NAJIA HOUSSARI August 14, 2018 00:42 23 The Muslim World League (MWL) held five educational sessions in Asia and Africa for its leaders and members of its scientific and intellectual activities, as well as the Qur’an, Hadith and Islamic jurisprudence teachers. These sessions were designed to highlight the true face of Islam and its values of moderation, cooperation, co-existence, tolerance, diversity and plurality, while warning of the threat posed by extremism. These sessions are a part of the MWL’s program, under the guidance of Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, to improve and promote the spread of knowledge that is useful socially, professionally and intellectually, to keep up with major international changes in education. Dr. Abdul Aziz Sarhan, the secretary-general of the International Association for Relief, Care and Development (IARCD), said the league is developing its activities through direct and continuous communication and training of its educational, intellectual and supervisory teams, while finding ways to overcome difficulties they face in delivering their message. He added that teachers and supervisors have responded well to the program and provided good ideas to improve the educational process. Sarhan said 30 people attended the first forum in the Philippine city of Davao. The second one was in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, where 37 academics from the league discussed advanced methods of education to reach the widest possible audience, while highlighting Islam’s emphasis on tolerance and moderation and warning against the threat of extremism. The third forum was held in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, where Professor Khurshid Ahmed, the dean of Siraj Al-Uloom University, delivered a speech in which he praised the efforts of the MWL and its provision of teachers and supervisors who are playing an important role in raising awareness among citizens about the values of harmony, tolerance, and citizenship, concepts that are under threat from extremism. He also pointed out the high rate of illiteracy in Nepal, and said that the teachers have also focused on literacy programs. Sarhan added that 37 academics attended the fourth forum, in Khartoum, Sudan. The fifth forum was held this year in Moroni, the capital of Comoros, which is home to seven MWL institutes. More than 2,500 students took part there, learning from an elite group of academics. The MWL places great importance on the training and education of its groups and teams, Sarhan added, as it believes in the importance of their development, while raising awareness of and strengthening defenses against extremism. As a result, he said, IARCD will continue its integrated program of education, which includes forums and field visits to all countries where teachers and supervisors are accredited with the MWL, to highlight and deliver the directives of the new message.