the number of scholarships and school seats for the Palestinian youth in the Islamic States, particularly in higher education, technical and technological and teacher training. It also expresses its appreciation to all Member States which have responded to this appeal.
10. Calls for extending support to the Open University of Al‑Quds in view of its vital importance in strengthening the resistance of the Palestinian people and enabling them to continue their university education and also calls for extending the technical and financial assistance necessary for the development of the university and for solving its problems so that it may open new branches and thoroughly fulfill its educational mission.
11. Expresses its high appreciation for the role played by Palestinian schools and universities in the preservation of the Palestinian culture and heritage and in confronting the measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities against the educational and cultural institutions and organizations in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories.
12. Reaffirms the need to implement the RESOLUTION NO. addressed to the administrations of Islamic Universities to receive training and academic missions from the universities of the occupied territories to work in their universities for short periods.
13. Condemns the practices and actions of the Israeli occupation authorities against educational and other institutions in the occupied Syrian Golan, their cancellation of the Syrian educational syllabus in the villages of the Golan and its substitution by an Israeli one, their imposition of the teaching of Hebrew instead of Arabic, their replacement of the teaching staff to serve the goals and directions of Israeli policy, their taking measures to deny Syrian Arab citizens access to higher education in Syrian universities and their denying some of those who manage to get education in those universities the right to return to their homes.
(d) PRESERVATION OF THE ISLAMIC CHARACTER,HUMAN HERITAGE AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS OF AL‑QUDS-AL‑SHARIF
1. Reiterates the necessity of implementing all previous Islamic Draft Resolution No.s on the preservation of the Islamic character and human heritage of Al‑Quds.
2. Calls for continued urgent and effective action at all Islamic and international levels with a view to forcing Israel to rescind its decision to annex the city of Al‑Quds AlSharif, reaffirming the City's Arab‑Islamic character and rejecting its annexation or judaization, pursuant to the relevant Draft RESOLUTION NO.s of international legality, and particularly UN Security Council Draft RESOLUTION NO.s No. 465 and 478; and exerting all efforts to put these two Draft RESOLUTION NO.s into effect in conformity with the Draft RESOLUTION NO.s of the United Nations and the international legality.
3. Requests the General Secretariat to continue its coordination with international agencies and institutions and particularly with UNESCO to preserve the historic structure of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the ancient buildings surrounding Al-Quds Holy Enclosure and act to close the tunnel and stop the excavation works especially on the south and west of the Holy Enclosure and preclude the implementation of any designs aimed at destroying and removing the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.
4. Recommends that an information symposium on the City of Al‑Quds be organized specially at the present juncture, in order to show the imminent dangers to the City, and the need to safeguard the Islamic and Christian holy places and guarantee the freedom of religious rites for all believers.
5. Urges the General Secretariat and Member States to provide material assistance to enable the Palestinian people to face Israeli challenges and schemes aimed at obliterating religious landmarks in the Holy City of Al‑ Quds, and reaffirms the need for extending all sorts of support and assistance to the Palestinian Arab residents of Al‑Quds Al‑Sharif to enable them to refurbish their houses, support their steadfastness and protect Islamic shrines in AlQuds Al‑Sharif from demolition and waste.
6. Calls on Member States, public institutions, and the private sector to extend the necessary assistance to the Baitulmal Quds Agency whose Director General was appointed and Casablanca headquarters donated by His Majesty, the late King Hassan II, may Allah have mercy on his soul. Recommends that the Director of Baitulmal Quds Agency shall visit the Islamic States in order to inform about the Agency and its objectives and to organize information campaigns in this respect, on the example of the visit he made to Cairo in October 1999.
7. Condemns the aggressive and expansionist Zionist policies and particularly the policies seeking to establish further settlements and to transfer and resettle hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories including Al‑Quds Al‑Sharif ‑ policies aimed at seriously altering the demographic and historic status of these territories by judaizing them, and may jeopardize the current peace process and constitute a flagrant violation of international laws and of relevant U.N. and Security Council Draft RESOLUTION NO.s.
