Founding of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, originally called the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, was founded on 25 September 1969 at a summit in Rabat, Morocco. The meeting was called after an arson attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in August 1969, which angered Muslim-majority countries. The organization seeks to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among Muslim states and to promote their interests, including support for the Palestinian cause. It has several dozen member states and is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It changed its name to its present form in 2011. It is one of the largest international organizations after the United Nations, though members often disagree on political questions.

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