The Imperative of Sustainable Development: Harnessing the MADANI Framework with ArtScience for Planetary Health and Well-Being

In the pursuit of an ideal society, core values such as good governance, inclusivity, racial harmony, and sustainable development must converge in a shared civic culture, creating social capital. The Malaysia MADANI framework – derived from the Arabic word madani (civilized), and articulated through the Malay acronym SCRIPT (Sustainability, Care and Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity, Trust) – offers a distinctive values-based approach to sustainable development. Inspired by the pluralistic and inclusive Medina Charter articulated by Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), the MADANI framework provides a moral dimension for sustainable living, social cohesion, ecological stewardship, and collective responsibility. Using a qualitative, transdisciplinary approach that integrates conceptual analysis, literature review, and case study, this paper explores how the MADANI framework serves as a values-based model for planetary health, defined as the sustainable vitality of ecological and human systems upon which civilization depends. In today’s multicultural and digitally interconnected world, contemporary societies require an effective approach to convey the urgency of the planetary health message. Integrating ArtScience, which merges creativity and scientific inquiry, offers an operable medium to the MADANI spirit, aligning with existing indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals and Inner Development Goals on the individual level. Distinct from Western-centric models, the MADANI framework fosters peaceful coexistence capable of informing global sustainability efforts and a shared commitment to the common good.