The Government along with Prince of Songkla University and its College of Islamic Studies gave a joint press conference on an international seminar on Islamic studies which will be a platform for Islamic philosophers and scholars from 40 countries to discuss on the topic of "Islamic Studies in a Changing World: Challenges and Opportunities".
January 4, 2013, at 1600hrs, at the Government Press Center, Naree Smosorn Building, the Government House, Government Spokesman Tosaporn Serirak; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Chusak Limsakul, President of Prince of Songkla University; and Dr. Yusof Talek, Director of the College of Islamic Studies held a joint press conference on an international seminar on "Islamic Studies in a Changing World: Challenges and Opportunities". Participating in the press conference were concerned officials, honorable guests, and press.
The Government Spokesman revealed that the seminar will be a platform for Islamic studies experts and scholars, both Thai and international, to brainstorm and find ways to standardize management of Islamic studies in Thailand and abroad, as well as to discuss its integration with other studies to make Islamic studies more comprehensive. The seminar will focus on how Islamic Studies could cope effectively with challenges of today's changing world, and since Pattani province used to be a prosperous center of Islamic studies, known as the Balcony of Mecca, it is, therefore, agreed to hold the seminar in Pattani province.
The Government Spokesman added that to strengthen and upgrade Islamic studies curriculum to an international level, educational institutions must seek academic alliances with other institutions that has the same Islamic studies curriculum both within the country and abroad, particularly institutions that are famous among Thai students such as Al-Azhar University in Egypt, International University of Africa in Sudan, and Al-albayt University in Jordan. Forging alliances with such institutions will be of much benefit to Thai institutions and the country itself especially in upgrading Islamic studies, as well as, nurturing friendship and understanding between the participating countries. This will subsequently result in sustainable peace both in the southernmost provinces of Thailand and the global society, and will enhance Thailand’s honorable entry in the ASEAN Community.
According to the President of Prince of Songkla University (PSU), the seminar on "Islamic Studies in a Changing World: Challenges and Opportunities" will present a new dimension of Islamic studies in Thailand and will seek to benefit from 700 Islamic philosophers and scholars from over 40 countries for the direction on developing Islamic studies in the country. The seminar is also strategically important in a way to seek academic alliances for sustainability of Islamic studies in Thailand.
The seminar on January 14, 2013 will start with Dua reading by Imam Aziz Pitakkhumpol, Sheikh of Thailand, followed by keynote addresses by H.E.Dr.Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director-General of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO); H.E.Prof.Dr.Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Minister of International Cooperation, Republic of Guinea; H.E.Prof.Dr.Umar Ubaid Hasnah, Director of Department of Research and Islamic Studies, Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Qatar; Prof.Dr.Usamah Mohammad al Abd, President of Al-Azhar University, Egypt; and a speech by Prof.Dato’ Dr.Muhammad Kamal Hassan of the International Islamic University Malaysia. The afternoon session will start with an official opening ceremony chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The seminar on January 15 will feature over 20 discussion sessions in which research papers will be presented, followed by the closing ceremony chaired by Minister of Education Pongthep Thepkanjana. On January 16-17, 2013, Seminar participants will have a field trip to Chiang Mai to visit Muslim communities there. This is to show the Islamic philosophers and scholars that Muslim communities in Thailand are not limited to the southern part of the country but everywhere that they live with peace and equality with neighbors of other faiths.
The president of PSU added that this seminar is an ongoing project preceded by the first international seminar in 2010 where 413 representatives of such countries as Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Sudan, Chad, Tanzania, Turkey, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand participated, and where the Pattani Declaration was announced in order to apply Islamic studies to bring peace, and improve Islamic youths’ education and life opportunities. It was also agreed to hold an international seminar at the College of Islamic Studies, PSU once every two years.
According to the PSU President, it is expected that the result of the seminar will help upgrade Islamic studies curriculum of the College of Islamic Studies, PSU, to meet an international standard, which is in line with the Government’s policy to promote Thailand as the hub of ASEAN Education. The seminar will also be attended by religious leaders and teachers from Islamic private schools with an aim to have thoughts and knowledge from international Islamic philosophers and scholars transferred to Thai Islamic youths.
The PSU College of Islamic Studies was established in 1990 and is the first college of Islamic studies in Thailand. An international program on Islamic studies has currently been initiated with Arabic and English as medium of instruction. At present, there are 125 students enrolled in the Program, among which are 24 foreign students from China, Cambodia, and the African countries.
From
Royal Thai Government
http://www.thaigov.go.th/en/news-room/item/74271-government-hopes-an-international-seminar-on-islam-studies-will-forge-friendship-and-understanding-between-thailand-and-other-participating-countries.html
