Introduction

In 1996, acknowledging the extremely significant role of dialogue, under the Vice-Chancellorship of Allahyarham Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Hj. Abdullah Sanusi Ahamad, the Universiti Malaya took the initiative to organise the 2nd International Seminar on Civilisational Dialogue “Japan, Islam and the West” in Kuala Lumpur on 2 September 1996 with one of the discussed resolution is to set up a centre called the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD). UMCCD was officially established on the 13th of November 1996 and was launched in the presence of the Minister of Education, Malaysia during the Third International Seminar on Civilisational Dialogue in Kuala Lumpur, 15-17 September 1997. The setting up of the centre, was spurred by the ‘Clash of Civilisation’ theory of Samuel P. Huntington which was dominant at that time. Dialogue of Civilisation (DoC) was fast becoming a much-needed mechanism for discoursing issues that arise from the inevitable encounter between nations, ethnic groups, faith systems, ideologies, worldviews, and cultures. The expansion of globalisation spurred by the rapid developments of science and technology is one of the main forces behind this reality. Looking at civilisation not merely in the context of the past, the centre’s main focus is on the articulation of values that may be the basis of a common platform for the solving of issues and problems universally encountered across and within cultures and civilisations.

The Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, the first of its kind in the region of South-East Asia, seeks to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between civilisations through various intellectual activities such as international research seminars and a series of publications. The centre has successfully organised a great number of workshops and conferences locally and internationally as well as run resident and visiting research fellowship programmers for scholars locally and internationally. The centre also acts as a reference point as well as serves on a consultative basis in many government and non-government organisations locally and abroad. It has been published widely on many topics pertaining to the dialogue of civilisations as well as provided supervision for scores of local and international postgraduates.