MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof attended the 9th Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman from November 2 – 4.
Themed ‘Toward A Middle Stance Culture Favouring Muslim Societies Development,’ the conference was inaugurated and chaired by His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture of the Sultanate of Oman.
The meeting was attended by ministers in-charge of culture from the Islamic world, heads of delegations, the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Director-General of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO).
The conference has helped implement the cultural strategy of the Islamic world, endorse reports by the Director-General of ISESCO as well as the election of the Consultative Council in-charge of implementing the strategies.
In his opening remarks, His Highness Sayyid Haitham pointed out that the theme included important aspects that integrate the developmental moderate culture and allow cultural moderation, providing a wider scope for multiculturalism and cultural diversity. The cultural dialogue strives to achieve peace in society and build a common democratic culture that contributes to approximating views among countries.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi pays a courtesy call on His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof together with Minister of Heritage and Culture of the Sultanate of Oman His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said who is also the Chairman of the conference, Direc-tor-General of ISESCO and ministers from OIC member countries
The Director-General of ISESCO noted that the conference reflected the interests of the Islamic world in the sustainable development goals post-2016 agenda adopted by the United Nations.
During the roundtable session, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi shared Brunei Darussalam’s strategies on cultural mediation encompassing on the importance of policies and its implementation in bringing Bruneians together towards developing the nation and achieving the Brunei Vision 2035.
He highlighted the Malay Islamic Monarch (MIB) philosophy as an important mediation tool, strengthening its political, economic and socio-cultural importance in Brunei’s development. He also stresses on the importance of developing the youth and bringing them on-board in nation building.
During the conference, the Brunei minister together with other heads of delegation attended the inauguration ceremony of Nizwa, the provincial capital of Ad-Dakhiliyah region of Oman as the Islamic Capital City for Culture 2015-2016.
The conference adopted the Muscat Declaration which among others calls for strengthening bonds of cultural unity and adopting dialogue amongst cultures and civilisation as a means to address causes of violence, extremism and terrorism.
Prior to the conference, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi paid a courtesy call on His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture of the Sultanate of Oman, at His Highness’ Office in Muscat.
During the courtesy call, both ministers discussed among others, efforts to further strengthen the excellent brotherly relations enjoyed by both Sultanates, and reiterated their commitments to promote cooperation at all levels – especially in youth activities, exchanges and scholarships.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi was accompanied by Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Paduka Dr Haji Affendy bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to Oman Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Awang Besar bin Haji Abu Bakar, and senior officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
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