Malaysia commits to leading higher education excellence and knowledge dialogue at the 8th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will continue to play its role as a bridge for dialogue, centre of excellence in higher education, and a strategic partner in developing an inclusive, progressive, and values-based knowledge ecosystem.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said this aspiration is in line with the organisation of the 8th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation (WCIT2026), which serves as an important platform for bringing together diverse perspectives and building international collaboration networks.
He said the conference also aims to generate ideas and solutions that can benefit the ummah and the global community.
“Last night, I returned to Ipoh to attend a dinner held in conjunction with WCIT2026, organised by Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS), which brought together more than 180 delegates, scholars, researchers, and thinkers from various countries.
“They share a commitment to strengthening intellectual discourse and empowering Islamic thought in addressing the current global challenges,” he said in a Facebook post today.
In his speech at the event, Zambry stressed that the Islamic world today needs more than just nostalgia for its past glory.
He said the future of the ummah must be built on knowledge, research, innovation, integrity-driven leadership, and competitive higher education institutions.
“Education must remain beyond the boundaries of politics, conflict, and technology, as knowledge is a shared heritage of all humanity, not the property of any one nation or civilisation.
“Drawing lessons from history such as the destruction of Baghdad, Granada, Sarajevo, as well as the ongoing conflict in Palestine, the speech serves as a reminder that when universities and libraries are destroyed, what is lost is not just buildings, but the future of a civilisation,” he said.
He also expressed hope that the three-day WCIT2026, which begins today, would proceed smoothly and yield resolutions and new ideas that contribute to the advancement of the Islamic world and global well-being.
