Malaysia to host 19th Southeast Asian Librarians Congress
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will host the 19th Southeast Asian Librarians Congress (Consal), a four-day event beginning this Monday at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, announced the Ministry of National Unity (KPN).
In a statement today, the ministry said the congress, themed 'Embracing Inclusivity, Empowering Humanity,' is scheduled to be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The congress aligns with Malaysia's Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 and reflects the nation's commitment to strengthening regional cooperation anchored in the values of unity, knowledge and inclusive societal development.
'The congress will focus on the role of libraries as strategic partners in community development, catalysts of knowledge ecosystems for marginalised and differently abled groups, and supporters of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in bridging social gaps,' KPN said.
The ministry added that the MADANI government is committed to positioning the 19th Consal as a key platform to advance libraries as agents of social transformation and human empowerment, in line with national and regional unity objectives.
This marks the third time Malaysia is hosting the event, following previous editions in 1981 and 1996.
Established in 1970 through a joint initiative by librarians from Malaysia and Singapore, Consal serves as a key platform uniting librarians, library institutions, schools of library and information science, and information professionals from across Southeast Asia.
Its membership comprises all 10 ASEAN countries: Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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