GMMF 2017 NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE

As 2016 comes to a close, I would like to personally take this opportunity to thank all our partners, collaborators and advocates from the government agencies to educational and social institutions - for the incredible support and endorsement in ensuring that 2016 was year of success for not only the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation, but above all, for the message and agenda of moderation to remain of significant relevance and repute.

In a world of rising escalating tensions and against the backdrop of extremism, 2016 has been quite a successful year in which GMMF has not only continued to build platforms for the dissemination of the Langkawi Declaration on the Global Movement of Moderates at both local and regional levels, but also broke new ground with a number of distinct engagements in Europe, China as well as the Middle East regions.

GMMF's engagements with United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) in Baku, presenting a case for moderation and inter-civilisational dialogues in Prague, Peking, and Paris - ranging from discussions with state ministers to leaders of CSOs - remains some of the noteworthy examples. Our MoUs with esteemed local institutions such as Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) serve as a springboard for our desires to promote moderation at regional and global levels, whilst also safeguarding its message within the national context.

The media exposure in promoting the voices of moderation - its power and aim for peace - at RISING16 in Coventry, United Kingdom; calls for further Sino-Muslim dialogues in Dubai; in addition to our programmes in Lao PDR (2nd GMMF Roundtable Discussion on the Langkawi Declaration); CVE programmes and engagements with Malaysian students in Jordan, and the GMMF-UKM International Seminar on Islam and Global Peace represents some of the year's highlights. In this very regard, I wish to thank our friends in the media for their ever-continuous support in promoting the message of moderation.

While we celebrate, and look fondly at 2016, we are also aware there’s still a lot of work ahead for GMMF as we bid to welcome the new year for ever since its inception, it has sought to be the key referral point for the consolidation and dissemination of information, campaign materials and engagements in the fight against extremism – at local, regional and global levels alike.

The year ahead will bring its own challenges too but I’m sure by working together, keeping focused on our priorities we can realise GMMF's ambitions and aims for peaceful coexistence. This will certainly continue to be one of my top priorities and as I have ever so mentioned, GMMF looks to build on the new frontier of friendships and goodwill with further collaborations of programmes.

GMMF indeed has several very exciting plans lined up for 2017 as it seeks to further consolidate the amount of work and ground covered in 2016. Do keep an eye on us as we will be making the various announcements throughout the year 2017 and we ever so welcome your continuous support.

Here’s wishing everybody a peaceful year-end holiday season and a happy, healthy and successful 2017 ahead.

Thank you.



Datuk Dr Nasharudin Mat Isa is Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF)