Scientific Visit of University President to Africa
On August 13, 2025, Professor Waleed bin Idrees Al-Maneesi, President of the Islamic University of Minnesota, made a scientific visit to the countries of the Horn of Africa, starting with Ethiopia and followed by a visit to Somalia on August 15, 2025.
During his visit to Ethiopia, Professor Al-Maneesi participated in the graduation ceremony for students of the Islamic University of Minnesota - Ethiopia branch, which was established five years ago and has over 700 students. This year, 220 students graduated, including government officials, judges, and members of the Ethiopian Parliament, some of whom welcomed him at Addis Ababa Airport.
The ceremony was attended by several prominent figures, including the Qatari ambassador and representatives from the Saudi and Turkish embassies, as well as the Minister of Higher Education from Kenya and delegations from various countries such as Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and Comoros, along with senior scholars from Ethiopia.
Professor Al-Maneesi also had the honor of meeting Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Adam, one of Ethiopia's most prominent scholars, who is 105 years old and founded a Salafi school to teach the Quran and Islamic sciences with the help of Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz.
In Somalia, Professor Al-Maneesi served as a member of the judging panel for the University Reader's Competition in the city of Hargeisa, which is considered one of the most prestigious Quranic competitions in the world. According to Dr. Shirzad Abdulrahman, the competition is distinguished by the quality of the competitors' memorization, despite limited resources.
The judging panel consists of several prominent reciters, led by Sheikh Abdulrashid Sheikh Ali Sufi, with participation from Professor Waleed Al-Maneesi, Sheikh Reciter Hassan Mohammed Saleh, Sheikh Reciter Dr. Waleed Al-Nizami, and Sheikh Reciter Dr. Mohammed Yahya Al-Ahdal.
This visit aims to enhance academic and religious cooperation in the region and emphasizes the importance of education in promoting Islamic values.
