AUA-UM Appreciating Diverse Communities Through Arts 2020, was a one-week program designed to give participants a unique insight into a different facet of arts and culture in Malaysia. Hosted by Universiti Malaya (UM) from15-21 January 2020, twenty six participants from ten AUA member universities took part in the program, including: Chulalongkorn University., The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Peking University, Seoul National University, Tsinghua University, Universitas Indonesia, The University of Tokyo, University of Yangon and UM. Participants immersed themselves in the fascinating multi-ethnic community of Malaysia, where people of different religions and races live in a peaceful and harmonious society, which has in turn influenced its art, culture and cuisine.
The program was run by the ISC Global Buddies known as "Buddies", a group of mostly local UM students who volunteer to help the lnternational Student Centre (ISC) to run most of their activities. The first lecture was on the “Introduction of Malaysian Arts & Culture” by the curator of UM Art Gallery, Dr. Hazlin Anita Zainal Abidin. The lecture started with the background of Malaysian culture and lifestyle followed by the influence of different races on the arts. The second lecture about "Unity in Diversity" was given by Dr. Liyana from the Asia Europe Institute. The lecture examined the breakdown of the diversity and how the unity happened in Malaysia. At the end of this lecture, the participants were able to understand how a multiracial and multireligious country was formed and maintained.
In addition to the lectures, some of the highlights of the program included several cultural activities such as batik painting, lantern making, a rangoli designing workshop and henna designing. Students also went on local tours to places of cultural and historical importance such as the Masjid Negara (National Mosque) where they learned about Islam, and Melaka, a historical city which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the final day, participants had to showcase their group projects on lantern making. The winner received a token of appreciation and the lantern was showcased at the art gallery for public viewing. The closing ceremony was officiated by UM Associate Vice Chancellor (International), Prof. Dr. Yong Zulina Zubairi and all participants received the certificate of participation.
The knowledge and understanding gained during this program is important for the current, complex new era of globalization. By appreciating the different arts and cultures of diverse communities around the globe, AUA students can break down cultural barriers with one another, increase communication and become well rounded individuals, equipped with an understanding of Asia and a global outlook.
