Final Report : 11th Meeting of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World

11th
Meeting of the Consultative Council
in Charge of Implementing the Cultural
Strategy for the Islamic World




























Algiers, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria:
18-19 Zul Qi’da 1432 / 16-17 October 2011 1



11th
Meeting of the Consultative Council
in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy
for the Islamic World



Final Report



In pursuance of the recommendations of the 10th
meeting of the Consultative
Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, the
Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), jointly with the
Ministry of Culture of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, held the 11th

meeting of the Consultative Council in Charge of Implementing the Cultural
Strategy for the Islamic World on 18-19 Zul Qi’da 1432 AH / 16-17 October 2011
in Algiers. The meeting was attended by the members of the Council representing
the following Member States: Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of the Gambia,
Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Iraq, Kingdom of Morocco, Islamic Republic
of Pakistan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Tajikistan and the United Arab
Emirates, as well as the representatives of the General Secretariat of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Standing Committee for Information and
Cultural Affairs (COMIAC) and the host party, the Algerian Ministry of Culture.
Opening session
The opening session started, on Sunday 18 Zul Qi’da 1432 / 16 October
2011, with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. The floor was first taken by Mr
Noureddine Othmani, representative of the Algerian Ministry of Culture, who
welcomed the Council members, underscoring the importance of the items put on
the agenda of this meeting held in preparation for the seventh Islamic Conference of
Culture Ministers, which is due to be hosted by the People’s Democratic Republic of
Algeria on 18-19 December 2011. Then, Mr Bilal Badour, Chairman of the
Consultative Council, welcomed his fellow members, while inviting them to
carefully examine, within their ambit, the reports and documents presented to the
Council’s 11th
meeting in preparation for the seventh session of the Islamic
Conference of Culture Ministers. He also expressed thanks and appreciation to the
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Algerian Ministry of Culture for extending its hospitality and cooperation and for
providing all necessary conditions to bring this meeting to full fruit.
Thereafter, Mr Najib Rhiati, Culture and Communication Director at
ISESCO, greeted the Council’s members on behalf of ISESCO Director General and
wished them success in their work. He also commended the level of cooperation
between the Council and ISESCO General Directorate in promoting joint Islamic
cultural action and implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World,
pointing out to the significant role taken by the Council in following up
implementation of the strategy’s key elements. Besides, he expressed hope that the
Council, in its 11th
meeting, would reach its objectives of examining the documents
and reports scheduled for submission to the seventh session of the Islamic
Conference of Culture Ministers, due to be held in Algiers on 18-19 December
2011, on the occasion of the celebration of Tlemcen as capital of Islamic culture for
2011. By the same token, ISESCO representative conveyed his thanks and gratitude
to Her Excellency the Minister of Culture of Algeria and her assistants for the efforts
exerted to prepare for and host the Council’s meeting.
During work sessions, and after adopting the meeting’s programme, a
presentation was made by ISESCO representative regarding the reports by the
Director General, which are to be submitted to the seventh Islamic Conference of
Culture Ministers, on the follow-up to the implementation of the Cultural Strategy
for the Islamic World, the Strategy for Islamic Cultural Action outside the Islamic
World, and the Strategy for ICT Development in the Islamic World. He also made a
presentation with regard to the draft documents and studies to be referred too to the
upcoming Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers. These included a document on
the (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Initiative for Dialogue among the
Followers of Religions and Cultures: Achievements and Future Prospects), a study
on (Cultural Enterprises in the Member States), a document on (Cultural Roles of
the Civil Society in the Promotion of Dialogue and Peace), and a (Course to
Training Journalists in Countering Stereotypes about Islam and Muslims in Western
Media).
During discussions, the members of the Consultative Council praised the
efforts made by ISESCO General Directorate in following up implementation of the
Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, the Strategy for Islamic Cultural Action
outside the Islamic World, and the Strategy for ICT Development in the Islamic
World. They also considered as highly commendable the achievement made in the 3

interval between the sixth and seventh sessions of the Islamic Conference of Culture
Ministers with regard to promoting dialogue and cultural diversity, combating
Islamophobia, in addition to protecting cultural and civilizational heritage in the
Member States, especially in Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, through
reinvigorating the role of the Islamic Heritage Committee. In addition, the Council
members congratulated ISESCO for the continued success of the programme to
celebrate Islamic culture capitals, inviting it to continue and intensify these efforts to
best meet the new challenges facing the Member States in the various areas
pertaining to culture and communication.
At the close of its work sessions, the Council recommended that the seventh
Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers adopt the reports, key documents and
specialized studies placed on its agenda, and communicate them for the benefit of
the widest possible community. It also suggested that their content be integrated into
ISESCO’s action plans and Member States’ cultural and development policies.
Concerning the date and venue for the next meeting, the Council proposed
that they be decided in concert with ISESCO General Directorate and the relevant
parties of the states parties to the Council wishing to play host to the next 12th

