RCE Greater Gombak - 2020

Location

Malaysia
See map: Google Maps
MY
Capacity Building for Islam, Peace and Civilizational Development: Engaging Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict through Education for Sustainability (2019 – 2020): #2Lead4Peace
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Capacity Building for Islam, Peace and Civilizational Development: Engaging Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict through Education for Sustainability (2019 – 2020): #2Lead4Peace
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Greater Gombak
Contributing organization(s) : 
a. International Islamic University Malaysia
b. START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism), University of Maryland
c. Universiti Sains Malaysia
d. Universiti Malaysia Sabah
e. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
f. Universiti Teknologi MARA
g. SEARCCT (Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia
h. Ministry of Youth and Sports
i. Ministry of Home Affairs
j. ACCIN (Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs)
k. MSI A Tetra Tech Company
l. MPI (Malaysia Press Institute)
m. Rotary Club Malaysia
n. Soka Gakai Malaysia
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
Organizational Affiliation: 
International Islamic University Malaysia
E-mail: 
dzulrazak@gmail.com
Name: 
Assoc Prof. Dr. Danial Yusof
Organizational Affiliation: 
International Islamic University Malaysia
E-mail: 
danialmy@iium.edu.my
Format of project: 
Exhibition, dialogue,group work
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Web link: 
https://rce2g.iium.edu.my/capacity-building-for-islam-peace-and-civilzational-development-engaging-extremism-terrorism-and-conflict-through-education-for-sustainability-2019-2020-2lead4peace/
Additional resources: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AkX_OJnSoTcH--1BAHFp3F1UIN_V4p9a/view
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
2015 UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism
At what level is the policy operating?: 
International
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
Kuala Lumpur
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability and Humanity
Secretariat, RCE Greater Gombak
International Islamic University Malaysia
Jalan Gombak, 53100
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Ecosystem(s):
Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community, Higher
Peace for All
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
The scholarship on PCVE, CT and Peace studies today can be described as an industry. However, the lack of a “quadruple helix” engagement model for collaboration to meet challenges in Malaysia, Southeast Asia and globally means that there are gaps of understanding the phenomena, including a reeducation of the youth on the peril of nuclear weapons and its possible use in terrorism. While the stakeholders often work in silos, a collaborative and sustainable platform for sharing insights - ideas, experiences, expertise, and solutions – needs development. This synergy reflects the 5Ps of the SDG and Malaysia’s own Insan Sejahtera (balanced individual) model.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
The main challenge is to conceptualise the meaning of “peace” and “justice” as something the is meaningful to be demonstrate through education. This is best done through Learning by Doing where the experiential part of education is emphasised. The aspect of “peace” and “justice” transcends the human boundaries. It involves nature, its preservation and relevance to a lifestyle that delivers “peace” and “justice” to all forms of life and creation. The whole of institution and of community approach in the nurturing of “peace” and “justice” is the key to meeting such challenges via strategic collaborations and capacity building.
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Period: 
August, 2019 to October, 2020
Rationale: 
The activities in support of the policies mentioned above culminate in the creation of a series of modules or courses by IIUM and collaborators (e.g. USM, UMS, and UMT among others) that can be utilized for various educational for sustainable development purposes i.e. modules and certificate courses to MA level programmes in PCVE/CT, and Peace Studies suitable for policymakers, practitioners, researchers and activists in these fields. The materials can also be used for informative and educational engagement with stakeholders for capacity building. A web portal dedicated to PCVE, CT and Peace is also being set up collaboratively by IIUM, USM, SEARCCT and MPI to facilitate education, training and sharing of best practices amongst journalists, researchers, activists and practitioners in these fields. Subgrants are already being discussed for 2021 in relation to new research and content creation for the sustainability of the portal encompassing issues such as COVID-19 and security, decoloniality and the terrorism industry, and the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, ratified by Malaysia in September, and which recently came into force on October 24th, 2020.
