Freedom Academy August 2008

22 – 24 AUGUST 2008.
HOTEL RESIDENCE, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA.

Do you value the rule of law? Do you wonder if the free market is socially just? Have you ever wondered what freedom and liberty really means? Do you want strong liberal democratic institutions in your country? If so, come to the Freedom Academy series to explore some of these issues.

University students, graduates, and young professionals from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei are invited to attend the first Freedom Academy which will be held on 22 – 24 August 2008 (Friday – Sunday) at Residence Hotel, UNITEN, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

We are particularly looking for those sympathetic to, or are curious about, libertarian and classical liberal ideas. Come and enjoy the Freedom Academy! You will be challenged intellectually and you will get an invaluable opportunity to network with like-minded friends.

We will also be officially launching the www.WauBebas.org portal during this first Freedom Academy weekend. Come and be part of the WauBebas.org family!

The main instructor

Our main instructor is Dr Tom G Palmer, a member of Malaysia Think Tank London’s International Advisory Board.

Dr Palmer is Vice President for International Programs at the Cato Institute, Washington DC. He is also Director of the Center for Promotion of Human Rights and Director of Cato University. He was very active in the late 1980s and the early 1990s in the spread of classical liberal ideas in the Soviet bloc states and their successors and continues to be active throughout the region through his work with www.cato.ru, the Cato Institute's Russian-language program, and with the Institute's European programs. He also established and supervises Cato's programs in Arabic, Persian, Kurdish, Azeri, Portuguese, Chinese, and throughout Africa.

Before joining Cato Dr Palmer was an H. B. Earhart Fellow at Hertford College, Oxford University, and a vice president of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. He frequently lectures in North America, Europe, Eurasia, Africa, Latin America, China, and the Middle East on political science, public choice, civil society, and the moral, legal, and historical foundations of individual rights.

He has published reviews and articles on politics and morality in scholarly journals such as the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Ethics, Critical Review, and Constitutional Political Economy, as well as in publications such as Slate, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Spectator of London.

Dr Palmer received his B.A. in liberal arts from St. Johns College in Annapolis, Maryland, his M.A. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and his Ph.D. in politics from Oxford University.

The Programme

Come with an open mind, and go back with a good understanding of classical liberal and libertarian ideas. That’s what we want you to achieve through the programme that we have arranged.

In this first Freedom Academy, we will discuss important topics including:

• Malaysia after 8 March 2008: Towards a politics of ideas
• Political ideologies and what is classical liberalism / libertarianism
• Critisicm against libertarianism / classical liberalism
• What is limited government and why government should be limited
• Individual liberty and why freedom maters
• How the market works
• Can the market produce social justice
• The importance of ideas in nation-building

This Freedom Academy will be conducted mainly in English.

Freedom Academy participants will also attend a special seminar on “The Rule of Law” organised by Malaysia Think Tank’s Project to Advance Democractic Institutions (PADI) on Sunday 24 August 2008, 2pm – 4pm.

The venue

The Residence Hotel at Universiti Tenaga Nasional provides a warm and cosy environment for this Freedom Academy. The breathtaking lakeside view and the lavishly sculptured surroundings make Residence Hotel a picture of peace and serenity. Fast becoming a prominent landmark along the Kajang-Puchong Expressway, the hotel is conveniently accessible from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Kuala Lumpur itself. http://www.residenceatuniten.com/

Cost

RM375.00 - which will cover all meals from Friday dinner to lunch on Sunday, lectures, books, delegates pack, and accommodation (shared twin room) at Residence Hotel. Participants are required to stay at Residence Hotel throughout the duration of the Academy.

Bursaries

The Malaysia Think Tank London can offer bursaries to qualified applicants. You can apply for full or partial bursary to cover attendance fee. We do not cover travel expenses.

Deadline

All applications must be received before Monday 11 August 2008

Further information

For further information, please contact Noor Amin bin Ahmad via email amin@malaysiathinktank.org