The Putrajaya Festival of Ideas 2025 aims to make thinking and idea-sharing a Malaysian identity, expecting 500,000 physical visitors.
PUTRAJAYA: The Putrajaya Festival of Ideas 2025 opens tomorrow as a platform to gather Malaysian thoughts and innovations for shaping the country’s future based on the Malaysia MADANI spirit.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the festival organised by his ministry is not merely an academic event but a national movement.
“We want to make the culture of thinking and sharing of ideas a societal practice, regardless of background,” he told media after surveying preparations at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
Zambry said the festival reflects Malaysia’s ambition to become a regional reference centre for exchanging ideas across social sciences, technology, arts, culture and music.
The minister stated that KPT aims to elevate Malaysia as the City of Ideas where the public can exchange views, share expertise and celebrate creativity.
“Many developed countries have their own Festival of Ideas, and now Malaysia will also stand in line,” he added.
The festival running from November 4 to 8 expects nearly 500,000 physical visitors and two million total participants including virtual attendees worldwide.
Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia will grace the official launch ceremony on November 6.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will officiate the closing ceremony while Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi delivers the opening keynote.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will speak on the second day of the festival.
This year’s event features international participation including the Indonesian Minister of Higher Education and Philippine Secretary of Higher Education.
Representatives from ASEAN, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, South-South and Africa will attend, making the festival international in scale.
Key programmes include the Malaysia Ideas Summit, My Idea Connects, Global Higher Education Summit and Advanced TVET and Entrepreneurship.
The festival also features the FOI Run Challenge, Sounds of Malaysia and the special exhibition ‘1001 Inventions: The Enduring Legacies of Muslim Civilisation’.
Visitors can explore over 2,000 premium paid job opportunities through the Career Carnival and Internship Market Week.
“This year’s festival theme, ‘Shaping the Future and Realising Ideas,’ reflects our goal of building the future by implementing ideas today,” Zambry said.
Before the Putrajaya event, KPT organised state-level IDEA Festivals in all 13 states with strong support from state governments and local communities.
“This proves that Malaysians are ready to become a thinking and innovative society,” the minister added. – Bernama
