Symposium on Plants in Islamic Civilisation
Published On : Monday, 04 November 2024
The speakers at the Symposium on Plants in Islamic Civilisation held on the 4th November delivered different perspectives which highlighted the vital role of plants in Islamic Civilisation.
The plenary session speaker, Professor Dato Hj Mohamed Abd Majid, Emeritus Professor and Honorary Advisor, Rimba Ilmu Botanical Gardens, Universiti Malaya, delivered a talk titled ‘The Kapor (Dryobalanops aromatica) of Borneo; Its Relationship to ‘Kafura’ of Al Qur’an and Its Role In Brunei History’. This paper gave an insight on the role of Camphor which attracted early Arab traders to Borneo and played an important role in opening diplomatic and commercial relations with other countries within the region.
Dr Norhayati Ahmad from the Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER) and symposium coordinator, delivered a paper titled ‘An Overview of Contemporary Ethnobotany in Light of Scientific Findings, Linking Traditional Knowledge with Modern Science’. This paper shared the importance of preserving ethnobotanical knowledge and discussed how some of the traditional knowledge of plants has advanced and made substantial contributions to modern science and technology.
The two other speakers from Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah were Puan Hajah Siti Norhayatty Haji Morni, Curator of Conservation, Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah with paper titled ‘The Herbal Garden Initiative: Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah’s Role In Re-Introducing The Various Benefits of Botanical Plants’ and Haji Muhammad Ruzaini Haji Mohd Daud, Archaeology Officer presented a paper titled ‘Excavating The Past, Understanding The Present And Preparing The Future’.
