UTAR USR Community Project Series VI: Social and Multicultural harmony

Since gaining independence in year 1957 and forming Malaysia in year 1963, the country strives to build a successful multicultural society comprising three different ethnic groups, namely the Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Throughout the years, we have achieved economic and educational growth by working together. Along with this, UTAR has included “Aesthetic and Harmony” as one of its pillars of education, which is also part of UTAR’s core values and holistic education approach. UTARians are encouraged to practise this core value to maintain balance in life, which includes soft skills development, moral values learning, and character building. With this in mind, UTAR staffs and students have conducted community projects with themes relating to social and multicultural harmony.

Over 50 projects have been successfully executed by UTAR since 2014, and involved more than 5000 students from various discipline and faculties. The Festive Community Celebrations were conducted in Kampar and Sungai Long Campuses with the aim to promote a peaceful multicultural society and harmonious relationship among eachother. Example of such celebrations included Hari Raya, Lantern Festival, and Deepavali that were organised by different communities. One particular highlight from the festive community celebration is the Chinese New Year festival titled “Prosperous Lunar New Year” held from 10 to 11 February 2018, by UTAR PR Campaign 2017/2018: Volunteerism VI at Tin Village, Kampar. People from all walks of life participated in the joyous occasion.

Since 2014, UTAR has also continuously encouraged students to increase awareness and knowledge on the various cultures around the world. Through the course MPU34022 Arts and Cultural Performance, which aims to nurture students’ talents and skills in arts and culture, students have actively organised many cultural nights located in different new villages. It included having the event held in Bidor, Gopeng, Pusing, Bercham and many others. Students organising the event also participated as performer, where they performed different cultural performance, such as Nusantara (Indonesian Culture), Hip Hop (Black American Culture), Bollywood (Indian Culture), Chinese Fan Dance (Chinese Culture), Zapin (Malay Culture) and many more. Villages who attended the event expressed their excitement and commented positively on UTAR’s effort and initiative on raising cultural awareness. On 2 March 2018, a cultural performance titled “The Secret Recipe(祖传秘方)” was held in UTAR Kampar Campus, jointly organised by Liaoning People’s Art Theatre, New Kopisan New Village Committee, SJK (C) Man Ming, SJK (C) Lawan Kuda, SJK (C) New Kopisan, and UTAR. The event was a success and attracted over 500 people.

Another cultural event, namely Japanese Culture Workshop was organised by DSSC Kampar on 11 March 2018 at Sungai Siput Selatan. The aim was to create awareness on Japanese culture, as well as to introduce the culture to the community. The workshop involved six students and one staff, and consisted of various activities, such as Japanese language, Japanese songs, and dance. The event also feature costume wearing activity, whereby the villagers had the chance to try the Japanese traditional costume, knownas the Yukata, and participated in Japanese traditional games. Meanwhile in Sungai Long Campus, ACG Fiesta 2018 was held with the purpose to introduce the cosplay culture of Japan. The event attracted participants from Klang Valley where they dressed up in different anime characters. The cosplay event also featured competitions and performance, and served as opportune platform for participants to meet cosplay celebrities.

Cultural exchange also takes place in UTAR, with one example from the visit by 100 exchange students from International Technical College (ITC), Chiba, Japan, who have been visiting UTAR annually since 2013. Theirvisit facilitated cultural exchange among students, and also provided the Japanese delegate deeper understanding about Malaysia’s culture. The exchange programme also benefitted students because it served as a platform for them to broaden their horizon and expand their experience learning. Through experiencing different cultures and religions, meetingdifferent peers from other countries, the students were able to develop greater understanding on diversity. Clubs and Societies also took part in cultural exchange programmes to promote local cultural activities.

A Chinese cultural event titled “第一届《仁韵原创大奖》(REN YUN)”, on the other hand, was organised by the Institute of Chinese Studies in 2018 with the aim to provide an avenue for music talents as well as to strengthen the tradition of Chinese culture. It was a Filial Song Composing Competition, which attracted 30 original songs submission. Ten songs were selected for the semi-finals where the shortlisted songs were performed live. Apart from composing songs, a Chinese cultural sharing event on Guizhou Minzu culture was held in Xiao Miao Kindergarten, Kampar. Students from Guizhou Minzu University shared their knowledge on this minority Chinese ethnic culture. The participants were excited to learn about the differences and similarities between the Guizhou Minzu and Malaysia Chinese cultures.

As Malaysia is a multicultural country, the University’s effort in bridging the social and multicultural harmony can be seen in the different community projects that were successfully organised by students and staff. UTAR continues to integrate the different cultures and harmony by organising more activities and projects with the objective to instil respect for different traditions and cultures, as well as to achieve its vision, which is to be a global university of educational excellence with transformative societal impact.  

The “Prosperous Lunar New Year Fair” by the PR students was a platform not only to introduce their volunteerism campaign, but also to engage with the multi-ethnic community in Kampar

Former Deputy Finance Minister Dato’ Lee Chee Leong (middle) launching the Prosperous Lunar New Year Fair while Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong and PR Volunteerism VI Main Campaign Director Julian Chin Chun Kit

The “Ren Yun” Filial Song Composing Competition promoting the value of “filial piety”

UTAR Sungai Long Campus’s ACG Fiesta 2018 was a platform to introduce Japan’s contemporary cosplay culture

ACG Fiesta 2018 highlighting Japan’s unique and popular cosplay culture
 

“The Secret Recipe” (祖传秘方) theatrical performance by Liaoning People’s Art Theatre was held in conjunction with the Spring Lantern Festival (Chap Goh Meh) and showcased the finesse of Chinese plays

UTAR students staging dances from around the world during the “Extracoffeenery Carnival 2018” held at SJK (C) New Kopisan
 

Cultural exchange session with the 100 exchange students from ITC, Chiba, Japan

ITC students serenading the crowd with Japanese songs such as “Tabi da Chino Hini”, “Wueo Muite Aluko”, “Cantate Domino in Bb” and “Telu no Uta”