The Commission on Higher Education, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CHED-ARMM), Wisdom International School for Higher Education Studies (WISHES) and the Integrated Mindanao Economic Forum (IMEF) jointly organized an international symposium on Muslim Education with the theme: “The Role of Higher Education in Fostering Islamic Understanding for Global Peace and Sustainable Socio-economic Development” at Manila Hotel in Manila, Philippines on February 16-17, 2009.

This symposium has the following objectives:

• To highlight the role of higher education in fostering Islamic understanding for global peace and sustainable socio-economic development;
• To provide opportunity to all participating heads/presidents of colleges and universities to experience and be enlightened with the knowledge and researches to be presented by our invited prominent scholars regarding Islam as a means for global peace;
• To establish the importance of Islamic education as an essential component of higher education curricula that will strengthen linkages between and among academic institutions offering Peace and Islamic education worldwide;
• To come up with a resolution addressed to H.E. Philippine President Gloria M. Arroyo and other concerned officials of the Philippine government to support the Islamic and Peace Education for Tertiary Level in the Philippines as one of the country’s educational priorities; and
• To publish speeches of distinguished international and national speakers and other highlighted events for international circulation and be a campaign material for global peace and sustainable socio-economic development.

Leading officials of the Philippine government witnessed this key event, along with various heads of colleges and universities. Prominent speakers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey and Algeria made the symposium very fruitful and interesting. Hon. Mona Dumlao-Valisno, Presidential Assistant for Education, represented Philippine President Gloria M. Arroyo; Atty. Adel Tamano represented the Mayor of Manila. Other prominent officials who witnessed the symposium include Saudi Arabian Ambassador Mohammed Ameen Wali, CHED Chairman Emmanuel Y. Angeles and Congresswoman Honorable Cynthia A. Villar.

Download the WISHES President's message in pdf fomat