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Last Updated : 18 February 2008.. |
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Celebrating SIROM DAY 2007 with
“SUSTAINABLE LIVING IN MALAYSIA”
So Ladies we did it! Congratulations to all.
We launched our SIROM DAY celebrations with two most exciting and memorable functions - an educational seminar on “Sustainable Living in Malaysia’s Everyday Life” and the grand Fund-Raising Dinner – both on the auspicious date of 8 December, the birthday of SIROM.
More impressively, we succeeded in combining the joys of sisterhood with the responsibility of promoting community service with ease, fun and grace. The success of SIROM DAY exemplifies our ability to live up to our pledge of Soroptimism whilst having fun.
A summary of our SIROM DAY celebrations:- The celebration programme kicked off with a seminar on “Sustainable Living in Malaysia’s Everyday Life” at Rimba Ilmu Auditorium, Universiti Malaya. We couldn’t have found a more appropriate and private venue surrounded by lush greenery and nature. You will remember that the SIROM project for the 2007-9 biennium is Environment. The seminar was to set the tone for SIROM’s Year II Environment Project which will focus on sustainable living.
The morning session focused on an educational seminar on how SI Clubs in Malaysia can help create awareness amongst ourselves and the public on the current issues relating to climate change as a result of environmental damage, and the urgency to change our lifestyle to either arrest damage to the environment or slow it down. The aim of the seminar is to inspire all participants to make calculated changes in their daily lives in order to encourage sustainable living in Malaysia.
For the seminar, SIROM worked in partnership with the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia (EPSM) to disseminate and publicise the need for each Malaysian to embrace an environmentally friendly life-style.
Our panel speakers were Mr. Manogaran Maniam, current President of EPSM and of the ‘Kopitiam’ fame, Datin Susheila McCoy, the grand dame of EPSM and a kind friend to SIROM, Mr Randolph Jeremiah also of EPSM, Ms. Angela Hijjas of the Malaysian Nature Society/MNS and Ms. Khaw Siok Kim, a model citizen of sustainable living.
The chairperson of the seminar was SIROM President-Elect Datin Indira Naidu and the MC for both the seminar and the dinner was President Dr. Rani Panadam of SIJB.
The two panel sessions were followed by a lively Q & A session where the speakers answered many questions from the floor.
The seminar was followed by lunch where all participants mingled and exchanged information, as well as made new friends. Those who attended agreed that they went home with new awareness and greater understanding of our own role in saving and protecting our surroundings and the world for the future generations of our children to come.
The grand event, SIROM’s Fund-Raising Dinner, took place in the evening of SIROM’s birthday, at the Junior Ballroom, Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Our Guest of Honour was Datin Seri Dr. Kalsom Ismail, wife of Minister of Science and Technology and the VIP Guest was YAM Raja Dato’ Seri Azureen binti Sultan Azlan Shah. Indeed it proved to be a milestone for SIROM Day to have 2 such distinguished guests for our dinner.
The dinner was well supported by corporate bodies who gave generously and also by individuals who sponsored the dinner tables by donating cash and items for the lucky draws.
Thus, the fund raising dinner turned out to be a success in every way.
The highlights of the dinner programme included a Fashion Show by designers Anita Hiong and Nazreen where SIROM’s models took to the catwalk alongside the professional. Prizes for individual and table lucky draws were in abundance. All those who attended the dinner left the function with a door gift in the form of an environment-friendly GREEN bag to remind them of their duty to the environment and of the great time they had at the dinner.
It was very heartening to see SI sisters from almost all our clubs at the dinner. The support from our SI sisters and other NGOs as well as the corporate sector was so overwhelming that SIROM ran out of tables to sell!! We thank the following individuals and organizations for their assistance and contributions:-
- The main donors for the Project “Sustainable Living”: YTL Corporation, Segari Energy Ventures, Gas Malaysia, TNB, and Joanne Fernandez
- the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia
- the Malaysia Nature Society
- Designers Anita Hiong and Nazreen
- The Management of Bangsar Village
- Giant Supermarket, Kelana Jaya
- Nikko Hotel
Special mention of appreciation goes to the SIROM DAY Organising Committee especially our President Y. Bhg. Datin Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian, and SIROM Hon. Secretary Irene Xavier for their hard work and selfless contribution, and supporters who have lived and practiced the true spirit of Soroptimism which ensured the success of our SIROM DAY Celebrations and Fund Raising.
Click here for Pictures
Thank you everyone!
SIROM DAY: 8 DECEMBER 2007
The Organizing Committee for the celebration of SIROM’ s birthday, with great joy and delight, would like to share with all of SI sisters an update on our preparation for this joyous celebration scheduled on SIROM’s Birthday 8th. December. As we all are well aware, the celebration of SIROM Day will be done in two parts namely a half-day seminar on “Sustainable Living in Malaysia’s Everyday Life” in the morning, and, in the evening, a fund-raising dinner for the Year Two Environmental Project on sustainable living. We are very much hope that the programme would be of information, usefulness and of course a fun and happy time for all of us.
