IIUM Gombak Food Festival 2025: More than just a course 

By, Umi Kalthum Norman

GOMBAK, 7 March 2025: What started as an academic task for COMM 3315 Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) students, turned into something much bigger. The Gombak Food Festival 2025, held on Sunday, 5 January 2025, at Masjid Al-Syakirin, Gombak, the one-day food festival aimed to empower individuals with disabilities as well as support small local businesses, particularly from Kampung Kerdas, Gombak. The event was made possible through a collaborative effort involving the Communication Students’ Association (COSA), the Support Association for Parents of Special Needs Children (SUPPORT), and Masjid Al-Syakirin, Gombak. 

Unlike the previous semester, where the festival was held at HS Square, this time, it was placed outside IIUM campus for the first time. It is a bold move that paid off. Hosting it at Masjid Al-Syakirin, a location which already has a car boot sale several times a month, allowed students to collaborate with the mosque and tap into an existing crowd. This decision brought a fresh audience of locals who might not have discovered the festival otherwise. 

Although securing the venue was a last-minute challenge, the collaboration with the mosque made it possible. They even announced the event to their community, opening an opportunity to a larger and more diverse audience for the vendors. 

Over three months, students worked closely with vendors, planned promotional materials, and ensured that everything was ready for the big day. Each group was assigned to a different client, ranging from individuals with disabilities to small business owners, each with their own inspiring stories and delicious offerings. 

The vendors featured at the event included clients such as: Enjoy Burger, Arisma, Dyslexia Cafe, My QT Bites, Autism Cafe Project, Tuns Anuar, Kek Hidayah, Mat Murtabak, Nasi Kukus Kak Ina, and K-Link Care Center. More than just selling food, these vendors represented resilience, passion, and community-driven entrepreneurship. Many customers were not just buying a meal but also contributing to meaningful causes. 

Beyond the one-day event, the festival also provided long-term value to vendors through two post-event online workshops. These sessions covered digital marketing strategies and halal certification processes, equipping vendors with valuable insights to enhance their businesses in the future. By including educational components, the festival extended its impact beyond the sales, further reinforcing IIUM’s vision of “Rahmatan lil ‘Alamin” (Mercy to All). 

A Recognition Beyond the Classroom 

One of the biggest highlights of the festival happened outside of the event itself. On the morning of Wednesday, 19 February 2025, during the AHAS KIRKHS TAKREEM 2024 at Banquet Hall, IIUM, the lecturer of COMM3315, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aida binti Mokhtar, who guided the students throughout the journey, received the Gold Award under the category of Consultancy and Services for High-Impact Synergized Academic Activities.

This validated all the hard work, planning, and effort being put into making this event a success. Knowing that the efforts contributed was recognized at a higher level was a moment of pride for everyone involved. 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aida, the driving force behind this project, was even seen making multiple rounds throughout the festival, checking in on students while throwing tips and advice, ensuring everything ran smoothly. She was also actively engaged with the vendors, having built strong connections with them from previous events. Her dedication to fostering meaningful relationships and ensuring the sustainability of such initiatives was evident in her interactions. 

This event also provides space for the students to be directly involved in various aspects. They are not just organizers but active participants. The students helped creatively promote products, assisted vendors with sales by being involved in making beverages, and package orders. This hands-on experience provided valuable lessons in marketing, customer interactions and communication, making it a practical learning opportunity beyond the classroom. 

This initiative strongly reflects IIUM’s commitment to holistic education, community engagement, and service to society. By integrating the knowledge learned in class with real-world applications, the festival serves as a bridge between education and impactful social contribution, aligning with IIUM’s goal of producing well-rounded graduates who contribute positively to the society. 

More than just a course project, the festival showed us how academic knowledge can be applied to real-world situations. It was not just about learning theories but also about understanding the impact of our work on people’s lives. Looking back, it is safe to say that this assignment was more than just earning grades, it was an experience that reshaped the way we perceive integrated marketing communication, collaborations, and community engagement. 

With this recognition, it raises the question, “will this festival return next semester?” Only time will tell, but if there is one thing we have learned, it is that empowering others through real-life initiatives is something worth continuing.***