Young Leaders from Sulu join the 4 day educational tour in KL, Malaysia

CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City, Philippines - Recognizing the youth’s role in peace and development, 50 young Muslim leaders from Sulu will join a four-day educational tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Public Affairs Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Marine Colonel Edgard A Arevalo disclosed that the tour, scheduled on 23 to 26 November, is expected to bolster the Muslim youth’s participation in resolving the peace and security issues in their home-province.

"General Ricardo R Visaya, AFP Chief of Staff, directed the Western Mindanao Command to involve Sulu’s budding leaders in the activity to motivate them in becoming advocates of peace, harmony, and good governance,” Col Arevalo said.

The educational tour will include a courtesy call to the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) Speaker Pandikir Amin Mulia followed by a meeting with the Global Movement of Moderates, an initiative that rejects all forms of extremism.

The tour intends to expose the participants, all graduates of the Youth Leadership Summit, to a predominantly Muslim society that is peaceful and progressive, characterized by obedience to the law and authorities by the citizens, and good governance by their leaders.

In line with this intention, the participants will also visit the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, a Malaysian government-owned agency pioneering the country’s “digital future” characterized by fully developed economic, environmental, and social sectors of society.

The visit will culminate with an interaction with the Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities along with the Union of Muslim Filipinos-Malaysia.

“The intention of this activity is to motivate the Muslim youth to be advocates of peace, harmony, and good governance. It is our hope that these youth leaders will assimilate tolerance, acceptance, and respect for cultural diversity,” General Visaya said.

The youth leaders will be accompanied by representatives from Sulu Local Government Unit, Department of Education, National Youth Commission, and the AFP led by Brigadier General Jose P Cabanban, Deputy Commander of Western Mindanao Command. They are set to leave Zamboanga City for Malaysia aboard one C-130 aircraft on November 22.

“As we put our trust on the youth to become much better leaders than us today, they can rely on the AFP to continue to provide them with a peaceful community that is conducive for their development as competent leaders of the future,” General Visaya added.(PR News/posted by Becky D. de Asis-The Redline News Philippines)