8. Condemns the decision of the Israeli Security Minister to allow Jews to pray in the Aqsa Mosque and urges all member states to endeavour at the level of all international fora in order to defeat that decision.
9. Expresses its strong indignation over the recent desecration of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the new round of massacre of the Palestinians, resulting in martyrdom of hundreds of Palestinian people who have stood up against the acts of desecration of Islamic holy places.
10. Expresses its high appreciation for ISESCO’s initiative of organizing an International Conference on the Protection of Islamic and Christian Sanctities in Palestine under the patronage of the King of Morocco in Rabat from 7 to 8 June 2002, adopts the final declaration of the Conference and the approved media and public relations action plan to inform the public on Al-Quds in Western capitals, and extends its thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his patronage of the Conference and for addressing a lofty message to the participants.
11. Commends the strenuous efforts made by His Majesty the late King Hassan II, may Allah have mercy on his soul, in establishing the Baitulmal Quds Agency and enabling it to fulfill the Islamic mission of preserving the Islamic character of the city of Al‑Quds. It also commends the fine efforts exerted in this regard by his successor, His Majesty King Mohamed VI.
(e) THE ISRAELI AGGRESSIONS AGAINST ISLAMIC SHRINES IN THE CITY OF AL‑KHALIL (HEBRON) AND OTHER PALESTINIAN CITIES
1. Requests Member States to coordinate and intensify their efforts in the various international fora to prevent the implementation of the Israeli scheme for partitioning the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al‑Khalil, to ensure access to it for Muslim worshippers and preserve the integrity of the Ibrahimi Enclosure as a Mosque for Muslims only as it has been through the ages; and warns Member States against any slackness in this regard as this would encourage Israel to undermine the Holy Al‑Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic and Christian shrines.
2. Calls on Member States to ensure the restoration of the old town in Al‑Khalil as well as the remaining Islamic relics and shrines on the Palestinian lands to safeguard the heritage and culture of this historic city and its resident Palestinian families in an effort to counter Jewish colonization.
3. Strongly condemns the repeated Israeli aggressions against the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al‑ Khalil, in particular, the massacre perpetrated by the settlers against Palestinian worshippers in the Enclosure of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Ramadan 1414H killing tens of martyrs.
4. Strongly condemns also the aggressive Israeli scheme for the partition of the Enclosure of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al‑Khalil, which aims at seizing and judaizing most of it and building a Synagogue therein, which constitutes an aggression against Islamic Holy Places and feelings and a violation of all international Conventions and Charters, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.
5. Condemns the Israeli aggression against the civil, educational, cultural, scientific, civilizational and religious institutions in the territories of the National Palestinian Authority and particularly in Jenine, Ramallah, Kalkilia, Naplouse and Beit Lahm.
6. Welcomes ISESCO initiative to convene an international conference to be held in Rabat in February 2003 in order to document Israeli war crimes and calls on all Member States to provide appropriate financial and moral support to the “International Observatory” for the Documentation of Israeli War Crimes in the creation of which was decided in the Kingdom of Morocco in order it to carry out its mission in the best conditions and entrusts ISESCO with the supervision of the observatory.
(a) RESEARCH CENTRE FOR ISLAMIC HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE(IRCICA), ISTANBUL
1- Takes note of the report submitted by the Director General of the Centre, containing its action plans for 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 and also the report and recommendations adopted by the eighteenth session of the Governing Board of the Centre.
2- Requests the concerned authorities of the Turkish government and the General Secretariat to coordinate with each other to implement the decisions adopted by the 4th Session of the Board of the Sponsors of the Waqf held in October 2002.
3- Expresses its appreciation and gratitude to H.E. Mr. Abdullah Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chairman of the COMIAC and also Government of Senegal, for presenting a “Décoration dans l’Ordre National du Lion” as “Commander de l’Ordre du Mérite” to Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Director General of IRCICA, a king gesture to encourage the Centre in fulfilling the activities entrusted to him for the service of the Islamic Ummah.
