Echoes of Culture: Uniting the Love for Poetry and Cultural Art

By, Aini Hairirizal

GOMBAK, 19 May 2026: Echoes of Culture, which has been conducted in conjunction with Inspire Week, has taken place from 3 PM until 5.30 PM at Mini Auditorium, IIUM Gombak. The programme has been successfully organised with the collaboration of students from the Department of English Language (DELL) and students from the Department of Arabic Language (DALL).

Officiated by the Honourable Professor Dr Hafiz Zakariya, the Dean of AbdulHamid Abdul Sulayman, Kuliyyah Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), this programme has been filled with diverse performances from students, such as poetry recitation from Poetica Club and The Secretariat of Arabic Language and Literature (ALA), Angklung performance from the IIUM Angklung Club, Dikir Barat from Sutra Pawana, Zapin performances from IIUM Nafastari Dance Club and performances from Usul al-Din and Comparative Religion (RKUD) students.

In remembrance of Professor Mohd Kamal Hassan, the former rector of IIUM, his poetry titled ‘SMS to Sir Muhammad Iqbal’ has been recited by Khairul Syafiq with fiery passion.

A few students, like Hannah Akram from Poetica, also made a poetry eulogy to the Honourable Professor Mohd Kamal Hassan with a title, A Tribute to The Captain’s Garden. In her beautiful poetry, she mentioned that it is important for us to keep learning and stay curious about life’s marvels while sharing the knowledge that we get along the way in the hope it will prove to be beneficial for others on this lifelong journey.

In a short interview with IIUMToday, Hannah would like to encourage all students to appreciate the culture of poetry, as she mentioned “Whether it’s reading or performing, poetry is made for all.”

Overall, Echoes of Culture successfully united students across various majors within AHAS KIRKHS, bringing together poetry and cultural art enthusiasts to celebrate the passionate performances by IIUM students that showcase our diverse heritage. ***