KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the Postnormal Times (PNT) Madani Exhibition yesterday, and urged all Malaysians to visit and gain exposure from it.
“I call on parents, students, government ministries and the private sector to fully explore the exhibition as it offers significant learning opportunities.
“Government ministries, universities and schools should arrange proper schedules to visit the exhibition to ensure they have appropriate guidance when visiting it.”
Anwar also urged the mainstream media and the Communications Ministry to highlight the importance of the exhibition, which is being held until Nov 10 on Level 10 of the West Wing, at Berjaya Times Square. Admission is free.
Together with him at the event were Berjaya Group founder and adviser Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the exhibition’s curator Prof Ziauddin Sardar, and Centre for Postnormal Policy and Futures Studies (CPPFS) executive assistant director Scott Jordan, among others.
The PNT exhibition is a collaboration between the prime minister and CPPFS.
It is an experiential and pedagogical journey that explores how the contemporary world is changing and what might lie ahead for mankind.
Ziauddin said the exhibition aims to increase awareness of the postnormal times and illustrate how the prime minister merged his political expertise with his dedication to reform.
“He has expertly used the insights from futures studies and the postnormal times theory to formulate the Madani approach as a solution for Malaysia moving forward.”
Anwar said the exhibition will not only illustrate the changes mankind is experiencing but also demonstrate that they are unlike anything previously seen in history.
“This marks the first time such an exhibition is taking place in Asia. It introduces a completely new dimension of knowledge and worldview by acknowledging the crisis we face, including climate change and conceptual challenges like the nature of truth and post-truth.
“The exhibition explores new paths and challenges for knowledge. It aims to help us understand the concepts and then address them, as exemplified by the Madani framework.”
Anwar said the exhibition is a learning curve and an opportunity to understand the parameters, engage in meaningful dialogue, and offer solutions or at least attempt to provide them.
He expressed hope that it would provide the public with the seeds to cultivate their fields of knowledge and ensure a brighter future for present and future generations of Malaysians.
The exhibition also features the works of six local artists who have interpreted the six drivers of the Madani concept, which are Sustainability, Care and Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity, and Trust.
Artist Anjali Venugopal, 28, called for more such exhibitions to be organised to shed light on the reality and the possible future that lies ahead of mankind.
She said one of her artworks portrays rubbish hanging above the booth.
It symbolises the sensation of underwater sea creatures and offers a visual representation that aims to evoke discomfort in viewers.
Anjali said her artwork is an attempt at encouraging visitors to confront the reality of rubbish polluting the seas, rather than merely admiring aesthetically pleasing images of sea life.
“It serves as a powerful catalyst for raising awareness and sparking conversations about pressing issues especially about the current environmental crisis facing the planet,” she said.
