Reverse Linkage

122 REVERSE LINKAGE Harmony Week is not a call to abandon one’s faith but a call to respect differences between followers of different religions and to be aware that mutual understanding and dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace. The seminar had two sessions discussing the worrying trends of unabated acts of violence and terrorism in the name of religion, and the prospect for harmony discussed by media specialists. The seminar concluded that peace in the world can be attained by bridging the gulf between religions, soci- eties, individuals and communities. This requires dialogue, interaction and intermingling of individuals and groups at national and international levels. The then UN Secretary- General, Ban Ki-Moon, stressed in his message the need for religious and cultural leaders to speak the language of toler- ance and respect. In 2012, Dr. Zaleha Kamaruddin, Rector of IIUM, addressed the UN General Assembly Thematic Debate on the State of the World Economy. This was followed by the establishment of IIUM’s International Centre for Alliance of Civilisations (INTAC) at its Jalan Duta campus. Through INTAC, the university serves as a rich resource and an ener- getic partner to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in its outreach to various communities and institutions in south east Asia and the ASEAN region. In 2015, INTAC joined the Serendib Institute of Research and Development and organized 9-day long interfaith and intra- faith dialogues in Sri Lanka. One of the objectives was to foster a more harmonious, stable and sustainable coexistence between the Muslimminority community and the Buddhist majority and other non-Muslim communities of Sri Lanka. Another organization promoting peace is the International Institute of Wasatiyyah (IIW) or Moderation, established at the IIUM in January 2013. IIUM President, Mohd. Sidek Hj. Hassan, officiated at the inauguration and reminded the audience of the need to restore civility in the international arena and to promote interfaith goodwill and understand- ing. He declared that: “Our strength is in our diversity, so let us not tolerate extremist views and sectarianism or militancy and radicalism that will only serve to destroy this social fabric.” He argued that IIUM, an institution that celebrates the pursuit and expansion of knowledge, should seize the advantage of its academia which claims the higher ground in being a neutral party to push the agenda of moderation for the country and for Islam. The Institute has organized Image: IIUM International Seminar on Interfaith Harmony and Tolerance award ceremony 2013