| Danial Norjidi |
PREPARATIONS are underway in celebration of Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB)as the Islamic Culture Capital for the Asia Region in 2019, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin said.
The designation is synonymous to the nation and the country, as the teachings of Islam are rooted in its political-culture, governance, history, the arts and letters, the practices and the people’s daily lives, the minister said.
He also quoted a titah by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam on the importance of addressing the root causes of violent extremism and terrorism; and for such threats to be dissociated from any religion, nationality, race or ethnicity.
The minister highlighted this during a speech at the recent extraordinary session of the Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.
The minister shared some of the strategies undertaken by Brunei Darussalam in safeguarding human heritage and countering extremism, namely the whole-of-nation approach, the importance of education including religious education where the emphasis is not only in the acquisition of knowledge and skills but also in achieving the moral dimensions of the society, and the practice of the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy that is embedded in Brunei Darussalam’s system and identity, governing values and practised throughout everyday life and Islam as a complete way of life, which includes development and modernisation.
The minister highlighted the importance of the regional initiatives of ASEAN, which is the implementation of the Culture of Prevention towards a peaceful, inclusive, resilient, healthy and harmonious society.
He also shared on the need for solidarity and collective actions in cooperation among member countries in all perspectives to safeguard the true values of the Ummah and to be more strategic, with culture providing a means to unite people and appreciation of each other, while bringing greater unity amid the diversity.
The extraordinary session concluded with the adoption of the Action Programme on the Promotion of Islamic and International Support for Safeguarding Civilisational and Cultural Heritage in Al-Quds Al-Sharif; the Manama Process for the Action to Counter Extremism, Sectarianism and Terrorism; and the Declaration of Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the permanent capital of the Islamic culture, starting in 2019.
The conference, which carried the theme ‘Together for Safeguarding Human Heritage and Countering Extremism’, was inaugurated and chaired by the President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities Shaikha Mai binti Mohammed Al-Khalifa and Minister of Tourism, Antiquities and Wildlife of the Republic of Sudan Dr Mohammed Abu Zeid Mustafa.
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 the Director-General of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
Prior to the conference, Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan and other delegations attended the launch of the Pearling Path Heritage Site, officiated by His Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and the First Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain.
Accompanying the minister to the conference were Charge d’Affairés of Brunei Darussalam to the Kingdom of Bahrain Hajah Nor Huda binti Begawan Pehin Khatib Dato Paduka Haji Ahmad and senior officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS).