The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in collaboration with the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, organized a special ceremony to mark World Arabic Language Day. The event was held on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Salman Global Academy. The celebration witnessed wide participation from OIC Member States, institutions, relevant organizations, and Arabic language academies.
During the opening session, a speech on behalf of the OIC Secretary-General, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, was delivered by His Excellency Ambassador Samir Bakr, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine Affairs. In his remarks, Ambassador Bakr described the celebration as an important institutional initiative that has established an effective model of practical cooperation with specialized institutions. He highlighted that the partnership with the King Salman Global Academy has opened avenues for capacity building and practical training programs for beneficiaries from Member States, reflecting the OIC’s commitment to according due importance to the Arabic language as the language of the Holy Qur’an.
On behalf of the Secretary-General of the King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, Professor Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi, the Academy’s Deputy Secretary-General, Professor Ibrahim Abanmi, addressed the gathering. He stated that the celebration of World Arabic Language Day at the OIC Headquarters forms part of the Academy’s ongoing efforts to empower the Arabic language globally, strengthen its presence in international forums and major cultural organizations, and enhance partnerships with Arab and Islamic institutions. He also emphasized the role of Arabic as a core element of the cultural identity of the Arab and Islamic world, a bridge for communication and civilizational understanding, and a reflection of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pioneering role in serving and promoting the Arabic language.
The opening session also featured addresses by His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the OIC, speaking on behalf of the host country; His Excellency Mr. Mambury Njie, Ambassador of the Republic of The Gambia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to the OIC, in his capacity as Chair of the current session of the Islamic Summit; and His Excellency Ambassador Jinke Oraz, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the OIC, in his capacity as Chair of the current session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC Member States.
The celebration included lectures and presentations by prominent scholars, linguists, and representatives from several Member States, including Libya, Senegal, Sudan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bangladesh. Their contributions highlighted the status, spread, and challenges of the Arabic language, with particular emphasis on education, research, and the cultural impact of Arabic in different countries.
The event was organized within the framework of implementing OIC ministerial resolutions aimed at promoting and supporting the Arabic language. The most recent of these was Ministerial Resolution No. 13/51-C, adopted at the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC Member States, held in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye, in 2025.
Through the observance of World Arabic Language Day, the historical and civilizational importance of the Arabic language as the language of the Holy Qur’an was underscored. The event also highlighted the vital role of Arabic in enriching humanity’s cultural and linguistic diversity and its significant contribution to the production and dissemination of knowledge.
