Dr Wan Azizah to deliver keynote address at WMLF

LONDON: Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be delivering a keynote speech at the World Muslim Leadership Forum ( WMLF) 2018 during her three- day official visit to United Kingdom.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister began her visit to UK, Wednesday, which is her maiden official visit to the country after being appointed to the Malaysian cabinet on May 21 following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the country’s 14th general election.

Being the first Malaysian woman leader to give a speech at the prestigious biennial forum on Thursday, her presence is expected to greatly enhance the forum as Malaysia’s number two leader and the country’s role in empowering women in all sectors, social, economic, administrative and political.

Malaysian High Commission Charge d’Affaires ad interim Mohd Suhaimi Jaafar said the forum, among others, aims to gather Muslim leaders from different corners of the globe to explore key issues, address challenges and provide innovative solutions in delinking associations made to terrorism and Islam.

Briefing the Malaysian media covering her visit here, he said Dr Wan Azizah’s keynote speech at the fourth WMLF entitled “The Role of Women and Girls in Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030”.

Mohd Suhaimi said the deputy prime minister’s keynote address will among others highlight on ensuring healthy life, ending poverty, closing gaps on gender and disability, recognising the role of women, promoting of rights of women and girls as well as to optimise their contributions while balancing their responsibilities.

To be held at the Lambeth Palace and at the House of Commons, Westminster, the two- day forum carries the theme ‘ The Role of Muslim Leadership in Rebuilding Islam’s Global Image’, which will focus on four critical aspects, namely creating a new narrative about Islam; strengthening Muslim leadership at all levels of socio- economic and political landscapes; women empowerment and the role of women in re-shaping the new Islamic narrative.

The forum also aims at creating platforms for Muslim leaders to offer solutions to current problems such as youth education, entrepreneurship and advocacy for sustainable development.

Mohd Suhaimi said Dr Wan Azizah is also scheduled to visit Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS), which is about a two-hour drive from metropolitan London, and participate in a discussion with scholars. — Bernama