Northeast Malaysia Forum 2009

----

Dear fellow Malaysians,

The Northeast Malaysia Forum 2009 (NMF 2009) is just about a month away. Below are the details of this year's event.

 

Venue: Yale University, New Haven CT, and various locations worldwide (please see the "how can you participate?" section below).

Date: April 10-12, 2009

Theme: ReVision 2020: Malaysia 2.0

What is NMF 2009? 

NMF 2009 is an opportunity for us to live out the Malaysia we want to see.

Think of it as a game. A game of people living out an ideal discussion, and communicating without barriers or prejudice. We'll provide the space, the technology and the guidelines. We only ask that you bring your experiences and enthusiasm. 


What kind of game?

Let's imagine ourselves as Malaysians 2.0 and seek to act and communicate accordingly. How would Malaysians in an idealized Vision 2020 think and interact with one another? We ask you to bring this mindset to the table during NMF 2009.

What is the purpose of the game?

Most of us have had discussions about Malaysian issues with friends over teh tarik, in the blogosphere, and so on. While these discussions are necessary, they tend to stop at the level of talk - what one might call the Kopitiam syndrome. 

We hope that NMF 2009 will be different. We won't stop talking, as the whole point of NMF 2009 is to talk, but we hope to exemplify certain virtues in our discussion, to make it more than just another Kopitiam conversation.

How will we do this, or, what are the rules of the game?

The goals of NMF 2009 can be summed up in three Es:

1. Engagement: A discussion open to all, welcoming of as many perspectives as possible. The underlying belief: it is better to engage in dialogue and to seek a common ground for all, than to remain in apathy.
   
2. Empathy: A place for understanding on a human level, not just on an intellectual one. Participants will be encouraged to understand not only the thoughts, but also the values and feelings of others. In other words, we aim to learn what makes other Malaysians tick, and to take this into account while deliberating issues.

3. Effect: A discussion that results in solidarity translating into collective action, building off what everyone can agree on. Minimally, however, we seek a discussion that exemplifies democracy in the truest sense - one that helps the many to develop sensitivity to each other, as citizens of Malaysia.

 

At the end of the (three) day(s), what is all this for?

Our theme for 2009 is ReVision 2020: Malaysia 2.0. As the new generation of Malaysians, our goal for NMF 2009 is to agree on a new, common Vision. The VisionWiki, edited and contributed to by NMF participants all over the world, will be our combined creation. It will be a collective individual pledge, which we can hold as a shared foundation upon which to continue building our country. Please read this for more information on the VisionWiki.

How can you participate?

1. Attend the forum held in Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Register on the website. Accommodation will be provided in a hotel close to the Yale campus, which will make it easier for participants to socialize and network. We will provide all meals for the weekend, except for Friday dinner and Saturday lunch. Unfortunately, transportation subsidies will not be provided.

2. Attend one of the many Global Forums held around the world. For a brief explanation of the Global Forums, and information on the forum closest to your location, please refer to the website. If there is no forum near you, and you would like to lead one, please email us at northeastmalaysiaforum@gmail.com with the heading "Global Forum".  

We hope that you will participate! Please spread the word to others who might be interested – whether they are in the United States or anywhere else in the world.

 

Be part of the global Northeast Malaysia Forum 2009!

Sincerely,
The NMF 2009 team
http://www.malaysiaforum.org/nmf/
northeastmalaysiaforum (at) gmail (dot) com