The seminar will be between 8.30 am and 1.00 pm and the dinner will be between 19.00pm and 11.00 pm. The principal details are as follow:
The Seminar, “Sustainable Living in Malaysia’s Today Life”
Date: 8 December 2007
Time: 8.30 am-1.00pm
Venue: Rimba Ilmu, Universiti Malaya
Attendance is opened to all SIROM members and clubs. All are strongly encouraged to be part of it. Clubs are requested to submitted number of members to attend the seminar latest by November 30, 2007. The seminar is fully sponsored by SIROM.
SIROM Fund-raising DINNER
Date: 8 December 2007
Time: 7.00 pm -11.00 pm
Venue: Nikko Hotel, Kula Lumpur
Each club is requested to take a table (around RM 1300) and also to assist in the dinner tickets selling. There will be various entertaining features including a fashion show. We hope to get SI sisters to volunteer as honourary models as well. Anybody interested please contact Noraini Mohd. Nor, SIBC President, the sooner the better. THANKS.
We expect to see all of us in full force in the celebration of SIROM DAY and assist in SIROM’s efforts to safeguard our environment for future generations.
SIROM RECOGNISED BY INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
Surely all of us have heard that excellent news namely SIROM has won “the coveted Clio Awards Gold Statue” at the 48th. International Clio Awards ceremony held in the United States recently. The event was reported in the NST, 1 November 2007, with a very nice picture of IPP Siew Yong holding the Clio Awards Gold Statue and certificate. It is a great achievement for SIROM and the 2005-7 SIROM Executive Committee then under the presidency of Puan Sri Siew Yong Nganalingam. The SIROM entry was a part of the SIROM campaign “ Women against Violence” , SIROM project for the 2005-7 biennium. Siew Yong and the then Publicity Convenor Doris Lim were the dynamic force behind the creation of the campaign message which finally won the Gold Statue over 19,300 entries. The message also won three finalist citations at Cannes in June as well as a gold and silver at the inaugural World Press Awards in January.
KUDOS to SIROM, Siew Yong and her team. You have brought us honour, pride and great joy. Congratulations and Thanks!!
SIJB PROJECT ABC & 123 SIJB
Club will be launching Project ABC & 123 on 13 November 2007. The Project aims to bring literacy to a minority community, the Rohingas and, as a result, will enable the community to be economically viable and hopefully self-sufficient. What makes the project remarkable in its scope is the ability of SIJB Club to attract co-operation from other community service organizations, such as the Rotary International of Kota Tinggi and St. Elizabeth Church.
More remarkable for such a young club to achieve is the participation and assistance from the UNHCR. Through the latter’s Programme Unit, SIJB club will be signing an MoU with UNHCR which will eventually be a partner of the project. Congratulations to SIJB and best wishes for your Project.
New SI Seremban Club boosts Soroptimist International network in Malaysia
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Nina Wong
Nina Wong, at 61, is a towering Malaysian in
the annals of SIROM’s history. Holding
multiple leadership roles as SIROM’s......
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End Violence Against Women Day Campaign
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The past few years have been especially traumatic for women and children as we read and hear about violent crimes against women and girls: car thefts, muggings, bag snatching, sexual harassment, domestic violence, kidnappings, rapes and murders. Why should our women and children live in fear? Our women and children have the right to be safe, and feel safe and confident when they are on the streets.
While the laws/regulations are in the process of being amended to give more protection towards women and children, let us do our very best to create awareness and make them street wise. After 10 long years of research on violence against women and updating ingenious techniques used by rapists and snatch thieves, the workshop will show you the ways to counter your perpetrators.
You will be able to see and be better informed of the latest gadgets used by rapists, perverts, robbers, snatch thieves, etc. The practical session will enable you to practice and familiarize the defensive and escape techniques effectively.
City Survival Skills Training Workshop is designed for ladies to learn preventive measures (survival techniques) to avoid a would-be attack. They will learn the basics of self-defense, the correct way to strike at the vital points of an attacker, learn how to convert common items like handbags, combs, pens etc. into useful defense weapons.
They will also learn how to identify other common devices for personal protection, how to handle prank calls, maintain proper security in the home as well as how to handle vehicle safety.
Most importantly, it creates self-confidence when dealing with your adversary! |
SI Damansara link with cancer cause.
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Cancer awareness programme
reinforces he importance of starting
healthy habits when young.