4- Expresses its gratitude and appreciation to H.E. Dato Seri Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, for his unremitting support for cultural development and scientific research in the Islamic world, and expresses its appreciation to the IRCICA for having created, in collaboration and consultation with the competent Malaysian authorities, the “Mahathir Award for Islamic Studies” in the Centre’s recognition of the kindness of His Excellency as an expression of gratitude by the Centre, and for its decision to award the first price in 2005 to studies on the Malay world.
5- Also expresses gratitude and appreciation to the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously staging for the first time outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a selected photo exhibition of engravings from Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawarah at the Centre’s headquarters in Istanbul.
6- Lauds the efforts made by the Centre and particularly its Governing Board for the implementation of the Resolution of the Ninth Islamic Summit Conference and the Twenty-ninth Islamic Conference of Foreign ministers and commissioning IRCICA to attach the name of H.R.H. Prince Faysal Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdelaziz – may Allah rest his soul in peace to an important sector of its future activities in the field of Islamic Heritage in appreciation of His Highness’s unflagging support, during the Chairmanship of the Islamic Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Cultural Heritage, to issue a commemorative medal or plate on this occasion, and to invite to the ceremony the son of the deceased, His Royal Highness Prince Nawaf Ibn Faysal Ibn Fahd, to present him with the plate, or medal together with the certificate delivered on this occasion and commends the activity of the Director General of the Centre in this respect and his meeting with HRH Prince Nawaf Ibn Faisal bin Fahd to crystallize this project.
7- Commends the organization of a series of successful international workshops on architectural heritage today which continued through the Eighth Workshop on Architecture “Mostar 2003” held in Mostar from 16 to 27July 2003 and welcomes the 9th Architectural Workshop to be held in Mostar next year.
8- Expresses its appreciation and gratitude to the Centre for organizing the International Congress on “Islamic Arts and Crafts” jointly with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Organization of Culture and Islamic Relations, Islamic Republic of Iran, in Isfahan on 4-9 October 2002, and expresses its thanks and gratitude to Islamic Republic of Iran for the patronage extended, support and means provided to ensure the success of this gathering.
9- Welcomes the project of the Centre to organize an International Congress on “The Role of the Islamic Civilization in the Building of World Civilization: A Basis of Understanding” in Sharja, UAE during the academic year 2003-2004, under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed al-Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and ruler of Sharjah and in collaboration with the American University in Sharjah.
10- Welcomes the project of the Centre to organize an International Symposium on “The Calendar as a “Civilizational Symbol” in conjunction with the International Islamic Call Society (Tripoli), in Istanbul on 23rd to 25th September, 2003.
11- Welcomes also the project of the Centre to organize an International Symposium on “Islamic Civilization in Eastern Africa” jointly with the Islamic University in Uganda, in Kampala on 15-17 December 2003.
12- Welcomes also the project of the Centre to organize the second International symposium on “the Islamic Civilization in the Balkans” in Tirana, capital of Albania, on 4-6 December 2003.
13- Welcomes also to organize the “First International Conference of Islamic Archaeology” during 2004/2005, the conference is expected to become a solidarity forum of excellence which will regularly bring together archeologists, scholars, curators and specialists of Islamic archaeology from around the world.
14- Welcomes the project of the Centre to organize the 6th International Calligraphy Competition in the name of the Iranian Calligrapher Mir Imad Al-Hasany in 2004.
15- Expresses its appreciation for the Centre’s efforts aiming to preserve the Islamic Cultural Heritage and Identity of the Islamic communities in non-member countries of the OIC; and requests the Centre to continue these efforts and asks the Member States and the Islamic Institutions and personalities to provide the Centre with the necessary support to be able to achieve this noble task.
16- Requests the Centre to continue extending its valuable efforts to activate dialogue among civilizations by implementing one of the programmes of activities that the Organization of the Islamic Conference intends to execute in this respect.
17- Notes with gratitude and appreciation the efforts made by Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Director General of IRCICA, since the Centre’s establishment until today, which are marked by an innovative spirit and excellent style, and expresses its thanks and deep appreciation to staff members of the Centre for the distinguished efforts they have made and are still making in fulfilling the aims entrusted to the Centre.
