LONDON: Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be delivering the keynote speech at the World Muslim Leadership Forum (WMLF) 2018 during her three-day official visit to United Kingdom.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister begins her visit to UK today, which is her maiden official visit to the country after being appointed to the Malaysian cabinet on May 21 following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the country’s 14th general election.
Being the first Malaysian woman leader to give a speech at the prestigious biennial forum on Thursday, her presence is expected to greatly enhance the forum as Malaysia’s number two leader and the country’s role in empowering women in all sectors, social, economic, administrative and political.
Malaysian High Commission Charge d’Affaires ad interim Mohd Suhaimi Jaafar said the forum, among others, aims to gather Muslim leaders from different corners of the globe to explore key issues, address challenges, and provide innovative solutions in delinking associations made to terrorism and Islam.
Briefing the Malaysian media covering her visit here, he said Dr Wan Azizah’s keynote speech at the fourth WMLF entitled “The Role of Women and Girls in Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030”.
Mohd Suhaimi said the deputy prime minister’s keynote address will among others highlight on ensuring healthy life, ending poverty, closing gaps on gender and disability, recognising the role of women, promoting of rights of women and girls as well as to optimise their contributions while balancing their responsibilities.
To be held at the Lambeth Palace and at the House of Commons, Westminster, the two-day forum carries the theme ‘The Role of Muslim Leadership in Rebuilding Islam’s Global Image’, which will focus on four critical aspects, namely creating a new narrative about Islam; strengthening Muslim leadership at all levels of socio-economic and political landscapes; women empowerment and the role of women in re-shaping the new Islamic narrative.
The forum also aims at creating platforms for Muslim leaders to offer solutions to current problems such as youth education, entrepreneurship and advocacy for sustainable development.
Mohd Suhaimi said Dr Wan Azizah is also scheduled to visit Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS), which is about a two-hour drive from metropolitan London, and participate in a discussion with scholars.
In Oxford, the deputy prime minister will visit Worcester College, University of Oxford and the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre, a world-class venue for conferences and event facility at the college.
Having a tight schedule, Dr Wan Azizah will also be meeting with Malaysians residing in UK at a dinner to be held at the Malaysian High Commission here.
On Friday, the deputy prime minister is scheduled to meet Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, who is also the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations and the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
Dr Wan Azizah will also participate in a roundtable discussion session with prominent investors and British companies, which will be organised by Asia House.
Other programmes scheduled for the deputy prime minister include visiting the East London Mosque and meeting with local Muslim scholars.
“The visit is expected to further strengthen the bond of friendship and reflect our keenness to work with the UK to increase cooperation in new areas between the two countries,” said Mohd Suhaimi.
During the official visit, Dr Wan Azizah will be accompanied by Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Datuk Marzuki Yahya, as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, and Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. — BERNAMA