Jeddah, January 20, 2021, SPA -- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) kicked off today the 2021 Cultural Season with a virtual lecture by Dr. Haifa Jamal Al-Lail, the President of the Effat University in Jeddah, entitled "Higher Education and COVID-19: Opportunities and Challenges". The Director of the Family Department at the OIC's General Secretariat Maha Akeel said that the lecture coincides with the International Day of Education, which falls on January 24 of each year. The lecture highlighted education's role in achieving development, establishing peace, and providing access to quality, equitable, and comprehensive education, learning opportunities, and lifelong learning. Dr. Jamal Al-Lail began the lecture by asserting that the COVID-19 pandemic had harmed not only the health system but also the social life, including work, education, agriculture, and other critical economic aspects. She added that the statistics of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have shown that 1.3 billion university students have not been unable to attend their classes in person all over the world since March 23, 2020. --SPA 15:45 LOCAL TIME 12:45 GMT 0010 www.spa.gov.sa/w1487963