Final
Report: 39th SEAMEO Council Conference
The Empire Hotel and Country Club, Jerudong
Negara Brunei Darussalam
1-4 March 2004
The Empire Hotel and Country Club, Jerudong
Negara Brunei Darussalam
1-4 March 2004
Proceedings
Contents |
| Proceedings |
| Appendices |
Appendix
IV |
|
Address
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 |
|
at
the Opening of the 39th Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization
(SEAMEO) Council Conference, The
Empire Hotel and Country Club Jerudong, |
|
| ASSALAMU
'ALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAAHI WABARAKAATUH BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM ALHAMDULILLAAHI RABBIL `AALAMEEN, WABIHEE NASTA'EENU 'ALAA UMUURIDDUNYA WADDEEN, WASSALAATU WASSALAAMU 'ALAA ASYRAFIL MURSALEEN, SAYYIDINAA MUHAMMADIN, WA'ALAA AALIHEE WASAHBIHEE AJMA'EEN, WABA’DU. |
|
| Your
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, |
|
It
is an honour and privilege for Brunei Darussalam to be your host
during your Council Conference. I offer my own personal welcome
to our fellow members of the region and to our guests from other
countries. The people of Brunei Darussalam express their warmest
appreciation to you all for the contributions you and your governments
are making to South East Asian education. I hope we can offer you
an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation that is most conducive
to your important and valuable discussions. |
|
| Your Excellencies, | |
As
members of the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization,
you will soon be recognizing an important date in your history.
Next year will mark forty years since SEAMEO was first established.
During that time, the Organization has accomplished a great deal
in your mission to enhance regional understanding and cooperation
among Member Countries. You have provided our government and our
regional association with a stream of challenging and stimulating
ideas. You have constantly responded to the requests we put to you,
and the demands we often make of you, as our region’s foremost
educational Organization. At the same time, through the regional
centres and professional networks that you have set up over the
years, your work has acknowledged the need for solid, practical
action. All this, is a fine record of achievement and an outstanding
contribution to the overall development of each Member Country and
to our region as a whole. I thank you and congratulate the Organization
on its many achievements. I am sure that your work at this Conference
will continue to assist SEAMEO in all its efforts to play an essential
role in the lives of the people of South East Asia. |
|
| Your Excellencies, | |
I
mention the forty years of your Organization’s existence for
a special reason. Your stated SEAMEO vision speaks of “strengthening
regional understanding”. I would suggest that no time since
your founding in 1965 has this been of more crucial importance.
Almost every meeting we have attended over the last two or three
years has focused on one major concern. This is the question of
security. Here, I do not just refer to violent acts such as the
terrorist atrocities we have experienced. I mean “security”
in the fullest sense of the word……the security that
demands more than physical protection from the criminal acts of
fanatics and extremists……the security that is sought
so deeply by the ordinary citizens of this region in their day-to-day
lives. |
|
This
is the security of employment ...of good health ...of decent family
and community life ......and, above all ......the security of being
able to plan one's future in peace, stability and confidence, in
keeping with one's own beliefs, values and principles. |
|
In
sum......that which comes from understanding the world one lives
in and being able to meet its demands. |
|
| And
that is what is under threat today. Too many of our people are disturbed by modern developments. They feel they cannot cope with them. They see many opportunities, of course. |
|
But
they feel instinctively that the "quality of life" referred
to in your own vision statement is permanently beyond their reach.
In response, their reaction is all too often frustration and feelings
of hopelessness and even rage. By contrast with 1965, the world
has greatly changed. In many ways, it has changed for the better.
But, as we note at every ASEAN Leaders' Meeting, It is also a world
that is profoundly insecure. The root causes of this are of deep
concern to those of you working in education. They are also central
to other regional efforts and we all need to work closely with each
other to address them. Somehow, the new globalized world community
.....like any other society ......must acquire Its own unique culture. |
|
That
culture has to be based on understanding, inclusiveness, and tolerance.
It must also involve in a deep appreciation of all the other cultures,
backgrounds and societies of which it is composed. If we are to
have long term security, the twenty first century must discover
such a culture. It will be a very difficult task. At present, as
we can sadly see in every continent, it is still an alien concept.
This is, of course, understandable. Voyaging in the global community
is a new experience for each of us. We are all migrants. But, just
like anyone moving to a new land, we have to learn its language.
We have to acquire the skills it demands. We must adapt to its principles.
And, at the same time, we must find a lasting place for our own
spiritual values and heritage. What this all amounts to is a learning
process of utmost importance. When completed, it must enable us
to live in peace and understanding with ourselves and with our new
neighbours. This process touches the very core of education. It
is the traditional source of inspiration for our professional such
as yourselves. It starts from the day each boy or girl enters the
system you devise and control. It lasts from the first moment in
kindergarten to the final great ceremonies handing out degrees,
diplomas and awards. What happens in between is largely your decision,
as Ministers. How, then, can education play its vital role In ensuring
that our future societies are ones that will flourish in the present
century? That, I see as your most important work today. Our children
receive an ever increasing amount of technological, scientific,
and electronic information. But will your decisions also help them
acquire tolerance and respect for others? |
|
History
has taught the dangers of leaving this duty entirely to accident...or
to those who may have a very different agenda than your own. So,
accepting it as one of education's main responsibilities is, I believe,
our region's greatest educational challenge. To meet it, we in South
East Asia must turn to the distinguished and proven expertise your
Organization has provided for so many years. I am sure we can do
this with great confidence. We are indeed fortunate to have you
and I wish you much success in your important deliberations here
and in all the Organization's future work. And with the kalimah,
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem... I now have great pleasure In declaring
this 39th SEAMEO Council Conference open. |
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| Wabillahit Taufeq Wal Hidayah, Wassalamu 'Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. | |