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Quick snippets
OPINION: Commentary
Psychiatric labels plague women’s mental health by
Paula J Caplan – WeNews commentator
During the mental health awareness month, Paula J Caplan argues women are over- diagnosed with psychiatric syndromes and symptoms. Many problems are not inside women’s heads. They are in external conditions crying out for remedy. Read this article
We encourage your contribution on inspirational stories and women’s issues. Please post your comments to the Editor, SIROM, dorislim@tm.net.my
No War, Only Peace
Soroptimist International (SI) is the world’s largest classified service organization for women in the management and the professions, with 93,000 members in over 3,000 clubs in 112 countries and territories. SI has direct access to the UN and a voice at UN centers in New York, Geneva, Vienna and UNESCO, Paris.
As an organization it has as one of its objects, to seek equality, development and peace through international goodwill, understanding and friendship.
The platform for policy and action in this focus area states that women will be equal partners in the attainment of world peace, tolerance and understanding and advocate for women’s participation in the peace process.
SI also seeks to empower women and girls by ensuring that their human rights are protected by eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls and reducing the harmful effects of conflict and war on women and girls.
SI has committed itself to help victims of war through two quadrennial projects, namely Limbs for Life (2000 to 2003) for victims of landmines and Project Independence (2004 to 2007) for women survivors of war. About USD1.5 million was raised to fund prosthesis, rehabilitation and counseling for landmine victims and another USD1.2 million is being targeted to fund projects to enable women survivors of war to be independent.
Although the two quadrennial projects are extremely noble and beneficial for the victims of war but if there is no war, there will be no victims. Imagine the benefits of millions of precious funds being channeled to more useful projects like feeding, clothing, educating and health care for women and children in impoverished countries.
It is clear today that reducing the harmful effects of war is no longer an option and that we should work towards “no wars”, so that money spent on cleaning up and repairing the ravages of war could be put to more productive use.
In Malaysia, we are blessed that we live in a peaceful environment through dogged adherence to principles of respect and tolerance of the different races, cultures and faiths of the people of the country, principles which have been adhered to and practised by the government and Prime Ministers and people of Malaysia.
Unfortunately, its not the same out there in the global arena. This is where Soroptimsit International Region of Malaysia (SIROM) feels the need to make a stand to declare “No War, Only Peace” in line with SI ideals of promoting international goodwill, understanding and friendship, as well as promoting human rights and the status of women.
What better way for SI in Malaysia to start the process than to subscribe to the “KL Declaration on Criminalising War”. As SI is a global voice for women, it is our hope to not only spread the message of “No Wars, Only Peace” through our network of sister clubs in the Soroptimist world, but to advocate and take positive actions to make it happen.
Should we criminalise war?
What should we do to promote peace? Let's have your views.
Contact Editor Doris Lim, dorislim@tm.net.my
Global Peace Brochure: War Statistics
War is Criminal?
Did you know that…
1.8 million died during World War I, of which 1o million were civilians
50 million during World War II, of which 28 million were civilians
2.8 million died during the Korean War, of which 2 million were civilians
3.5 million died during the Vietnam War. 2.5 million were civilians.
1.6 million died during the Cambodian conflict. All were civilians.
1 million died during the Iran-Iraq war.
200,000 dead in the Gulf War.
More than 380,000 dead in the Iraq conflict, and still counting.
> 200 million died in conflicts of the 20th Century.
Armed conflicts (1987 – 1997)
2 million children killed
4.5 million children disabled
12 million children homeless
1 million children displaced
SIROM-SICB Children Personal Safety Pilot Workshop – Website copy
In 2002, reported sexual offences, including rapes, totaled 2903 cases versus 1932 in 1995. An estimated 50 – 60 % of these cases involved minors, many of which went unreported due to family and social reasons/taboos.
What should we do? A child personal safety pilot workshop proved most enlightening. Read more…..
For views and news email to: Doris Lim, dorislim@tm.net.my
SIROM-SICB Children Personal Safety Pilot Workshop
SIROM initiated the idea of implementing projects on the prevention of violence against women and children to celebrate 15 years of Soroptmism in Malaysia. Through SIROM’s efforts, funds were raised from Yayasan Nanyang Foundation (Nanyang Press Foundation) to make it possible. SI Bangsar came out in full support.
Why does SI Bangsar focus on personal safety programme for children with emphasis on preventive measures from sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse is the exploitation of a minor for the sexual gratification of an adult or any significantly older person. It is called incest when it occurs between family members. Studies in Malaysia showed that 80% of rape victims knew the offenders. Child sexual abuse happens in all racial, religious and ethnic groups and at all social-economic levels.
In 2002, reported sexual offences, including rapes, totaled 2903 cases against 1932 in 1995. An estimated 50 – 60 % of these cases involved minors. However, many went unreported due to family and social reasons/taboos.
This pilot workshop carried out on 9 September, 2006 was a runaway success.
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