The Words of the Yeoh Family
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The Words of the Yeoh Family |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- The Inaugural Assembly of the Asia Peace Conference will take place November 26 and 27 in Kuala Lumpur. The theme is Strengthening Collaborative Governance for Regional Prosperity and Peace.
The Asia Peace Conference seeks to harness the spiritual talent of Asia for greater collaboration for peace and prosperity in the region. Asia is the home of one third of the global population and also the birthplace of great civilizations and religions. Malaysia is well suited to be the ideal location for the inaugural conference as it is home 5o the many religions and cultures of Asia.
The Asia Peace Conference will examine regional and national best practices towards achieving interfaith harmony through the practices of moderation and cooperation in order to chart a way forward. The deliverables will be a set of substantive action-oriented recommendations that will be leveraged through over 200 participating leaders of government, religion, academia, as well as NGOs from Malaysia and neighboring countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Korea, and Japan.
The conference was conceptualized on February 19, 2011, during the interfaith open house jointly organized by the Universal Peace Federation of Malaysia, Interfaith Spiritual Fellowship, and Malaysia Interfaith Network in conjunction with the United Nations World Interfaith Religious Harmony Week. The over 80 leaders and representatives of religious organizations, NGOs, and well-wishers who participated adopted a resolution to organize a major regional conference in promotion of the practice of moderation for inter-religious harmony and peace.
The Aims and Aspirations
1. To promote creative and critical awareness about the need for interfaith understanding for greater regional collaboration in the pursuit of peace and human dignity.
2. To explore the positive and practical measures of moderation.
3. To deliberate ways for continued regional collaboration to promote interfaith understanding and peace initiatives.
Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia
Department of National Unity of Malaysia
Universal Peace Federation
Interfaith Spiritual Fellowship
Malaysian Interfaith Network
Buddhist Maha Vihara
Malaysia Hindu Sangam
YB Tan Sri Senator Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Malaysia
PLENARY I: Parliamentarians for Peace and Good Governance
The world is looking for leadership to bring us out of the economic, political, and religious conflicts that are besieging us on every front. Transforming a world of conflict into a world of peace is an ambitious but necessary task. Today's culture of conflict is evident in rising divorce rates, domestic violence, racial and ethnic tensions, and regional wars that perpetuate grievances and sow bitterness for later generations. Many factors will contribute to establishing lasting peace, but none is more critical than effective leadership.
This session will discuss the foundation of good governance and parliamentary accountability in ensuring good governance. A strong parliament or a lack of it could create considerable discrepancies between the expected role and practical performances.
PLENARY II: Towards an Alliance of Moderates
While notions of spirituality and ethics are embedded in the UN Charter and other normative documents, they are rarely referred to. The depth of personal commitment associated with religion could be harnessed to support the fundamental rights and freedoms that are pillars of the UN's work.
PLENARY III: Agents of Peace – Establishing a Caring Society
Where are we headed? What is happening to our youth, marriages, and families today? There is a point of view that countries must modernize or face extinction. However, there is a paradox here, because there is much evidence that countries that modernize also face eventual extinction through the long-term, successive effects of family fragmentation. The current high rates of divorce and unmarried child-bearing, family fragmentation, and fatherlessness indicate a serious social problem which threatens the heart of the family and the well-being of children. It becomes an enormous burden on government and civil society.
This session will examine the role of marriage and family life that transcend racial, ethnic, national, and religious boundaries and are held in reverence by the entire human family. Even more important, the family is the school of love and the training ground where we elevate our character to become responsible citizens and qualified men and women who can transition into the eternal world based on the elevation of our heart through a life of true love.
PLENARY IV: Innovative Approaches to Peace
At this critical time in history, there is need for serious examination of the existing institutions and practices of global governance. In particular, there is an urgent need for innovative models of good governance that illustrate the real potential and effectiveness of inter-religious and international cooperation in addressing critical problems that face every society and nation in the world.
This session will explore examples of the best peace-building practices in the region. From these examples, we can extrapolate from these designs for new systems, structures and organizations that will foster the kind of world we most wish to inhabit.
PLENARY V: Agents of Peace – Media's role in Peace Building
The search for drama within a conflict can be detrimental to the peace process. Headlines which focus on sensational confrontations could generate anger from both sides with inevitable consequences. Disagreements can turn to crises, enemies become more fearful and opponents more vicious.
This session examines the role the media can play in peace-building.
For more information contact Sam Yeoh, UPF-Malaysia.