Objectives: 
In support of the policies mentioned above, the goals of the activities are:
1) To produce content on PCVE, CT and Peace Studies to be used for various stakeholder engagement, public advocacy and education, training and capacity building activities as stand alone modules, certificate and Masters level programme
2) To develop a national PVCE, CT and Peace Studies programme package for the Malaysian youth based on the public health model in collaboration with relevant ministries, agencies, CSOs and other stakeholders that emphasises on nation-building, global citizenship and peace-building
3) To bring attention and provide input to contemporary issues and Malaysia’s involvement in peacebuilding dialogue and advocacy
4) To ensure the sustainability of the networks and collaborative capacity via a national level web portal
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The advocacy and awareness programmes involved the following:
1) Exhibition (over a month) are held at various public places
2) Seminars (in person) and webinars in conjunction of the global events anniversary of the Atomic Bomb explosion in Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
3) Launching of a book entitled: The Ashes of Hiroshima translated from the Malay version (Debu-debu Hiroshima). The book narrates the experience of a Malaysian sole A-Bomb survivor
4) Talks by invited guests and political leaders on the subject of “peace” and “justice” encompassing issues such as Islamophobia, religion for the prevention of violent extremism etc.
5) Community engagement programmes including cultural and recreational in nature that involved students in particular e.g. national and zonal youth conventions on empowerment and PCVE/CT.
Size of academic audience: 
Range was from a few hundreds to thousands, depending on the activities and duration
Results: 
Apart from creating awareness and understanding of what “peace” and “justice” is all about in the context of SDG 16, the project has managed to create a cohesive collaborative platform for capacity building and educational content for the stakeholders involved in PCVE, CT, and Peace Studies. The project also aspires to get the banning of nuclear weapons as a mark of success in dispensing “peace” and “justice” universally. To this effect, Malaysia ratified the landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on the 30th September 2020, making it the 46th country to do so. This later led to the other four countries to do likewise with Honduras being the 50th meaning the Treaty will go into full force on the 22nd January 2021.
Lessons learned: 
Engagement about values like “peace” and “justice” cannot be taught in classrooms but is to be “caught” experientially as mentioned above. This proves challenging since such opportunities are rare if not for the approaches advocated by Education for Sustainable Development. It is further enhanced by the “intangible” targets of the 5Ps. Further lessons learned is the method of assessment away from the tangibles (numbers, percentages) or the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). To this effect, the project is able to produce another method based on the concept of Key Intangible Performance (KIP). It is more values-based and relevant to the outcome of the project.
Key messages: 
The project gained significance like the proverbial snowball through empowerment from strategic collaborations. From the humble beginning of a research group, it expanded to include national and international partners. Likewise, the forging of peace can only be done when we as a community build bridges across people and organizations from various divides.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
IIUM as the host for RCE Greater Gombak provides advisory and is a role model for sustainable development projects.
Funding: 
Multiple sources of funding i.e. ISTAC-IIUM General Fund, START University of Maryland, MSI Tetra Tech, MPI (Malaysia Press Institute), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2020-10-31 at 1.02.37 PM.jpeg (102.51 KB) Profiling Radicalization in Malaysia Workshop with Dr. Micahel Jensen, University of Maryland (23-24 January 2019) IIUM
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2020-10-31 at 1.04.49 PM.jpeg (90.22 KB) INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON RELIGIOUS VALUES IN COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM, IIUM GOMBAK, 26 AUGUST 2019 HONORABLE GUEST TAN SRI MUHYIDDIN YASSIN, FORMER MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS MALAYSIA WITH TAN SRI DZULKIFLI RAZAK, IIUM RECTOR IIUM
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2020-10-31 at 1.06.57 PM.jpeg (140.91 KB) “MALAYSIA YOUTH PACK 2020” (Malaysian Youth Empowerment and Training for Peacebuilding and Civilisation) Universiti Sains Malaysia (North Zone) 14-16 February 2020 Universiti Sains Malaysia
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2020-10-31 at 1.13.29 PM.jpeg (70.64 KB) Forum on Christchurch: Repercussions and Solutions at ISTAC, 12 April 2019 In the picture : Mr. Gareth Pidgeon (Deputy High Commissioner, New Zealand Embassy) IIUM
Image icon WhatsApp Image 2020-10-31 at 1.08.41 PM.jpeg (132.75 KB) “MALAYSIA YOUTH PACK 2020” (Malaysian Youth Empowerment and Training for Peacebuilding and Civilisation) Universiti Sains Malaysia (North Zone) 14-16 February 2020 Universiti Sains Malaysia
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No