KUCHING, April 18 (Bernama) -- Toastmasters can use their persuasive communication skills and leadership to engage the people in tackling global issues, Sarawak Resource Planning and Management Minister II Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said Saturday.
He said he believed they had the power to influence people "to contribute towards making a positive change in the world around us" in all the current global concerns and issues, such as the financial crisis, global warming and political upheavals.
"As toastmasters are trained in the sphere of persuasive communication skills and leadership, I have no doubt in your ability to interact and engage people inside and outside your fraternity in a meaningful manner to make our world a better place to live in," he said when officiating at the District 51 16th Annual Toastmasters Convention 2009, here.
About 500 delegates comprising members of the Toastmasters fraternity from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei attended the convention which began yesterday.Awang Tengah said the meeting of minds from various countries at the convention was testimony to the importance of collaboration and partnership for the common cause of improving themselves.
"If we were to extend the power of collaboration into other spheres of our lives, like the global concerns, we could do wonders to the depressed situations that we encounter together in the region," he said.The three-day convention, with the theme A.I.M (Act to Inspire and Motivate), aims to bring back the spirit of togetherness with a difference, create an environment for the exchange of ideas through interaction, and create opportunity for delegates to express what matters.
The convention had two simultaneous sessions, in English and Mandarin.Prominent speakers included Malaysia Airlines managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) associate professor of Communication Studies Prof Zaharom Nain, former president of the Kota Kinabalu Municipal Council Datuk Adeline Leong and District 51 past governor R. Sivanganam.
-- BERNAMA
No comments:
Post a Comment