RIYADH: The Muslim World League secretary-general, Mohammed Al-Issa, recently met the Maldives’ minister of Islamic affairs, Ahmed Zahir, and discussed several topics of common interest as part of his visit to the tropical island nation. Al-Issa also visited the Islamic Center in Male and reviewed its activities and most notable works. He gave a lecture at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on important regulations in legal fatwas and religious preaching. It was attended by the country’s vice president, ministers, clerics, selected academics, and young people. The lecture was followed by an open dialogue with the young people on the most prominent issues they were concerned with at Islamic and international levels. From a lecture by Dr. Al-Issa at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in the Republic of Maldives. (Supplied) Al-Issa was invited by Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih to the capital as it was announced earlier that an MWL regional office would open in the country, fulfilling the presidents wishes. The office is a stepping stone to serve the Maldives and the states of the region and will include the Exhibition of the Life of the Prophet and training seminars on the Makkah Declaration. Solih gave a medal of honor to Al-Issa in recognition of his efforts to serve Islam and world peace. The ceremony started with a presidential statement: “The tribute comes in recognition of the MWL Secretary-General Mohammed Al-Issa’s efforts to strengthen Islamic unity and harmony and peace around the world, and to promote partnership between the Maldives Islands and MWL in this regard. In conformity with the powers granted to me by the Constitution of the Maldives Islands, I, therefore, grant Dr. Al-Issa, the medal of honor.” Part of the official ceremony honoring the MWL Secretary-General with the Medal of Honor. (Supplied) Solih congratulated Al-Issa for the medal of honor, which extends the ancient heritage left by Sultan Ibrahim, who ruled the islands from 1585 to 1609. Following the ceremony, Al-Issa gave a lecture in the presence of high-level leaders on ways to counter extremism and terrorism intellectually and electronically. He also met senior figures from the Ministry of Defence, headed by Minister Mariya Didi, with both parties looking into joint working mechanisms to combat terrorism. Al-Issa held an expanded meeting with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, headed by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, followed by a joint press conference that addressed the visit’s most significant themes.