Jamal Shah proposes recommendations to fill gaps in ICESCO’s initiatives

Islamabad: Minister for National Heritage and Culture Jamal Shah on Tuesday proposed several recommendations to enhance initiatives of Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and emphasized the role of culture in transforming individuals into productive contributors and agents of positive change.

During his speech at the 12th Conference of ICESCO in Doha, the minister commended the host country, Qatar, Culture Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Abdulrehman bin Jasim Al Thani and Dr. Salim M AlMalik, Director General of ICESCO, for organizing the significant conference.

According to a message received from Doha, he presented his recommendations to ICESCO, intending to address certain hidden gaps in their impressive list of initiatives. Minister Jamal Shah suggested organizing a cultural caravan comprising tradition bearers from all member states.

 This caravan would embark on a tour of member states, interacting with local counterparts in each country and creating transformative works of art and crafts.

The journey, he said, would culminate in the next cultural capital during the subsequent ICESCO conference, taking the form of a festival and celebration, empowering children in the process.

He said that a similar initiative should target the youth of all member countries. Leadership camps and talent hunt events would be planned to groom and empower young individuals as future leaders.

To infuse aesthetics among students of religious seminaries and combat religious intolerance and extremism, Jamal Shah proposed teaching calligraphy.

The minister recommended creating huge Islamic public monuments in all capital cities of member countries. These monuments would incorporate traditional and modern tools, including AI, virtual reality, as well as holograms and to serve as powerful sources to counter extreme views about art and culture.