ISDEV MEMBERS AT THE INSTITUTE OF ISLAMIC UNDERSTANDING MALAYSIA (IKIM)

All seats taken up - the conference in session at IKIM Grand Hall.

In conjunction with the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) Silver Jubilee celebrations, an International Conference on Religion and Civilisational Sustainability took place at IKIM Grand Hall, Kuala Lumpur on 20 February until 21 February 2017. Five ISDEV members consisting of one ISDEV Lecturer, Dr Wan Norhaniza Wan Hasan and ISDEV Honorary Lecturer, Dr Shereeza Mohamed Saniff together with three RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate by Research) students, Raudha Md Ramli, Nurul Suhada Ismail and Syaidatana Siti Aishah Ab Aziz attended the said event.

YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak delivering his officiating speech.

The international conference was officially opened by YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia. In his opening speech he congratulated IKIM on the celebration of its 25th Anniversary and expressed his hopes and confidence that IKIM is poised in providing a correct information on Islam to the general public in Malaysia specifically and the world in general. 

ISDEV delegates at the International Conference Religion nd Civilisational Sustainability

On the first day, the conference started with the welcoming speech and First Keynote Address by the Director-General of IKIM, YBhg. Datuk Prof. Dr. Azizan Baharuddin. In her address she was evidently grateful of the good turn out and the participation of non-Muslim members in the audience. She was passionate about her topic on "Religion & Civilisational Sustainability: Guardianship of The Environment in The Context of Religious Sciences" and expressed the dire need of the Muslims especially its leaders and scholars to play a more proactive role in bringing sustainable issues from the viewpoint of Islam to the forefront especially at the global level. There is a need to let the global players on sustainability hear the voice of Islam. In her opinion, as echoed by the two speakers after her Keynote Address, Professor Odeh Rashed al-Jayyousi and Dr Eric Winkel, Islam does provide a solution on sustainability issues but the challenge is to let it be known at the global platform.

Backdrop - Datuk Prof. Dr. Azizan delivering her welcoming speech during the opening ceremony.

On the second day of the conference, two sessions took place. Session II was conducted by Dr. Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen Shaikh Mohd Salleh while Session III was conducted by Dr. Mohd Sani Badron. The program started with the Second Keynote Address by Prof. Dr. Yusef Waghid regarding "Education for Sustainability: Religious and Civilisational Framework". Prof. Dr. Yusef Waghid is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy of Education in the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His research focuses on analytical inquiry democratic citizenship, cosmopolitanism and education within the genres of teaching and learning, educational policy, African higher education, and religious ethnics.

ISDEV delegates with one of the panelists, Prof. Odeh Rashed al-Jayyousi.

The international conference on religion and civilisational sustainability was organised by IKIM with the following objectives:

1. To promote mutual understanding between people of different faith traditions in understanding the link between religion and sustainability/sustainable development.

2. To provide a platform for scientists, people of faiths, and policy makers to discuss and engage in various issues concerning science and the complex interrelationships between science, religion, and socio-economic development. 

3. To provide the religious understanding/ dimension for sustainability solutions in an important aspect of civilization.

Prof Odeh Rashed al-Jayyousi stressing on a poignant point to Dr Shereeza and Raudha.