Student Leaders Iftar 2.0 graced by student activism forum

By Afifah Syahmina

GOMBAK, 17 March 2024. As the holy Ramadhan continues, IIUMSU and InUnity organised an annual event called, Student Leaders Iftar 2.0, in conjunction with Ramadhan Festival 2.0. Student leaders from IIUM Gombak’s various clubs and societies were invited to the Iftar event that was held in the Multipurpose Hall of Wadi Budi at IIUM Gombak, today.

In his welcoming speech, the President of InUnity, Br. Talal Alhumsi spoke on the purpose of the event, “This annual gathering aims to bridge the gap between clubs, to promote collaborations and to create a space to inspire.” The event sought to foster collaborations and better understanding among student leaders while also providing an opportunity for networking and the sharing of experiences.

The Iftar event continued with a forum titled, “Effective Strategies for Student Activism”. The speakers of this forum were a member of the UiTM Board of Directors, Mr. Mustaffa Kamil Ayub; EMGS Regional Manager Middle East & North Africa, Mr. Syed Mohsen Alkaff, and, Motivational & Self Leadership Expert, Dr. Hjh Azuraida Shahadan.

The forum kicked off with some insight by the moderator of the event, Deputy President of PKPIM IIUM Gombak, Br. Amirul Firdaus. He focused on the definition of activism so that all the student leaders who attended the forum could understand it. “We are the microcosm of the society,” Mr. Mustaffa remarked as the first speaker of the forum. He added that student leaders should also be the voice of the society and seek validation from the people.

Furthermore, Dr. Hjh Azuraida spoke about the proper mindset that student leaders should have when practicing activism to ensure that they remain on track. “Put a fort around you and do not feel offended with whatever people have said about you,” she said. For her, a negative belief system would lead to failure if it were not controlled earlier on, thus, student leaders should put themselves in a positive surrounding that supports them.

The final speaker, Mr. Syed Mohsen advised student leaders to prioritise their studies, “You need to balance between your studies and student activism.” He added that if they cannot balance them, this will affect their studies, and they will lose their self-respect.

The Annual Student Leaders Iftar is an annual Iftar event that gathers leaders from IIUM Gombak’s various clubs and societies. This annual Iftar event began last year with a forum titled, “Muslim Leader Model”. ***