18- Welcomes the allocation by ISAR Waqf of US$ 45,000 to Centre’s budget for 2002/2003 financial year and records its gratefulness for the continuous Cooperation and support extended by the ISAR Waqf to the various activities of the Centre, and expresses the hope that further ISAR Waqf would be secured to support the Centre’s Programmes.
19- Approves the following membership of the Centre’s Governing Board from 2003 to 2005:
- Republic of Turkey (host Country)
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (host Country of the OIC).
- Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- Arab Republic of Egypt
- State of Kuwait
- Republic of Senegal
- United Arab Emirates
- Malaysia
- State of Qatar
The two other members of the Board by virtue of their positions are the Secretary General of the OIC or this representative and the Director General of the Centre.
20- Expresses its thanks and appreciation to the host country (the Republic of Turkey) and to the other Member States, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for voluntary material and moral support they are extending to the Centre, thus enabling it to carry out its tasks in a satisfactory manner.
21- Expresses its thanks to the Member States which regularly pay their contributions to the budget of the Centre and calls upon the other countries to regularly pay their contributions and settle their arrears to the budget of the Centre.
(b) ISLAMIC FIQH ACADEMY
1. Commends the efforts of the Secretary General and the staff of the General Secretariat of the Academy as well as
the activities carried out since 23rd session of the Islamic Commission.
2. Further commends the Scientific Projects accomplished by the Academy and implementation efforts and its “Ijtihad” on current issues in all developing areas of social and economic life taking into account all the new changes
which the contemporary era calls for with due respect of the spirit of the enlightened Islamic Shariah.
3. Commends the quality of the books and documents published by the Academy, especially the “Magazine of the
Academy” which is now at its 33rd volume.
4. Thanks the Academy Scientific Council for its decision to continue considering the subject of investing Waqf resources
during its 5th Session to be held in the Omal Sultanate.
5. Requests anew the Member States which have not yet paid their contributions to the budget of the Academy to do so, and for all Member States to continue extending support to the Academy to enable it to carry out its tasks and achieve the economic Fiqh encyclopedia, in order to serve Islam and the vital causes of the Ummah.
(c) THE ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY FUND AND ITS WAQF
1. Expressing its interest in preserving this important Islamic organ which is really considered a shining symbol of Islamic solidarity.
2. Appeals to the Member States to pledge annual donations, according to their means to the ISF budget and contribute to the capital of the Waqf s Fund.
3. Expresses deep thanks and appreciation to the Member States, which have made donations to the Fund and its Waqf during the Financial Year 2000/2001in particular the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and State of Qatar.
4. Approves the report of the Chairman of the ISF Permanent Council.
5. Agrees on conducting periodic visits to the member states to urge them to contribute to the Fund and its Waqf in coordination and collaboration with the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
6. Calls upon the Permanent Council of the Fund to continue extending assistance to cultural, social and educational projects in the Islamic world while paying priority attention to projects approved by the Islamic Summit Conference and Foreign Ministers Conferences.
7. Expresses its sincere thanks to His Highness Sheikh Zaid Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, for donating US Dollars 3 million in favour of the Islamic Solidarity Fund and its Waqf.
8. Expresses thanks and appreciation to the Permanent Council and its Chairman, and to the Executive Bureau of the Fund, for the efforts they exert in order to realize the objectives of the Fund and its Waqf.
(a) THE ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (ISESCO)
1. Commends the programmes and activities included in ISESCO’s Plan of Action for the current years 2001/2003 and the projects included in its medium-term plan for the years 2001/2009, and expresses appreciation and for satisfaction at the educational, cultural, scientific and information activities contained in its forthcoming Draft Plan (2004-2006) characterized by innovation, creativity and integration in the selection of projects in such a way as to meet the needs and aspirations of the Islamic Ummah to achieve great progress and face challenges.
2. Commends the report submitted by ISESCO’s Director General to the Tenth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference on ISESCO’s activities between the ninth and the tenth sessions, commends the outstanding achievements of ISESCO in the fields of education, science, culture and communication which have earned it the commendation and appreciation of Member States and Islamic communities, which have benefited from them, and requests the organization to continue its studious efforts to achieve its noble objectives.
