M'SIA TO HOST INAUGURAL FIRST LADIES SUMMIT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will host the inaugural First Ladies
Summit (FLS) 2010 from Oct 11 to 13 in Kuala Lumpur with the focus on nurturing
childhood development and children's potential.

The summit, initiated by the wife of the prime minister, Rosmah Mansor, will
bring together First Ladies from around the world to highlight awareness on the
importance of investing in the holistic education and welfare of children, with
the aim of developing exceptional leaders from all sections of society.

Speaking at a news conference at the prime minister's residence here Tuesday,
Rosmah said the summit with the theme "A Child Today, A Leader Tomorrow" aimed
to highlight the important agenda to develop the children who would be the
future leaders.

"We feel that we have to prepare the children from now, to give them the right
ingredients for them to grow up and be good leaders. And what other things we
should do, that is what we are going to discuss in the Summit," she said.

She said the event, organised by the Women, Family and Community Development
Ministry, had received encouraging response from the First Ladies.

It hoped to attract 30 participation from First Ladies. To date, 22 first ladies
and 11 ministers had confirmed their participation while another two countries,
Thailand and Tunisia, would send their special envoys to this Summit, Rosmah
said.

Among the First Ladies who will be attending are Zeenat Quraishi Karzai from
Afghanistan, Teuta Topi from Albania, Cecilia Morel Montes from Chile, Marie
Olive Kabila from Congo, Zineb Jammeh from Gambia, Azam Al-Sadat Farahi from
Iran and Mercedes Lugo de Maidana from Paraguay.

Rosmah who is also the host of the Summit, said the event would also become a
platform for the First Ladies to discuss and exchange information on their
experiences in managing, among others, programmes on early childhood education,
child care as well as children's rights.

She said as such, the First Ladies would also visit the Permata Centre in
Putrajaya to see Malaysia's experience in early childhood education.

"We believe that a happy child will always be happy and he will not resort to
anything to replace that happiness acquired," she added.

One of the highlights of the event will be "A Conversation with First Ladies"
session where five selected First Ladies will speak about their unique position
as spokespersons for women and children besides sharing their perspective and
experiences with other participants.

The session would be moderated by international broadcast journalist Mishal Husain.

The Summit will be opened by Prime Minister Najib Razak on Oct 11.

More information on the Summit can be obtained from
www.firstladiessummit.org .
-- BERNAMA