It is not every day that communities memorialize milestones of institutions that brought significant advancements in the society.
On September 11-14, 2019, the Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU) marked these dates as an opportunity to celebrate another temporal development of a regional community, which has brought together and accelerated economic growth, social progress, and cultural development in the Southeast Asian Region, guided by respect for justice, diplomatic international relations, and rule of law among countries, and which adheres to the principles of the United Nations Charter.
TAU joined the whole ASEAN in celebrating it’s 52nd year with the theme, “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability.” This year’s celebration seeks to advance ASEAN and its Partners to move forward together to promote “Stability of Things” (SOT) or sustainability in all dimensions.
ASEAN’s theme for 2019 is also in response to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #17 – Partnership for the Goals which endeavors to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
TAU celebrated “Beauty in Diversity” though the following activities: Batik Making Workshop where students and staff of the university expressed themselves in tinting pre-waxed cloth commonly used for such purpose; Education Benchmarking Visit of 30 Indonesian faculty at TAU Laboratory School and Malacampa Elementary School; and International Conference, “The Potential of Teachers to Improve the Quality of Human Resources in the Era of Artificial Intelligence.”
The University enjoined the active participation of its faculty, staff, and students (both local and international). Other State Universities & Colleges and Department of Education faculty were also invited to engage in the joys of celebrating cultural diversity and shared goals toward educational relevance and sustainability towards thinking with an ASEAN mindset – One Nation, One Identity and One Community.
This year’s IZN and ASEAN celebration had been co-sponsored by the Embassy of Indonesia in the Philippines. Dr. Lili Nurlaili, Education and Cultural Attache of the said office, graced this year’s Opening Program and also facilitated the batik making workshop. She enthusiastically exclaimed the openness of the Government of Indonesia when it comes to cultural and educational capacity-building programs.
As one of the emerging globally-visible state universities in the Philippines, TAU, lead by its president Dr. Max P. Guillermo, is humbled to be continually exposed in such opportunities. Indeed, this engagement sets the bar high in advancing partnership for sustainability – involving the academe, the government and the industry. (JDInterno/ CNFerrer)