Sejahtera: The Context of Balancing | Dzulkifli Abdul Razak | TEDxUSMNibongTebal

Summary

In this TEDx talk, Dzulkifli Abdul Razak discusses the importance of the concept of "Sujatha," which emphasizes holistic, balanced, and sustainable living. He shares how the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) initiated the "Campus D'etre" program to encourage students to engage with and implement sustainable practices, highlighting a successful student-led initiative to ban styrofoam on campus. The talk also touches on the global impact and recognition of Sujatha, including its adoption in other regions and as a model of sustainable development.

Highlights

• The Sujatha concept means prosperity and holistic balance 🌳.
• USM launched Campus D'etre to empower students to live sustainably 💪.
• Students at USM led a successful campaign to ban styrofoam ♻️.
• The Sujatha concept inspired global recognition and initiatives 🌍.
• Balance is achieved through spiritual, cultural, and ecological aspects 🌈.

Key Takeaways

• Sujatha emphasizes a balanced, holistic approach to life 🌿.
• Universiti Sains Malaysia initiated a campus program to live Sujatha 🌎.
• Students successfully banned styrofoam at USM, promoting sustainability ♻️.
• Sujatha has been recognized globally and adopted by other regions 🌏.
• Balance in life is multi-faceted, involving spirituality, culture, and ecology ⚖️.

Overview

Dzulkifli Abdul Razak takes us on an enlightening journey into the essence of 'Sujatha,' a term that encapsulates prosperity through balance and sustainability. Speaking at TEDxUSMNibongTebal, he reveals the strides made by Universiti Sains Malaysia in embedding these ideals into campus life through innovative student programs such as Campus D'etre.

At the heart of the narrative is a fascinating account of student empowerment where USM students successfully spearheaded the initiative to ban styrofoam on campus, underlining a commitment to sustainable practice. This effort not only transformed their campus but gained international attention, illustrating the power of collaborative environmental activism.

The talk concludes by drawing global connections, showcasing how the Sujatha philosophy has crossed borders to influence cities and educational philosophy worldwide. The emphasis is on an integrated approach to living that harmonizes spiritual, cultural, and ecological wellness, encouraging communities to look within and lead sustainable lives.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to Sujatha The chapter introduces the concept of 'Sujatha,' a word frequently used in daily language, though its fuller significance might not always be appreciated. The speaker expresses a strong personal passion for the subject and commends the intellectual initiative of the students. This session aims to deepen the understanding of 'Sujatha.'
• 00:30 - 01:00: Meaning and Context of Sujatha The chapter titled 'Meaning and Context of Sujatha' explores the meaning and context of the word 'Sujatha'. The speaker questions whether the word is well-rooted in its meaning to us and mentions that it appears in many circumstances, specifically referencing events in Federal Territory and Syria. There is a reference to a gesture that means prosperity in a specific context, leading to a discussion on whether there is more underlying structure and basis to understand these meanings, bringing up concepts like 'Hadassah chakra' and questioning if certain understandings are possible at this moment.
• 01:00 - 02:00: USM's Campus D'être Program The chapter discusses the confusion around the meaning of 'adductor' in a specific context and reflects on the common usage of words that people often sing, like 'Sagittaron Malaysia,' without truly understanding their roots or meanings. The author raises concerns about this superficial understanding and emphasizes the importance of bringing depth and reality to these concepts. This was part of the initiative at USM in the early 2000s.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Student Initiatives and Polystyrene Ban This chapter discusses the creation of a student-led program called 'Campus D'etre,' which was developed before the concept of a 'Seductor' was named. Additionally, the chapter mentions a new initiative by the Urban Wellness Ministry focused on the wellness of campus environments. There is a conversation about whether rural areas are being considered in these wellness programs, emphasizing the need for inclusivity across different regions.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Recognition and Impact of Sujatha The chapter discusses the recognition and impact of someone named Sujatha. It explores the idea of a balanced and sustainable lifestyle, using nature as a significant influence. The transcript seems to delve into the philosophy of life and the environment surrounding us, advocating for a concept of holistic living. The narrative draws parallels between life and nature, emphasizing the importance of a living and thriving environment to articulate and embody the philosophy not through lectures, but presumably through experience and practice.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Explaining Sujatha to International Audience The chapter discusses the creation of a platform called 'Campus D Etre,' which is designed to empower students to live holistically in harmony with nature. The initiative aims to encourage students to experience life outside of traditional academic assignments and to envision what life should be for future generations, promoting a balanced way of living that resonates with nature.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Sujatha Campus in Korea The chapter titled 'Sujatha Campus in Korea' discusses the empowerment of students, encouraging them to communicate their needs and preferences to the university. It highlights the launch of a campus data program in the early 2000s, which provided a platform for students to propose and discuss ways to enhance their campus life. Within six months of its inception, more than 30 proposals from students were received, addressing various aspects such as balanced diet and other lifestyle questions.
• 06:00 - 07:00: Global Influence of Sujatha Concept The chapter 'Global Influence of Sujatha Concept' discusses student concerns and actions regarding sustainability on university campuses. The issues addressed include the quality and balance of food provided at campus cafeterias, the sustainability of campus transportation, and the appropriateness and significance of campus landscaping. A critical incident highlighted involves a student approaching the office to advocate for banning polystyrene or styrofoam to enhance environmental sustainability.
• 07:00 - 08:00: Call to Action for Embracing Indigenous Knowledge In this chapter titled 'Call to Action for Embracing Indigenous Knowledge,' the discussion focuses on the environmental and health hazards of using polystyrene, also known as styrofoam. The author narrates a conversation with an individual who explained their use of 700 polystyrene items weekly, highlighting their non-biodegradable nature and the harmful effects when used to serve hot food, including carcinogenic risks. The conversation aims to empower individuals to recognize the detrimental impacts of styrofoam, advocating for its ban. The chapter serves as a call to action, encouraging the integration of Indigenous knowledge and sustainable practices in waste management and environmental protection.

