“Green for Ipoh,” an all-ages extravaganza focused on the environment, recently took place in Ipoh Old Town. The event was organized by the Communication students under the supervision of faculty members of the Quest International University Perak (QIUP) School of Social Sciences in partnership with the Ipoh old town (Kong Heng square) community and endorsed by the Perak Tourism Board.
The event was held in the picturesque Kong Heng Square downtown through four weekends from 27 November till 18 December and was open to tourists and locals alike. The Menteri Besar of Perak, Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Dr. Zambry bin Abdul Kadir praised QIUP for playing its role as part of the community.
“The Green for Ipoh programme is a good example of how Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) can play an active part in role modelling efforts to Green Ipoh with such a unique programme,” he said at the media conference after launching the Green for Ipoh programme.
He stressed that this effort is in line with Lonely Planet travel guide listing Perak as one the 10 most tourist destination for the coming year.
“I am proud of Quest International University Perak who enlisted the support of other organisations such as Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI) to make this programme a reality,” he added.
Also present at the event were Dato’ Professor Dr. Raman Narayanasamy, Vice Chancellor of QIUP, Puan Noor Aisyah Mohd Yusuff, Registrar of QIUP, Professor Abdul Latif Salleh, Dean, Faculty of Business, Management & Social Sciences of QIUP and senior management of the University.
Beneath its festive exterior, Green for Ipoh was conceived to combine community action with environment-themed creativity. The event aimed to heighten awareness about the perils of climate change by putting ideas into action.
Green for Ipoh was also designed to be a student owned and run affair. QIUP management empowered the students to take charge of the program from planning to execution so they could acquire an appreciation for the all-round skills needed to successfully pull-off a citywide event of this magnitude. The University believe that Communication students learn best via experiential learning.
It was also designed to help them showcase their creativity through various mass communication mediums. Moreover, by engaging with media practitioners, government officials and business owners through the process of planning and executing Green for Ipoh, students added layers of professional awareness that will improve their communication skills manifold.
Equally important was drilling into them the seriousness of the threat of climate change and the need for community involvement in securing and sustaining a Mother Earth-friendly future.
At QIUP, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a part of the business model as QIUP considers itself part of both the Ipoh community and the global community. Here CSR is practiced by QIUP in its strong commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and engaging the city’s underprivileged youth in mentoring activities.
The serious stuff aside, a great time was had by all. Adult visitors were captivated by the performers and motivational speakers on hand to share their wisdom and talent, and loved rummaging through the flea market. Kids, meanwhile, squealed in glee at the art installations made from recyclable material around Kong Heng Square and marvelled at its cardboard city.
One of the main success factor of the campaign was contributed by the generous sponsorships of Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh, Tourism Perak, Sekeping Kong Heng, Burps and Giggles, OHU Father and Son Furniture Sdn Bhd, Persatuan Alumni Chung Ling Perak, Evolve Creative, L&N Office Systems Sdn Bhd, Sanwa Group of companies, L & A Printing, Sunrise Marketing Sdn Bhd and Team Keris Berhad.
By having a project like Green for Ipoh, QIUP hopes that it can help draw in the local and international tourists to visit Ipoh. The University believes it is high time Ipoh raised its profile as a dynamic hub of creative talent.