meeting.
In its recommendations, the Council:
I- Concerning the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World:
1. Calls on ISESCO to continue efforts to publicize the Cultural Strategy
for the Islamic World, in its updated version, to relevant parties within
the Member States, civil society organs, as well as parallel, regional and
international organizations.
2. Urges relevant parties in the Member States to intensify effort to
streamline the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World and the Strategy
for ICT Development in the Islamic World into their action plans and
cultural programmes, and consider action in culture and communication
as one of the top priorities of comprehensive development and a
contributory element to the cultural and social well-being of individuals
and communities.
3. Lauds the effort by Member States in contributing to the celebration of
their cities as capitals of Islamic culture in 2011; and calls on relevant
parties in the Member States whose cities are due to be celebrated as 4

capitals of Islamic culture in the years to come to coordinate, avail of
previous experiences, accord due attention to such event by celebrating
it with large-scale advertising and media campaigns targeting the local
and international public opinion, and encourage relevant sectors to
conduct major cultural projects on this occasion.
4. Accords due attention to and encourages establishment of cultural
enterprises, by inviting relevant parties in the Member States to push the
youth, creators and cultural activists to invest in and manage cultural
projects according to high standards of productivity and efficiency.
5. Invites ISESCO to encourage the establishment of regional training
centres in the field of creative industries and devise a comprehensive
training programme.
6. Commends the document on civil society’s cultural roles in promoting
dialogue and peace, calls for translating it into action through inviting
ISESCO to hold a forum for civil society organs in the Member States to
explore the appropriate means to this end, and urges civil society organs
and government institutions to join up in implementing the activities,
programmes and projects proposed in this document to achieve social
cohesion and security.
7. Emphasizes the importance of cooperation and coordination between
ISESCO and the Consultative Council through presentation of proposals
for promoting joint Islamic action and setting its priorities within
ISESCO action plans.
II- Concerning the Strategy for Islamic Cultural Action outside the Islamic World:
1. Commends the effort exerted by ISESCO in promoting Islamic cultural
action geared to Muslims outside the Islamic world through hosting the
first forum of the heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations
outside the Islamic world, boosting the mission of the Supreme Council
for Education, Science and Culture for Muslims outside the Islamic
World, and supporting Islamic cultural centres and associations in
Europe, Asia and Latin America; and invites ISESCO to pursue effort
to foster Islamic cultural action for Muslims outside the Islamic world.
2. Invites ISESCO to examine the possibility of holding the meetings of
the heads of Islamic cultural centres and associations outside the 5

Islamic world in Islamic culture capitals to enable the persons in charge
of these centres and associations to take stock of the celebrated capitals'
rich and diverse cultures.
3. Commends the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Initiative for
Dialogue among the Followers of Religions and Cultures, hails its
accumulated achievement, and invites relevant parties in the Member
States, along with specialized regional and international organizations
and bodies, on top of which ISESCO, to push through this pioneering
initiative and extend its reach to achieve its sought goals.
III- Concerning the Strategy for ICT Development in the Islamic World:
1. Invites ISESCO to establish, on its website, a database for the
landmarks of Islamic heritage inside and outside the Member States,
and coordinates between the Islamic Heritage Committee and ISESCO
Member States represented in the World Heritage Committee regarding
inscription of Islamic archaeological sites on the World Heritage List
and exchange of experiences and expertise to address heritage issues in
the Muslim world.
2. Gives further attention to the digital content industry in Member States'
policies on implementation of the Strategy for ICT Development in the
Islamic World.
3. Encourages partnership with public libraries to develop their work
mechanisms in such a way as to use ICT's in facilitating transfer of
digital knowledge among their users.
4. Encourages the organization of itinerant fairs showcasing the features of
Islamic civilization in a number of states outside the Muslim world, as
well as the production of a series of documentaries on the major
scientific achievements and artistic creations of Islamic civilization and
their distribution to research centres and media in the West to present
the accurate image of Islam and Islamic civilization.
5. Stresses the importance of the draft course to train journalists in
countering Islamophobia and redressing stereotypes about Islam and
Muslims in western media, and invites relevant parties in the Member
States to take it as a tool to best qualify media practitioners to correct
misinformation about Islam and Muslims. 6

The Council also:
1. Calls on the OIC Member States to secure the necessary support for the
candidacy of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria for
membership of the World Heritage Committee.
2. Conveys deep thanks and gratitude to Algeria’s Culture Ministry for so
obligingly cooperating in holding the Council’s 11th
meeting and
preparing for the seventh session of the Islamic Conference of Culture
Ministers.
3. Extends thanks and appreciation to H.E. Dr Abdulaziz Othman
Altwaijri, Director General of ISESCO, for the utmost attention with
which he tends the action of the Consultative Council in Charge of
Implementing the Cultural Strategy for the Islamic World, and hails as
remarkable the record of achievement made by the Director General at
the head of ISESCO in its fields of competence.

Done in Algiers, 19 Zul Qi’da 1432 / 17 October 2011



Members of the Consultative Council
in Charge of Implementing the Cultural Strategy
for the Islamic World