Sejahtera: The Context of Balancing | Dzulkifli Abdul Razak | TEDxUSMNibongTebal Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 thank you very much it's nice to be back and nice to support such an intellectual initiative made by the students I'm gonna talk to you about something which is very passionate to me it's a call Sujatha Sujatha is a word that we hear every day we say solemn socotra almost everyday but we are not
• 00:30 - 01:00 sure whether it's well rooted as far as the word means to us and the word is also seen every time in many circumstances Federal Territory did this February has got this caption while Syria riots Ajara what this gesture means in this particular particular context it means prosperity right but is that all the structure and basis we've got Hadassah chakra I'm not sure whether could Isis after at a moment in
• 01:00 - 01:30 time but we do not know what this adductor means in this particular context as well there are others we have got songs Sagittaron Malaysia we sing them all the time by the word Siddhartha do not actually get into us as far as the word and the root words as far as to just raise concern so there's a lot of suggest have been talked about but how do we articulate this how do you make it real how do you lift it and is what we try to do in USM in the early 2000s or
• 01:30 - 02:00 so so we created a program called campus D etre by the way there's now also ministry called ooh wellness urban wellness ministry at the point comment and Caserta and banda yeah which also asked me whether you are banda is agita to put that while talking just about banda what about the rural part he suggests otherwise no so we created this program campus doctor well before the word Seductor
• 02:00 - 02:30 becomes a common word bandit around and the idea was basically to create a concept of what life is all about they're subtle just talked to us about life if nature our campus is like nature we call it anniversa tea in the garden at one point we want to make this garden alive and therefore we want to bring this concept of holistic living in an environment that we loved a balanced living a sustainable living but we need to articulate this not true lectures not true
• 02:30 - 03:00 assignments but to leave it and to live it therefore we create this platform called campus D etre and what it means essentially is about empowering students to learn to live with nature to learn to live holistically in a balanced way so that you can feel the nature around you and this is what we want you to be at the end of the day telling the university what you think life should be for yourself as a future generation not
• 03:00 - 03:30 just intimacy telling you what to do but also you need to be empowered to tell the University what is best for you for the years to come and therefore the campus data programs becomes a platform for student to think and I remember when we launched this in the early 2-0 0 to immediately I think within six months I've got more than 30 proposal from students on how to live the suggester life asking questions about is our diet balanced in the in in
• 03:30 - 04:00 the canteen there are a lot of cafeterias but underfoot worth eating are they balanced are the transportation in the university sustainable our plans in the university the kind of plans that you want to see or it is important plans that we put in the meaning are the questions that was us but because of the concern in time I'm going to mention about one very pertinent issues when the student walked up to my office and say we want to bend polystyrene or styrofoam
• 04:00 - 04:30 and I asked him why they say we have used about 700 polystyrene a week and this thing's not biodegradable and we don't know how to dispose it and when you used it for food the heat caused other effects including carcinogenic effects they give me a whole rigmarole of things why styrofoam should be banned in other words empowering them to tell us exactly what styrofoam did for them and they wanted to be Penn and he asked
• 04:30 - 05:00 me would you support us to ban this within a month certainly I would and within the months we've got rid of the styrofoam immediately in the campus they went to the continued protests and said we want to ban styrofoam's we want to get rid of styrofoam and the continued operator said how do i how do we surf you he says we fear have gone ecological pact it costs us 20 20 cents more but we are willing to pay because we want to save the campus and the environment of the campus there's the kind of enthusiasm that student got the moment
• 05:00 - 05:30 you understand what Sujatha is all about and living it and I'm even more glad to know that other people around the world have been observing the students and giving the recognition goodie global University network of innovation that is based in Barcelona took this project and recognizes as a student environmental activism because they say many campuses has wanted to ban styrofoam but couldn't make it and here's one example and after that and
