By Nurul Suhaidi
GOMBAK, 7 May 2018: “ œHow African can you be – that’s the theme of the programme joyfully held recently in campus here to celebrate the ambience of Africa Day and to bring awareness about African culture among Malaysians in general and the IIUM community in particular.
Organised by Assalam Club, œWakanda Africa Day is an annual commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963. It is celebrated each year in various countries in the African continent as well as around the world.
Elsewhere, there are concerts and ceremonies to mark the day. This programme was held as a get-together among IIUM community and to celebrate Africa Day in the spirit of African.
The celebration was filled with intriguing performance such as upbeat dance grooves and stand-up comedy session by students from the African continent. The audience was also entertained by short theatre and fashion show displaying the uniqueness of traditional garment from each African country.
Asked why most IIUM students do not know much about Africa, its programme manager, Azalden Mohamed Bashir, said, “Thats the reason we want to bring exposure of African culture through this event since many students have less understanding of Africa as a country.”
œOur purpose of having this programme is to disseminate the African culture to the public by showcasing their diversity, for example, the Africans comprise many tribes and cultures. And we want to promote African music and arts while adding joy into it, Azalden added.
Held at the Main Auditorium, the show ended with colour and songs to bolster the spirit of unity between the African students and the audience. ***