Brief history

IRCICA is a subsidiary organ of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). IRCICA was established in 1979 as the first cultural centre of the OIC (then named Organisation of the Islamic Conference) (www.oic-oci.org). The 57 Member States of the OIC are also members of IRCICA.

The idea to establish IRCICA was proposed by the Republic of Turkey during the Seventh Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (presently named the Council of Foreign Ministers), in Istanbul, 1976, and approved by the Conference. Resolution no. 3/7-ECS. The Establishment Statute of the Centre was adopted by the 9th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Dakar, 1978) and later revised by the 6th Islamic Summit Conference (Dakar, 1991) which adopted the Framework Statute of the Subsidiary Organs of OIC by its Resolution no. 1/6-Org (IS). The Centre became operational upon the adoption of its first annual work program by the 11th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Islamabad, 1980).

In addition to its own mandate, from 1983 to 2000 IRCICA fulfilled the function of the Secretariat and Executive Organ of the International Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Heritage (ICPICH), in accordance with the Commission’s Statute that was adopted by the 13th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Niamey, 1982). The Commission was merged into IRCICA in June 2000, by decision of the 27th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Kuala Lumpur, June 2000), upon the demise of its Chairman, H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, General President of Youth Welfare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in 1999. Following the merger of ICPICH with IRCICA, the activities previously undertaken by ICPICH were incorporated in IRCICA’s work programs.

The Centre is commonly known by its abbreviated name, I.R.C.I.C.A., where the letters stand for Istanbul, Research, Centre, Islamic, Culture, Arts.

The Centre’s motto is a part of the verse 13 of Sourah 49 (Al-Hujurat) of the Holy Quran:

﴾ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ﴿

“O mankind, We have … made you into nations and tribes that you might get to know one another. Surely the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous. …”.

The motto is presented as a work of calligraphy composed by Mr. Hasan Çelebi and illuminated by Mrs. Rikkat Kunt, both master artists from Turkey, and printed on paper.