First International TV Interview

It is done by phone, but displayed live on Turkish International TV. So I guess technically it is stil a TV interview.

The TV has a slot to discuss the recent International PhD student conference in Turkey where I presented a paper. They had the conference organizer there and somehow they picked me to be interview live.

You know that I am not so good in the speaking department. I tend to speak too fast and babble.

Since they told me about it 5 days ago, I thought I got time to prepare (amidst the hectic preparation for my exam). I asked them what will be the topic and head for a 2 minutes soliquey. It took me almost one hour to get the sentences straight and another hour to practice.

Finally the day come. After waiting for sound technician to connect, I was live. But the interview turned out to be series of question an answer (how is Italy, what do you think about the conference, what are the positive effect, and what do you think about Izmir).

Nervousness start to crept and so was sweat, good thing they only hear my voice. All in all, I think I committed my usual sin of speaking too fast and babbling. Hopefully it was not that bad, but the conference organizer might regret choosing me as interlocutor.

Will it be easier by time and practice?

Ups, I Did it Again! (2)

No, I am not a fan of Britney Spears and I did not play with your love (at least I did not meant to do it) .

But I just co-found and elected General Secretary of Associazione degli Studenti Indonesiani di Italia (ASII) or Indonesian Students Association in Italia (ISAI). Or PPI-Italia.

This is the sixth of the kind after HMI FEUI, Indonesian Economics & Development Student Association (IMEPI), Himma Foundation, PPI-Siena and PPI-Amsterdam.

Like Uncle Ben said in Spiderman: Remember, with great power. comes great responsibility...

Tariq Ramadan in Siena

March was the month of book in Siena (luna di libri) and the city invite some authors to come and discuss their book. Most are Italian (or speak in Italian like in the case of Ginsborg) but few spoke in English.

One of the English speaking authors are Tariq Ramadan. I’ve heard about him and a bit curious. His have a blue blood Islamist line as grandchild of Hasan Al-Banna, the founder of Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt. But he is a Swiss citizen, born and lives most of his live in Switzerland (including getting a PhD there).

If there is one that could claim to be the bridge of the west and Islam, he comes very close (read this interesting artice by him).

In a way, he remind me of Gus Dur that has a Islamic blue blood but play a significant role in the reform of Islamic thought and dynamics of Islamic movement. Gus Dur argued on the need of Indonesianization of Islam, TR called for EuroIslam (in contrast to Eurabia ).

TR is a very eloquent and persuasive speaker. The book discussed was about the life of The Prophet (may peace be upon him) and he meant it as introduction to see Islam for within because the west could not understand Islam without knowing his role in everyday life of a Muslim. What mattered the most in inter-religious relation is not what academics can prove or disprove but what common people believe.

He escaped the trap of moderator by differing between the fight for oppression in Palestine (which is the right humanity to defend freedom and dignity with the method of suicide bombing that some Palestinian used (killing the innocent is not only non-Islamic but also anti-Islamic). He was very convincing when he said that he against imposition by state on religious practice and against both use of state apparatus to do (like wearing burqa in Taliban) or to ban (like when French government ban headscarf in school).

I’m looking forward to hear more about TR.