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KUALA LUMPUR: The Foreign Ministry will work with the International Institute of Islamic Civilisation and Malay World (ISTAC), International Islamic University Malaysia (ISTAC-IIUM) to achieve cultural diplomacy under Malaysia's Foreign Policy Framework.

Its minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah(pix) said the cooperation will touch on matters or concepts such as ''peaceful coexistence'' or giving ''çivilisational input’’ within the framework of “multilateralism” which is always used on the international stage.

“It means we bring a civilised approach to the existing international ‘discourse’,” he said during an online press conference, yesterday, held following a cultural exchange meeting through cultural diplomacy between ISTAC-IIUM leaders which was also attended by UIAM rector Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.

Saifuddin said five initiatives that can be implemented and fine-tuned in the collaboration were to mature the meaning of cultural diplomacy and on international platforms.

“ISTAC helps us (ministry) in many international debates and platforms that we have participated in all over the years, we will continue to participate in them but bring along a civilised approach.

“Other than that, ISTAC also helps in terms of strengthening the current curriculum at the level of courses offered at Institut Diplomasi dan Hubungan Luar Negeri (IDFR), in human resources development programmes implemented by the Wisma Putra level and programmes for diplomats,“ he said.

Saifuddin said other initiatives include helping ISTAC-IIUM in managing Wisma Putra's international activities held overseas.

Meanwhile, he said Wisma Putra was also prepared to be a co-sponsor for several programmes organised by ISTAC as well as planning to hold programmes such as language, cultural and literature classes.

“Today, I see we can work together to think about the structure and contents. We will start small ... it sounds simple but we need to consider targets and so on,“ he added.-Bernama

artcile from the sun daily, 11- 07- 2021 07:10 AM