Malaysian Cultural Diplomacy

"Social cohesion: moving beyond the frame of conflict and consensus”

September 28th, 2022

The Malaysian Cultural Diplomacy was organized by the Embassy of Malaysia in Berin and the Academy of Cultural Diplomacy. The event included a keynote address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Saifuddin Abdullah folowing a lecture by Professor Ulung Datuk Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin. The topic for the lecture was "Social cohesion: moving beyond the frame of conflict and consensus”.

Malaysian Cultural Diplomacy
A Welcome Address by Saifuddin Abdullah (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia)

The event started with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Saifuddin Abdullah, speaking and making a presentation of the country, Malaysia. About how the country is as a whole and how the culture of Malaysia is, as well as how he would like to see a diplomatic relation between Malaysia and Germany. Furthermore, he was also promoting the country as a whole in order to present possible relations with countries other than Germany, specially directing the talk to the guests being present and representing different countries.

Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, is considered a prominent lecturer and held a lecture for the participants of this event. This lecture was about social cohesion, touching on its topics of the five segments of social cohesion. These were about belonging versus isolation, inclusion versus exclusion, participation versus non-involvement, recognition versus rejection and legitimacy versus illegitimacy. The two main speakers of the evening gave knowledge that together could be used in order for different countries to work together in a better manner.

Saifuddin Abdullah, Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs weighs in on the War in Ukraine, China & the West, Malaysian Cultural Diplomacy & Nation Branding – An Interview

Mark Donfried, the Director of ICD, held an interview with Saifuddin Abdullah, together with Scarlett Lukaszuk. During this interview the Minister had the chance to speak about, amongst others, topics regarding from the war between Russia and Ukraine, Malaysia's position on the tension between China and the West, as well as Malaysian Cultural Diplomacy. This gave him a better opportunity to touch on other topics beyond the ones he spoke about before the lecture started.