The Executive Council of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) opened its 31st session here on Monday. In his inaugural speech, Dr Abdulaziz bin Othman Al-Twaijri, ISESCO's Director General said that the period between the previous and current sessions of the Executive Council was brimming with outstanding achievements through which ISESCO has made great success in its missions, both at the level of its Member States and at the international level. He said, “The scope of ISESCO's action has grown in size and reach to cover many countries outside the Islamic world. ISESCO has thus opened new avenues, forged a large network of cooperation and partnership with several international and regional organizations and given voice to the Islamic world among leading politicians and thinkers in countries with an influential stake at the international scene”, pointing out that ISESCO also managed to carve for itself a commanding presence in the international arena as the competent Islamic organ in education, culture, science and communication, the voice of wisdom and moderation, and the cultural conscience of the Islamic world. Dr. Al-Tuwaijri underlined that the outcome of the activities implemented in 2009 points to a sharp increase in implementation rates. The overall activities implemented by ISESCO account for 80% of the scheduled activities. These can be broken down as follows: 73% in education, 92% in science, 71% in culture and communication, and 90% in external relations and cooperation. Such activities took the form of conferences, symposia, encounters, experts' meetings, regional and sub-regional training sessions, national training sessions, studies, reports, guides, dispatch of professors, translation, printing, publication, provision of support, prizes and grants, partnering with regional and international organizations, ISESCO's regional centers, and the activities of ISESCO's Chairs at Universities.