3. Commends ISESCO’s initiative to hold a series of international symposia on Dialogue among Civilizations in 2002, particularly the symposium on the West and Islam in the Mass Media (London, June 2002), the Symposium on Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations: Comprehension and Mutual Understanding (Liechtenstein, October 2002) and Intercultural Dialogue (Singapore, October 2002) as well as the Symposium on Islam’s View of Peace (Washington, November 2002), the Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations “Diversity within Complementarity” (Hissen, Germany 29-30/9/2003), and the World Summit on Dialogue among Civilizations held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 2 October 2003. The Conference endorses the decisions and recommendations of these symposia.
4. Applauds the outstanding performance demonstrated by the Director General of ISESCO and the effective role of the Organization under his patronage to achieve renaissance in education, science, and culture in the Islamic world and highly appreciates his successful efforts to obtain a number of extra-budgetary financial resources which enabled it to implement civilizational projects and programmes and realize a significant reserve of financial resources. The Conference takes pride in the decision of the World Economic Forum to grant Dr. Al-Twaijri membership of the Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders.
5. Expresses deep appreciation of the efforts of ISESCO and the activities carried out in order to rectify the image of Islam in the West, and counter attempts made by several Western media to undermine Islam and its sanctities, especially after the September 11 events. It underlines the good organization of these activities and the academic and scholarly standard of the participants. It approves the statements and resolutions adopted by these activities. It expresses appreciation and gratitude to HRH Prince Naïf bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, and Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, for their generous support for ISESCO in implementing these activities.
6. Expresses pride in the outstanding position occupied by ISESCO in the international arena through effective relations of cooperation with great international and regional organizations which resulted in the implementation of hundreds of joint programs, thus contributing to the expansion of its action, strengthening its credibility and international prestige, and enabling it to gain important additional financial resources. This has made it possible, by virtue of this new position, to effectively contribute to the cultural building of the Islamic Ummah and the achievement of its comprehensive renaissance.
7. Expresses also satisfaction with the standard of ISESCO’s publications and highlights their subjects, studies, educational, scientific and cultural research that respond to the needs of the Ummah and aspirations for achieving overall advance and face future cultural, intellectual, scientific and technological challenges.
8. Commends the great civilizational projects set up by ISESCO to develop the sectors of education, science, culture and communication in the Islamic world; underlines and adopts the projects prepared by ISESCO to propagate the culture of peace in Africa; and invites Member States as well as international Islamic and Arab institutions to help finance the projects. Expresses profound thanks and gratitude to Their Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies, Kings, Emirs and Heads of Member States, for kindly financing and implementing a number of these projects, especially those designed to propagate the Arabic language and Islamic culture, and clean up the image of Islam in Western countries, in America and Asia.
9. Highly appreciates the efforts of the Director General of ISESCO in the area of coordinated action between Member States in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and takes pride in the conclusions and resolutions adopted by the coordination meetings held by ISESCO on the sideline of the World Conference on Higher Education in Paris, the World Conference on Technical and Professional training in Korea, the World Conference on Science in Budapest, the International Forum on Education for All in Dakar, and the Sessions of the General Conference of the UNESCO.
10. Expresses its utmost appreciation for the report submitted by the ISESCO on its efforts to preserve the identity of Al-Quds Sharif and its holy places and to support and protect Palestinian educational, cultural and scientific institutions from any attempt at eradication and judaization, and requests ISESCO to pursue these commendable efforts.
11. Expresses gratitude and appreciation to the Islamic Republic of Iran for kindly accepting to host the next two Sessions of ISESCO’s Executive Council and General Conference in 2004 and the 2nd International Forum on the Environment from an Islamic Perspective, in February 2004, and welcomes the opening in Tehran of a regional office for ISESCO and the signing of the headquarters agreement between the Government of Iran and ISESCO.
