21/10/2007 - Yasmin Yusuff, Former AFS'er from Malaysia to emcee global forum in New York
FORMER Miss Malaysia, actress and radio deejay Yasmin Yusuff would achieve another milestone in her already illustrious career when she emcees the World Peace Forum in Columbia University, New York, this Saturday.
AFS International, a non-profit organisation that provides intercultural learning and volunteer opportunities through international exchange, organised the forum in conjunction with their 60th anniversary.
Yasmin: ‘This could open the door to many other opportunities.’
Among the topics that would be discussed are “Peace in the Next Century”, “Is Tolerance Fundamental?”, “Volunteerism for Peace” and “High Tech Peace,”
Some of the featured guests and speakers include Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, documentary filmmaker and producer Ken Burns, Kiva.org (an organisation that loans money to small businesses in the developing world) founder Margee Ensign, former UNICEF executive director Carol Bellamy and Columbia University War and Peace studies professor Richard K. Betts.
“I can’t believe I’m having this opportunity to be an emcee in such a big event and to introduce so many outstanding people. And here I am, just a small-time radio deejay taking on the big stage,” she said modestly.
During the event, Yasmin would also have to sum up each talk before she introduces the next speaker.
This big break came for her when she hosted the AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia annual dinner that was also attended by AFS International president Francisco ‘Tachi’ Cazal.
“He came up to me after the event and asked me to become the emcee for the forum and I was just shocked,” said Yasmin, who spent a year in San Diego, California, as a AFS student when she was 16.
Yasmin said she had emceed in countries like Singapore and Indonesia this year but this forum is unlike others.
“It is such a big event with speakers and audience from all over the world so this could open the door to many other opportunities,” she said.
Yasmin will be leaving for New York on Thursday.
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