ICESCO Joins Gaza’s Children in ‘Enjoy Your Life with Music’

ICESCO Joins Gaza’s Children in ‘Enjoy Your Life with Music’
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ICESCO Joins Gaza’s Children in ‘Enjoy Your Life with Music’

ICESCO Joins Gaza’s Children in ‘Enjoy Your Life with Music’

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) took part in the closing ceremony of the “Enjoy Your Life with Music,” an ICESCO-funded initiative that was held in Gaza and organized by the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science in partnership with Al-Sununu Association for Culture and Arts.

The project is aimed at improving the mental health of Gaza’s children, particularly those who have been exposed to violence and suffer from post-traumatic stress, by using music therapy as a means for unleashing positive creative expression that has an array of psychological benefits and helps unlock children’s full potential.

Dr. Mohammed Zine El Abidine, Head of ICESCO’s Culture and Communication Sector, represented the Organization at the ceremony held on Saturday via videoconference.

In his statement, Dr. Zine El Abidine stressed the need for a peaceful and serene world free of conflict and hostility, noting that music is a universal language we all understand that has deep philosophical roots and appeals to the mind and soul.

He added that ICESCO seeks to promote peace and believes in the role youths can play in peace-building, which has pushed it to launch several programs aimed at training youths and building their capacities, especially in anchoring peace and coexistence and promoting technology, innovation, and strategic foresight.

At the end of the ceremony, Al-Sununu Association for Culture and Arts offered its shield to ICESCO Director-General Dr. Salim M. AlMalik in recognition of his efforts and in appreciation of the Organization’s support for this program.

Dr. Dawas Dawas, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Chairman of ICESCO’s Executive Council, received the shield on Malik’s behalf.



Extreme Fire Danger Grips Australia’s Southeast Amid Heatwave 

Sydney residents experience a heatwave at Dee Why in Sydney, Australia, 27 January 2025. (EPA)
Sydney residents experience a heatwave at Dee Why in Sydney, Australia, 27 January 2025. (EPA)
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Extreme Fire Danger Grips Australia’s Southeast Amid Heatwave 

Sydney residents experience a heatwave at Dee Why in Sydney, Australia, 27 January 2025. (EPA)
Sydney residents experience a heatwave at Dee Why in Sydney, Australia, 27 January 2025. (EPA)

Australia's southeast sweltered in a heatwave on Monday, raising the bushfire risk and prompting authorities to issue fire bans for several parts of Victoria state.

The extreme temperatures brought back memories of the catastrophic 2019-2020 "Black Summer" that saw fires destroy an area the size of Türkiye, killing 33 people and billions of animals.

On Monday, the nation's weather forecaster warned that the temperature could reach 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Victoria's capital Melbourne, more than 14 C above the city's mean maximum temperature for January.

Authorities rated the fire danger at extreme, the second-highest danger rating, in five Victorian regions on Monday.

Dean Narramore, senior meteorologist at the forecaster, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that the hot and windy conditions could spark "big fires" ahead of a cool change due in Victoria later on Sunday.

Elsewhere, the states of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory were under heatwave alerts on Monday, the forecaster said on its website.

In New South Wales, Australia's most-populous state, Narramore said "low to severe heatwave conditions" were expected on Monday, forecasting the heatwave to intensify there on Tuesday.