12. Expresses its deep appreciation to the Great Socialist Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for kindly accepting ISESCO’s request to host the Second Islamic Conference of Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Tripoli 6-9 September 2003 and endorses the resolutions and recommendations adopted by the Conference.
13. Commends ISESCO’s outstanding academic and organizational contributions to the International Conference on Renewable Energy (Germany, 2002), the International Conference on Higher Education in the Arab world (Marrakech, March 2003) and the World Summit Conference on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, August 2002), and backs the new cooperation activities agreed upon between ISESCO and a number of International, Arab and Islamic Organizations, particularly the International Islamic Call Society, which finances the entire program on the propagation of the Arabic language and Islamic Culture in the Sahelian countries.
14. Adopts the resolution of seventh session of the Permanent Committee on Information and Cultural Affairs (Dakar, December 2002) relating to the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and expresses its thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which responded to the request of the Committee to renew the candidacy of H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Ben Othmane Al-Twaijri for a new term as Director General of ISESCO and calls on the 8th General Conference of the Organization (Tehran, 27-29 December 2003) to re-elect H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Ben Othmane Al-Twaijri as Director General of the ISESCO for a six-year term, like the previous decision adopted by the 6th Session of the General Conference of ISESCO, in recognition of his competence, his sound management of the Organization and his commendable efforts to develop educational, cultural and scientific activities within the Islamic World, and requests the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to communicate this decision to the competent entities in Member States in order to implement it.
15. Considers with appreciation the reports presented by ISESCO on its efforts to promote dialogue among civilizations, implement the Cultural Strategy of the Islamic World, and enhance its mechanisms and vision of the means of interaction with international changes; and thanks ISESCO for its efforts and achievements in these areas. It highly commends ISESCO’s efforts to draw up a strategy for reconciliation between Islamic schools of thought and charge it implement and monitor them in coordination with the General Secretariat and the member states.
16. Commends the decision by ISESCO and UNESCO to convene the World Conference for young scientists in the year 2004 and expresses its deepest appreciation and gratitude to the Republic of Tunisia, which has kindly accepted to host this conference, thus reaffirming its pioneering role in the fields of scientific and technological progress and care for the youth and its continuous concern for the enhancement of joint Islamic action.
17. Commends the accession of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, the Republic of Cameroon, the Republic of Togo, the Republic of Lebanon, the Transitional Government of Afghanistan to ISESCO, and calls on Member States that have not joined ISESCO so far to do so and to take part actively in its projects and programmes.
18. Commends His Highness Sheikh Zaid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates for donating $1,000,000, His Royal Highness Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz for donating $500,000, and H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Kassimi, Governor of Sharja for donating $ 200,000 for the construction of ISESCO’s permanent headquarters in Rabat; congratulates the Director General of ISESCO for launching the construction works; appeals to the leaders of the Islamic World and the affluent of the Islamic Ummah to make donations to ISESCO for the completion of this great Islamic civilizational institution; commends His Royal Highness Moulay Rashid’s acceptance to lay the foundation stone of the ISESCO headquarters on 3 May 2001 at the behest of His Majesty Muhammad VI, King of Morocco.
19. Takes pride in the UN Economic and Social Council’s decision to grant ISESCO observer status on the Council, which is indicative of the international community’s appreciation of ISESCO’s mission and role in promoting the culture of justice and peace, and propagating the values of dialogue of civilizations.
20. Calls on ISESCO to set up a committee of Muslim experts to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of destroyed Iraqi archeological sites, and to prepare a practical program for its involvement in Iraq in coordination with member states and in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Transitional Governing Council of Iraq and other international actors. The Conference calls on Member States and donor parties to contribute to the ISESCO Fund for the Preservation of Iraqi Cultural Heritage and to cooperate among themselves and coordinate their efforts to combat illegal trafficking and smuggling of Iraqi antiquities, and to ensure the return to the Iraqi museums of any antiquities that may be found again.
21. Commends the ISESCO initiative to open a bank account in favor of the Fund for the Reconstruction and Equipment of Educational and Scientific Institutions destroyed by the earthquake in Algeria, reaffirms the member states’ solidarity and calls on them to contribute to this Fund so as to enable these institutions to fulfill their mission.