• 05:30 - 06:00 after that the Penang state government took over and been styrofoam and then the lavish melon and then lacquer and very simply Joe Howe and I'm glad USM lit the way for other state government to follow and this is what university is all about you have to lead the way and show other people that we can do better than this more than that the Japanese gave us an award an award for creative development of healthy
• 06:00 - 06:30 cities and he's one of the wards I think that university won as far as Sahara is concerned so this suggested things becomes a very important platform for us m2 article itself to the world and more than this I want to relate to a kind of a story that to current people came to the University and asked me about suggester campus what is all about and I
• 06:30 - 07:00 try to explain to them what this is all about by saying that this is about balance and the balance is not about two things by the balance is about many things and we summarized it in a small acronym called spices spices as mean spiritually balanced P is physically balanced is intellectually balanced she is what culture you need to find where your contacts are when you talk about balance it's not the culture
• 07:00 - 07:30 of somebody else but our culture our value our norms so that it becomes relevant to us and E is about ecology it's about ethics and serve our economy we just want to talk about very material things but something which is not relevant to us emotionally or spiritually they swear the ethics s and lastly it's about our society how do we safeguard our society not only langkawi malaysia and also the world at large and
• 07:30 - 08:00 there is a concept of being having this thing in a balance holistically and also what he called sustainability but as i try to articulate this i suddenly found that the koreans has taken this idea well before we can articulate and these are some of the videos that they talk about a Sujatha campus in the southern tip of korea let's see the suggester campus as it were
• 08:00 - 08:30 it is purged just beside the sea and also a forest and that's forest to them is called saggital forest with the suggester center serving it at the same time there is much like the lanka we think that you are trying to create yeah they've gotta be odometry which is also very holistic balanced and sustainable to do your own washing you have to do your own cooking and you have to clean up yourself nobody is going to help you
• 08:30 - 09:00 as far as that is concerned that's a hotel where they've created and that's a forest beside that there's no elevators we have to walk most of the time and
• 09:00 - 09:30 they are now associating this with 23 other nations in the asia-pacific region as a kind of a center that everybody will go together and collaborate and experience diversity among themselves and these are blocks that they created to make what they call a such a true art centre and you will see how to create this blocks by heck by creating a mural of what the place is all about there you are
• 09:30 - 10:00 and they launched it last year and I was pleasantly surprised to be invited I thought it is just another small feat but you see how big this when they launched it for the whole asia-pacific region to promote this concept of Socotra it's open to public they have a lot of discussions bringing people in to talk about what the concept is all about and
• 10:00 - 10:30 I'm worried that eventually we will go there to learn what's a doctor is all about when you are still no not sure as far as the what means to us they say all folks and also the young ones so all in all I think the Sujatha concept becomes a very dominant concept as far as the career is concerned now there but Sujatha scholarship they've got sagittal Network they've got suggests a foundation and they're
• 10:30 - 11:00 developing what they call suggests real leadership so this word that exists amongst us that we are not too sure about others has looked at it valued it take it away and try to make good out of it yeah so the sustainable development school I basically also being developed to teach them what the concepts of Sujatha is at a very young age in our context we still have not gone to that
• 11:00 - 11:30 particular with a particular level so what I'm telling you basically we need to come back to the kind of things that we have got within us the indigenous knowledge which is so important that we have left them aside now we need to bring back to the mainstream and make sure that we understand them well culturally developed it and make it something that the world can share we do not have to depend on other people to do it for us as intellectual we need to do this part and parcel of our contribution
• 11:30 - 12:00 to the world at large so I hope you're in your campus can start this as much as you start the TED talk and to bring this across to the university if the university has forgotten it so on that note Salaam Sahara and I wish you well