The Centre for Languages and Cultural Diplomacy has recently wrapped up its first course on “Induction for Foreign Diplomats in Malaysia: Malaysia’s Culture and Identity” 2024 held from 10 to 11 January 2024. Nineteen foreign diplomats attended the course comprising two High Commissioners and Ambassador-designate representing various Embassies, High Commissions and an international organisation based in Malaysia.
The two-day course aimed to provide newly arrived diplomats with an overview of diplomatic life in Malaysia, including the workings of the Malaysian government machinery, and the peculiarities of the Malaysian culture, life, and interactions.
In his welcoming remarks, the Director General of IDFR, Dato’ Syed Bakri Syed Abdul Rahman encouraged the participants to take such opportunities to gain knowledge about the ins and outs of Malaysian life, forming a strong foundation for their diplomatic tenure in Malaysia. The programme featured talks by practitioners from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA), and a cultural expert covering the intricacies of Malaysian culture, distinctive honorifics and the workings of the Foreign Ministry.
For the session on ‘The Press and Media Landscape’, participants were exposed to the workings of the nation’s media landscape, data journalism and the fact-checking system initiated by BERNAMA. Additionally, participants also had the chance to experience Malaysian tropical fruits brought by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) during the Luncheon Talk.
At the end of the course, participants found the course beneficial as it exposed them to theoretical knowledge and practical skills in areas related to Malaysia’s culture and diplomacy.
