Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva met with the Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik on October 28.
elchi reports that the prospects for cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO were discussed at the meeting.
It was recalled that the Foundation was awarded the “Hamdan-ICESCO” prize in 2025 for its projects in the fields of education and social support in the Islamic world and other countries. At the same time, it was noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has always attached importance to education and social spheres during its activities.
In this regard, the importance of the memorandum between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, which provides for the exchange of experience and the implementation of joint projects in the fields of culture, science, education, and the development of new technologies, as well as the agreement signed in 2025 on projects for the empowerment and social inclusion of women affected by conflict in three regions of Burkina Faso and Niger, was emphasized.
Following the meeting, an agreement on cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO was signed. The agreement provides for the implementation of a number of important projects. One of these projects is related to the next presentation of the “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award”. The “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award”, jointly established by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, aims to share and promote best practices in the field of cultural heritage preservation and management.
Another area of cooperation under the new agreement is the implementation of a regional project called “Peace through Culture and Development in West Africa”. The project, which will cover Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire, will focus on developing intercultural dialogue, preserving cultural heritage, strengthening institutional and professional capacity, as well as actively involving youth and women in the processes.
It is also planned to continue the Artificial Intelligence Index in the Islamic world, which was presented in Baku in 2025. A meeting at the ministerial level is planned to discuss the results achieved in this area and to develop cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence among the countries of the Islamic world.