Witnessing Kairouan the capital of the Islamic Culture approved by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization and thanks to the president Ben Ali who proclaims 2009 as the year of the Islamic youth dialogue in addition to the celebration of the International Youth Year in 2010;it is an honor for the Mathematics and Applications Association to launch the World Islamic Youth Mathematics Competition. This competition aims at bridging the gap between our youngsters and offering them a new space based on science and knowledge exchange since mathematics is considered as the basis of all sciences and the essence of any scientific and technological upheaval in order to resist the globalization challenges. Indeed, through the help of mathematics, many scientific theories are now applied in several fields.

Historical Flashback

The International Olympiad

The first international mathematical Olympiad was held in Romania in 1959. Only seven countries participated. This limited number of participants decreased till it reached five participating countries in 1960.
Fortunately, this decline did not affect negatively the Olympiad’s development. Now, the IMO becomes an international scientific ceremony which attracts approximately one hundred countries so it paves the way to all participants to weave friendly relations between them regardless of any cultural or ethnic differences. So, it is an opportunity for both mathematicians and educators to exchange cultural and scientific knowledge and to recognize the youth imagination and resourcefulness. In brief, The IMO contributes to promote mathematics and their applications for the prosperity of humanity.

The African Mathematics Olympiad

Let’s have an idea now about the African mathematical union which founded the African Olympiad in Rabat (Morocco) in 1976. This union includes now 53 African countries. The African Olympiad is an African ceremony which attracts African young talents in mathematics and challenges them mathematically.
It is due to the deceased Taha Sboui – a member in the African Olympiad committee and the founder of the mathematics and applications association – that the first assembly of the African Olympiad committee took place in Kairouan from 31 October to 06 november2000. In 2004, it was an honor for Tunisia to organize the African union conference.

Deductions

Throughout the chronological line of the international mathematical Olympiad one can deduce the following:

• This competition is the result of hard work and good will. The results of competition reflect the scientific advancement and the efficiency of the educational and learning system of the participating countries.
• The declining number of the participating Islamic countries (7 Arab countries and 10 Islamic countries).
• All the Arabic and Islamic countries get the low scores in the Olympiad except Turkey and Iran.
• The countries which founded the ceremony are often top –ranked in the Olympiad.
• The fast and positive development of the competition reflects its importance and worth.