Raising the ASEAN Values through the Concept of GMM

Following the success of the Distinguished Lectures with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and British Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this year, Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF) will be organising the third edition of this series with the ASEAN Secretary-General, His Excellency Dr Surin Pitsuwan on 30 October 2012 at the Royale Chulan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

In light of the Bali Declaration on the ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations or Bali Concord III signed by ASEAN leaders in November 2011, this Distinguished Lecture will delve into the concept of Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) as a testimony to ASEAN’s commitment to preserving global peace and stability. Changes in social, political and economic paradigms seen in the Arab world, the United States and Europe have impelled attention and focus to this region as an engine of economic growth and stability. Therefore, in April 2012, ASEAN leaders unanimously adopted the Concept Paper on GMM to address extremism and appeal for member states to peacefully co-exist. 

 

In defining moderation, this session would also probe into the concept of moderation as an important ASEAN value and whether the concept could raise the ASEAN value at the global level. The overall aim of this Distinguished Lecture is to add to the clarity and richness of the concept of GMM, which in turn can strengthen its foreign policy application in areas like conflict resolution, governance and rule of law, economy and finance, education and peaceful co-existence.