NEW YORK: The vast majority of Muslims are interested in cultural communication with the non-Muslim world and extremism is an abnormal and isolated occurrence, Mohammed Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, (MWL) told a conference in New York on Saturday.
“Cultural communication generates understanding among nations … and this leads to the alliance of civilizations,” Al-Issa said.
Extremism “has little foothold in the Muslim world,” he said, and according to the latest estimates, the term could be applied to only one in 200,000 people. “The impact of intellectual and military terrorism and extremism is shrinking, in a clear and tangible way.”
Al-Issa said extremism was a general and comprehensive concept, and to attribute it only to Islam was false since it also had intellectual, political and racial aspects.
He was speaking on the opening day of the International Muslim World League Conference, attended by more than 450 representatives of Islamic institutions and scientific, intellectual and political organizations from around the world.
The two-day conference will discuss issues including cultural contributions from the US and the Islamic world, the Islamic contribution to the promotion of world peace, Muslims in the US, integration and citizenship, and the relationship between the US and the Islamic world.
Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, told delegates at the conference that cultural communication enhanced linkage between cultures and helped to close the cultural gap. “We look forward to living in dignity and security and protecting our families and Muslims,” he said.
Al-Othaimeen said more than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world lived in peace and reflected moderate Muslim ideologies.
Abdul Rahman ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais, general president for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said cultural communication between nations was important, especially between the US and the Muslim world, and essential to Islamic civilization. Confronting terrorism was one of the main objectives of cultural communication, he said.
MWL: Extremism has little foothold in Muslim world
https://arab.news/mqsya
MWL: Extremism has little foothold in Muslim world
Saudi Arabia led green building performance regionally in 2025: Report
- Saudi Arabia achieved the highest regional score of 76.31 points and certified more than 1.03 million sq. meters of sustainable building space
- Results reflect measurable efficiency gains across 6,662 projects completed since 2010, marking a new regional benchmark for measurable sustainability progress
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led the region in sustainable building performance and environmental impact in 2025, according to the Saaf index developed by the Saudi Green Building Forum.
Saudi Arabia achieved the highest regional score of 76.31 points and certified more than 1.03 million sq. meters of sustainable building space, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
These results reflect measurable efficiency gains across 6,662 projects completed since 2010, marking a new regional benchmark for measurable sustainability progress and institutional excellence.
The achievement underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in advancing sustainable construction across the Middle East and supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives for cleaner growth, resource efficiency and climate resilience through data‑driven environmental performance.
Faisal Al‑Fadl, secretary‑general of SGBF, said that 2025 represented a major turning point toward a measurable, institutional sustainability strategy that united policy, technology and practice.
He added that the approach extended beyond renewable energy, clean water and eco‑friendly materials to embed sustainability in economic planning and public development programs, made possible through integrated efforts with regional governments and public institutions.
The Saaf index provides a specialized regional framework for measuring efficiency and resilience through the Sufficiency and Resilience Composite Index, or SCI, enabling precise performance assessments.
Findings show that the sector has evolved into a cohesive strategy integrating project delivery, professional capacity building, market innovation and climate action.
According to the SGBF review, Saudi Arabia’s achievements reflect its ability to combine quality implementation, institutional maturity and scale.
Environmentally, green building projects achieved an estimated 62,800 tonnes of carbon‑equivalent annual reduction and earned 29 professional recognitions, reinforcing growing international acknowledgment of Saudi leadership in sustainability.
The data also underscore SGBF’s role as a professional partner in advancing methodologies, applications and impact measurement within non‑governmental frameworks that link policy and practical execution.
More than 7,300 professionals across 22 Arab countries engaged with the Saaf platform in 2025, alongside numerous business‑driven initiatives expanding the region’s sustainable‑development footprint.
Al‑Fadl said that the period from 2025 to 2026 would act as a bridge toward Vision 2030, strengthening a model in which sustainable buildings were managed by impact, measured through indicators and implemented via lasting partnerships.
SGBF serves as the Kingdom’s leading platform for advancing sustainable construction and green design. It unites experts, innovators and practitioners dedicated to building environmentally responsible and high‑performance structures.
Through continuous education, certification and collaboration, SGBF drives the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s building sector — minimizing environmental impact, promoting resource efficiency and improving overall quality of life for communities nationwide.
