On June 21, SSA Vice General Director Mr Chan Heng Yuen, Education Programme Committee Chairperson Ms Josephine Phoon and Peace Committee member Mr Lim Jih Yang attended the official opening of the seminar “Role of Community Leaders Towards Promoting The Culture of Durable and Lasting Peace” held at the Al Malik Faisal Hall of the Islamic Centre Jamiyah.
At the opening attended by some 50 Muslim leaders from 23 countries, as well as diplomats and leaders of other faiths in Singapore, Guest of Honour Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng, urged the community leaders to speak out against extremists who abuse religion to justify violence.
The five-day seminar was organized by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Kuwait, International Islamic Charitable Organisation, Kuwait and Muslim Missionary Society Singapore (Jamiyah)
On July 3, SSA Vice General Director Mr Chan also attended a panel on “Islam and the West: A Conversation between and Beyond Identities (Cultures)” at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This seminar was jointly organized by the Department of Malay Studies and the University’s Scholars’ Programme of NUS.
The panel comprised of three scholars from the Jewish, Islamic and Christian faiths, with facilitation by Associate Professor Syed Farid Alatas of the Department of Sociology of NUS. Some 40 participants, including representatives of various religious organizations and University students attended the discussion. The panel speakers spoke on the need for deeper understanding through dialogue where different religions can seek a common basis to respect and appreciate one another.
