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“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed, as the famous saying goes. We have the spiritual power to create peace and happiness within us. All it takes is one person to choose hope, to choose to make a difference, and the world will change,” Dato Sri William Mawan Ak Ikom, said in his speech at the opening of the exhibition “From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace: Transforming the Human Spirit” on October 10, 2008 at the Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching.
Dato Sri William Mawan Ak Ikom, who is the Sarawak Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation was representing Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak. Dato Sri William also said that the government could do more to encourage young Malaysians to play active roles “by educating them about the growing new nuclear dangers and encouraging debate and participation in regional and global meetings.”
Among those present at the opening ceremony were heads of government departments, representatives from the Kuching city council, local community, and SGM Sarawak members. SGM Sarawak Chairman Tan Chai Hong read the message from SGI President Daisaku Ikeda.
The exhibition ended on October 14, 2008 and attracted a total of 10,010 people. Some 4,500 people signed the public petition in support of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). SGM Sarawak also chartered buses for around 2,200 students and teachers from over 20 schools. Aside from the schools in Kuching, schools from the Kota Semarahan and Kedup also visited the exhibition.
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