Sometimes things just happen.We never plan but things just happen.
On Saturday, it was like that.The small round table discussion to be attended by a handful of people became a half-day seminar and a very,very good session at that too.
Karthi was away the week when things got real busy. To make it worse, she got stranded in Langkawi the day she was supposed to meet me and finalise things. I jumped from one meeting, missing another on Friday and rushed to have dinner with the guest speaker and GOPIO members (our seminar co-organiser) . If I were 10 years younger, the anxiety would not have been as bad as now! Told Ridhwan (the guest speaker, just out of South Africa and finishing his term at Jawharlal Nehru Uni. in Delhi) to be ready at 7.45 am on Sat cos' I'd be picking him up (to ensure he'd arrive early at the seminar).Then at 6 am Sat, I rang him up asking if he could be ready by 7 am (so that we could arrive by 8.30 am).Poor chap! But he was good.By 7 am we were already on our way to Gombak.
Alhamdullilah, I think the event went well.RC was so good with EVERYTHING.The foods...the registration, the sound and visual system.Oh wow..I loved working with the RC staff. And Q and the two moderators were fantastic too. I should have videoed everything but I was too busy with the little2 things behind the scene.
So what of the diasporas? Ridhwan highlighted how things are now, Rahim thought there's not much improvement where the Cape Muslims are concerned.Racism of a different kind rears its ugly head NOW then ever.
I'd say give them time to heal and sort out things. What's there for centuries cannot be undone overnight.But it's nice to see more and more South Africans travelling this way.
3 comments:
13/12/2006
Dear Prof Nor Faridah,
We thank you for the last weekends' wonderful programme. I am glad a
few senior faculties of IIUM and senior members of GOPIO have met and
dialogued at this joint Seminar. Thanks to the S.A Speaker Prof Ridwan
, who was also the catalyst.
The venue, and facilities provided were excellent and your support
staff very helpful. The programme schedule was on time and the food
was excellent too.
Please thank on behalf of GOPIO, your senior colleagues, who were
there to say hello and also give their presentations.
I must thank Ms Karthi for starting and keeping a working relationship
with you and GOPIO.
I warmly appreciate the dialogue and the relationship. GOPIO will be
glad to continue this new relationship.
Regards
Selvarajoo Sundram
Prof Farida I came across your blog by accident and wanted to say Salaams. I'm back in South Africa for a week now.
Anyway, I had a wonderful time at the joint seminar. Thanks to you and Selvarajoo it was a very worthwhile excersize.
I will contact you via email to check in proper.
Please take a look at my blog for some thoughts on my travels, etc.
http://ridwanlaher.blogspot.com/
Best wishes to you.
Peace,
Ridwan Laher
South Africa
Hey Prof Ridhwan! Salam!
What happened to you in Melaka? My foster family waited for you for almost 2 hours at the bus terminal.Did you miss out on one another?
I enjoyed reading your blog esp the comments on white vs black slavery.
On KL being modern and westernised: Spore is much more but you prefer it to us. :))
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