The Philippines-Malaysia Forum and the Malaysian Borneo Sabah Exhibit

The Ateneo Initiative for Southeast Asian Studies (AISEAS) with the Ricardo Leong Institute for Global and Area Studies conducted its in-country field study in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo from 24 June to 8 July 2024. It was part of a six-unit course, Southeast Asian Studies (SEAS) 101: Southeast Asia In-country Field Study.

The immersive two-week experience took students through the diverse landscapes and communities of Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Tawau, Sabah. In collaboration with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and University Malaysia Sabah (UMS), AISEAS crafted an enriching itinerary designed with the theme, “Malaysian Borneo. Sabah: Land Below the Wind – Cultivating Cultures of Ecological and Societal Sustainability.”

Guided by AISEAS field co-directors Dr Diana J Mendoza and Mr Javier R Tionloc, students engaged firsthand with Sabah’s unique ecological and cultural landscapes. The theme encouraged the students to delve into the intersections of ecology, society, and sustainable development, inspiring a range of creative projects that include visual art installations and original musical compositions. All these projects are showcased in the upcoming exhibit, titled Nama Saya, Sabah, which opens on 13 November 2024, at the Ricardo and Dr Rosita Leong Hall Foyer. 

The exhibit is a back-to-back event with the Philippines-Malaysia forum, “Meeting the Challenges of Ecological and Societal Sustainability: Participation of Business, Government, Civil Society, and Local Communities,” to be held on 14 November 2024 at the Leong Hall Auditorium. This forum aims to continue the conversation that began in the field school, tackling the role of various sectors in advancing ecological and societal sustainability across the Philippines and Malaysia. 

Speakers will include H.E Dato' Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia to the Republic of the Philippines; Mr Eric Yam, the Founder, Vice President and Chair of Trade Affairs Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industries Philippines, Inc; Dr Jerome Montemayor, Executive Director of the Foundation for Philippine Environment; and Dr. Trixie Marjorie Tangit, Senior Lecturer at the Sociology and Social Anthropology Program in the Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

The Philippines-Malaysia Forum and the Nama Saya, Sabah Exhibit will be featured at the 12th International Conference on Asian Studies to be convened by the Ateneo Center for Asian Studies (ACAS) on 14 and 15 November 2024 at Leong Hall and three other venues at the Loyola campus, Ateneo de Manila University.

You may register for the event at this link: https://bit.ly/PH-MalaysiaForum2024