FORMER Indonesian president Joko Widodo will headline a host of renowned speakers at the inaugural Penang Peace Dialogue, which is expected to bring together about 200 delegates in George Town this weekend.
Jokowi, as he is popularly known, is expected to fly into Penang tomorrow afternoon and attend a gala dinner at the Jen Hotel Georgetown by Shangri-La, together with Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
The seventh president of Indonesia is scheduled to deliver a speech during the gala dinner, after Chow has given his address. Both guests of honour will then officiate the opening ceremony.
Among the prominent speakers are Prof Emeritus Jomo Kwame Sundaram, former ambassador Kishore Mahbubani, Victor Gao, Prof Jeffrey Sachs, Dr Joanna Lei, Dr Wang Sheng-Wei, Dr (HC) Setyono Djuandi Darmono, Prof Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Dr Peter TC Chang, Datuk Dr Ooi Kee Beng and Dr Pascal Lottaz.
Prof Sachs, who is unable to attend the event in person, will participate virtually via Zoom.
Themed “Bridging Civilisations in a Multipolar World”, the Penang Peace Dialogue is the centrepiece of the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns (CWC) Conference Series being held in Penang.
The CWC is a project aimed at bringing Chinatowns around the world closer together, beginning with Penang and Singapore, while promoting exchanges beyond Chinese culture and traditions in areas such as art, culture, history, science, technology and research.
The Penang Peace Dialogue emerged from discussions at the CWC conference in 2025 and is being held for the first time this year, focusing on peace, cooperation and dialogue in an increasingly multipolar world.
In a recent press conference, Chow said the dialogue was built on a simple belief that peace begins when people are willing to listen to one another.
He said that as the world becomes increasingly multipolar, progress depends on understanding different perspectives, building trust and working together.
CWC co-founder Lee Khai said there would be a media and public session from 1.30pm to 5.45pm tomorrow, after which the venue would be cleared for the arrival of invited guests for the gala dinner.
He said Sunday would feature a full-day dialogue from 8am to 6pm, comprising keynote speeches, roundtable discussions and the submission of ideas.
“We’re a non-governmental organisation, and everything we do is from private citizens’ efforts. So, we hope each of us can contribute our part towards world peace,” Lee Khai told Buletin Mutiara in an interview.
While acknowledging that peace is an elusive goal, Lee Khai cited an art installation by Singaporean artist Tan Kwang Liang, titled “Peace: What For?”, which is being exhibited during the event.
He said the artwork carries the message “Ten Thousand Steps Towards Peace”, symbolising how every individual could contribute towards building a more peaceful world.
“His art states, ‘Ten Thousand Steps Towards Peace ’; for each of us to take one small step. Together, we make those ten thousand steps, right? So, each of us must do our part.
“There is no such thing as having achieved peace, and that’s it. It’s a dynamic thing that keeps changing, and all of us have to walk in that direction – to make the world better. It won’t be perfect; there is no perfect world,” he said.
CWC co-founder Winfred Khoo said Penang, with its long history of trade and interaction among people of different cultures, is the right place to host the dialogue.
“It’s time for Penang to take its place in the sun, to lead once again. So, the idea of bringing world personalities to Penang is to kickstart the Penang Peace Dialogue and work on small projects together in Southeast Asia.
“Hopefully, that will spread the desire for peace, rather than the fear that is being pushed by certain parties who appear to want us to go to war,” he said.
Prof Zainul Abidin, a former Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Singapore, said greater efforts are needed to promote harmony amid conflicts and tensions around the world.
“Harmony leads to peace. We need greater harmony, whether in our own country, in the region or in the globalised world. So, that is my philosophy.
“Although I am already retired, I am keeping a lookout for the younger generation and inspiring them to learn and continue to play that leadership role,” he said.
For Lee Khai, the pursuit of peace is not something that can be completed in a single event or achieved once and for all.
Instead, it begins with the willingness of individuals to take their own small steps and, collectively, turn those steps into a journey towards a more peaceful world.
Story and pix by K.H. Ong