ASEAN Ladies’ Circle in Kuala Lumpur’s “Fun Walk For A Cause” Raises Funds for Women, Children

(Left photo) ASEAN Ladies’ Circle (ALC) President and ALC Philippines Patron Madame Maria Victoria Jose (center left) and guest of honor Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Spouse and Overall ALC Patron Ybhg. Datin Norlin Shamsul Bahri (center right) unhook the velvet ropes to signal the start of the ALC Fun Walk for a Cause. They are joined by Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose (center), as well as the Ambassadors and ALC Patrons representing eight ASEAN member nations. Behind them, an excited crowd of 336 people (right photo) prepare to cross the threshold and begin the walk. (Kuala Lumpur PE photo)

KUALA LUMPUR 16 November 2018 – Over 330 participants from nine ASEAN member countries walked several kilometers to champion the causes of underprivileged women and children at the ASEAN Ladies’ Circle (ALC) in Kuala Lumpur’s inaugural “Fun Walk for a Cause” held at the Kuala Lumpur Botanical Gardens on 10 November 2018.

The “Fun Walk for a Cause” is a fund-raising project of the ALC in Kuala Lumpur under the leadership of its President Madame Maria Victoria H. Jose, who also serves as ALC Philippines Patron being the spouse of Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose.

The event was organized by ALC Philippines and the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and supported by ALC Brunei Darussalam, ALC Indonesia, ALC Lao People’s Democratic Republic, ALC Malaysia, ALC Myanmar, ALC Singapore, ALC Thailand, and ALC Vietnam. 

In Madame Jose’s welcome remarks, she noted, “Aside from aiming to promote mutual understanding, cooperation, and solidarity amongst women of the ASEAN community in Kuala Lumpur and encouraging cultural and social exchanges among its members, one of the main goals of the ASEAN Ladies’ Circle is to encourage the advancement of women and children in the ASEAN region in the fields of education, economics, and social standing. It is for the latter objective that we have decided to target women and children as the beneficiaries of this Fun Walk.”

The proceeds from the fun walk will be donated to organizations that support women and children in need, namely the Malaysian Association for the Blind’s Assistance to Blind Children Center, the National Autism Society of Malaysia, and Global Street Mission’s Sarah’s Inn Women’s Rehabilitation Center, and Precious Children’s Home for the Abused, Destitute, and Neglected Children.

Madame Jose also reminded the participants, “This is a Fun Walk, not a race. It is meant to be enjoyed.” 

Participants were not only able to exercise and mingle, but also collect tokens and gifts prepared by the nine participating ASEAN member countries as they pass through the designated country-stations. Upon completion of the walk, participants received finisher certificates in addition to the tokens they have collected throughout the walk.

Datin Norlin Shamsul Bahri, Overall ALC Patron and spouse of Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, was the event's guest of honor.   

Also in attendance were Brunei Ambassador Dato Paduka Haji Alaihuddin bin Haji Mohamad Taha, ALC Brunei Patron Datin Hajah Mariani Haji Bongsu, ALC Indonesia Patron Madam Sien Rusdi Kirana, Lao PDR Ambassador Houmdaophone Soukhaseum, ALC Lao PDR Patron Madam Soutchay Soukhaseum, ALC Malaysia Patron and Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General’s spouse Datin Seri Hafipah Mohd Shah, Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Secretary General for Bilateral Affairs YM Raja Dato' Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, Myanmar Ambassador U Sein Oo, ALC Myanmar Patron Madam Sanda Hlaing, Singapore Ambassador Vanu Gopala Menon, ALC Singapore Patron Madam Jayanthi Menon, Thailand Ambassador Narong Sasitorn, ALC Thailand Patron Madam Chantana Sasitorn, Vietnam Ambassador Le Quy Quynh, and ALC Vietnam Patron Madam Pham Thi  Hong Lien. END

ASEAN Ambassadors and their spouses (ALC Patrons) show off their finisher certificates at the end of the fun walk. (Kuala Lumpur PE photo)

ASEAN Ladies Circle (ALC) President and ALC Philippines Patron Madame Maria Victoria Jose, Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose (right, in teal), and ALC Patron and Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs spouse YBhg. Datin Norlin Shamsul Bahri (right, in fuschia) are flanked by the Ambassadors and Patrons from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Also present is YM Raja Dato' Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, Deputy Secretary General for Bilateral Affairs, Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (center-right, in black). (Kuala Lumpur PE photo)

For more information, visit www.kualalumpurpe.dfa.gov.ph / www.philembassykl.org.my or https://www.facebook.com/PHinMalaysia.