22. Welcomes and commends the ISESCO and the Republic of Tunisia to convene an international conference in Tunisia in the year 2004 on “Solidarity and Mutual help in Islam”, with a view to highlighting the lofty significance of these Islamic values, underlining the initiative taken by H.E. President Zine Elabidine Ben Ali to set up a World Solidarity Fund, to combat poverty, promote human development in the developing countries. This initiative was adopted by the UN General Assembly in its Resolution 256/57.
23. Took note with appreciation of ISESCO’s report on the implementation of His Highness the Emir of Qatar’s programme for propagation of Arab language and the Islamic culture, an expressed to His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar its appreciation and gratitude for His Highness’s support for this project which contributed to the preservation of the identity of a number of non-Arabic speaking Muslim States and communities, and called on His Highness to continue to support the project.
24. Expresses its gratitude to the Member States that have paid their contributions to the budget of ISESCO, and invites Member States that have overdues have not yet paid their contributions to the ISESCO budget to honor their financial obligations so as to enable it to implement its educational, scientific and cultural programmes and projects that are highly important for joint Islamic action. This would help preserve the identity of the Islamic Ummah in the face of the major cultural challenges facing the Ummah at the start of the twenty-first century; Supports the proposal of the Director General of ISESCO regarding the payment of outstanding fees of Member States of ISESCO’s budget adopted by its Executive Council at its Twenty-third Session in Rabat from 12-15 December 2002 and COMIAC at the Seventh Session in Dakar from 17-19 December, 2002.
25. Expresses its deep gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, to His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and to the Second Deputy Premier, His Royal Highness, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, for the generous support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the programmes and activities carried out by ISESCO with regard to Arabic language teaching and Islamic culture as well as dialogue among civilizations and Al-Quds Al-Sharif activities. The Conference also commends His Highness, Sheikh (Dr) Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi for graciously providing an equipped headquarters and a generous annual budget for ISESCO’s regional office in Sharjah, as well as for his generous donation of $100,000 for the construction of classrooms in the Republic of Niger, under the supervision of the Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Culture
26. Expresses its sincere gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco (headquarter country) and to its King, His Majesty Mohamed VI for kindly patronizing a number of ISESCO’s activities in Morocco, for making edifying statements to the participants and for continuous support of His Majesty's government, which enables ISESCO to fulfill its mission in the best way possible.
(b) THE ISLAMIC COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRESCENT, BENGHAZI
1. Urges the Member States which have not yet signed or ratified the Articles of Agreement of the Islamic Committee of the International Crescent to do so as soon as possible so as to enable it to carry out its tasks and realize its noble objectives, invites all Member States and Islamic institutions to extend material and moral support to the Committee so that it may implement its programmes.
2. Calls on the Islamic Committee of the International Crescent to exert efforts regarding refugees and detainees and provide for their care and protection in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner’s Office for Refugees and the International Committee of Red Cross and other relevant regional and international organizations;
3. Expresses profound thanks to the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for extending support and facilities to the Committee at its inception.
4. Expresses its utmost thanks and appreciation to the State of Qatar for hosting the Eighteenth Session of the Islamic Committee of the International Crescent, held in Doha on 28-29 October 2002. It underscores the efforts made by the State of Qatar in the field of relief operation and alleviation of human suffering in several parts of the Islamic world.
5. Expresses also its sincere thanks to the ISF for extending support to the Committee, and appeals to the ISF to continue extending further support to it.
6. Expresses its sincere thanks to the Islamic Federal Republic of Comoros, and the United Arab Emirates for their signature of the ICIC agreement and calling them for its ratification as soon as possible.
7. Expresses its profound thanks to the Republic of the Sudan, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Qatar for ratification of the ICI agreement.
(a) THE ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY SPORTS FEDERATION (ISSF) RIYADH
1. Welcomes the future activities which the Federation decides to undertake
up to the year 2005.
2. Expresses its thanks to the Islamic Republic of Iran for hosting the First Swimming Championship Tournament of the late His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Ibn Fahd Ibn Abdulazeez from 31 January to 5 February 2002 with the participation of 26 National Olympic Committees from Islamic States. Also congratulates those States which had good results and express its thanks to the Islamic Republic of Iran for hosting the Table-Tennis Championship Tournament which will be held in Tehran in December 2003, and the Solidarity Games which will be held in 2009..
3. Expresses its thanks to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, H.H. the Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul-Azeez, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the National Guard and the Second Deputy H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Azeez, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General for the continued support extended to the Federation and for the hosting of the Equestrian Tournament 2003 and the Islamic Solidarity Games 2005 by the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee. Also expresses its special thanks to H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Abdul Azeez, Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and his deputy H.R.H. Prince Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdul Azeez for their interest in the preparations for those two activities.
4. Urges Member States to display greater interest in the activities of the Federation, extend every possible material and moral support, and participate actively in its various activities.
5. Calls on those Member States which have not yet fulfilled their commitments towards the Federation to do so soon so that the latter may carry out the required activities.
6. Recommends Member States and the Federation to coordinate among themselves in all international sport and youth occasions with a view to adopting a unified position.
7. Expresses its appreciation to the ISSF for hosting and organizing the Government Expert Meeting in order to prepare a Preparatory Working Paper for the First Islamic Conference for Ministers of Youth and Sports.
8. Expresses its thanks and appreciation to H.R.H. Prince Sultan Ibn Fahd bin Abdul Azeez, President of the Sports Federation for Islamic Solidarity for his interest and care for the issues of sports in the Islamic world particularly in the areas of sports medicine and anti-doping.
9. Congratulates the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan for winning Prince Sultan Shield for Excellence in the 14th Asian Games organized in Bosan (Korea) with wishes for constant success.
10. Welcomes the First Islamic Solidarity Games to be gratefully hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 29 Rabiul Awwal -12 Rabiul Thani 1426 (8-20 April 2005, and urges all Member States to participate in the games and to accord it utmost attention.
11. Recommends that the Games for the Disabled in Islamic Countries be organized by the ISSF with concerned Member States in order for it to be an organized event in the framework of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, so as to strengthen Islamic solidarity through sporting activities.
12. Recommends that the Islamic Broadcasting Organization and the Islamic News Agency coordinate with the Islamic Solidarity Sports Foundation to cover the coming activities of the Foundation such as the Table-Tennis Tournament which will be held in Tehran and the activities of the First Equestrian Tournament to be held in Riyadh in December 2003, and the Islamic Solidarity Games to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2005 and in the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2009.
(b) THE WORLD FEDERATION OF ARAB ISLAMIC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
1. Recommends further the General Secretariat, Islamic organizations and institutions, Islamic Solidarity fund, and the Islamic Development Bank to support the Plans and Projects of the World Federation of Arab Islamic International Schools and to extend to it all possible assistance for their implementation;
2. Recommends the continuing support for holding Training Sessions for Teachers of Arabic language and Islamic Culture in Asia, Africa, Central Asia and the Balkans;
3. Recommends also the contribution for printing the manual for teaching Arabic to non‑Arabic speakers which has been prepared by the Federation, and to its distribution among Muslim children by establishing a Printing press for the Federation at its headquarters as well as other Printing Presses in central locations in the Islamic States in order to facilitate its distribution and the benefit derived from it in those States and among Islamic countries;
4. Invites the IDB to continue its contribution to printing books for Afghan children, and the Arabic language book for non-Arabic young people in needy states.
5. Requests support for the Open Complementary Studies Institute in Khartoum so that it may continue its activities as well as the N'jamena Teachers Institute in Chad by providing each one of them with a Printing press to meet their needs in terms of text‑books and other publication
6. Recommends to support the project of the World Examinations' Council for the Arab‑Islamic Schools which has been established by the Federation, in collaboration with the League of Islamic Universities and the Muslim World League, and which aims at placing the examinations of the private Islamic schools under the supervision of well‑known Islamic Universities.
Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the matter and report thereon to the
11th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference.