{"id":182013,"date":"2024-12-16T09:19:27","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T09:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/?p=182013"},"modified":"2024-12-16T09:19:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T09:19:30","slug":"fostering-global-citizenship-through-art-iium-and-shenandoah-universitys-virtual-exchange-for-sdg-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/?p=182013","title":{"rendered":"Fostering Global Citizenship through Art: IIUM and Shenandoah University’s Virtual Exchange for SDG Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By, Nurin Ahmad and Ilham Muhammad<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GOMBAK, 16 December 2024: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Shenandoah University in the United States on 21 November concluded a groundbreaking virtual exchange program titled, ‘Empowering Global Citizens for SDG Impact through Visual Arts.’ The initiative united students from Malaysia, the United States, and Cuba to tackle global challenges through collaborative visual arts, supported by the Malaysia National Commission for UNESCO and the Jamal Barzinji Institute for Global Virtual Learning.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The first workshop of the project<\/em> through an online platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organized by IIUM’s CELPAD, Mahallah Aminah, the UNESCO Club, Arte Libre VA, and PROYECTONGO, the program blended technology and creativity to produce impactful artwork focused on Global Citizenship and the United Nations\u2019 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilizing recycled and upcycled materials, the project emphasized sustainability and cultural exchange. As part of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) partnership between IIUM and Shenandoah University, the program connected students and faculty across borders, fostering teamwork, cultural exchange, and creative problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Shenandoah University’s students on collecting background day<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project, led by Dr. Siti Zubaidah Anuar and Dr. \u2019Atiah Abdullah Sidek from IIUM, began in September 2024 with virtual workshops where participants collaborated on ideas, painted shared backgrounds, and symbolized cultural unity. In later phases, students incorporated discarded materials into their art pieces, conducted waste audits, and prepared write-ups linking their work to specific SDGs, demonstrating the harmony between creativity and sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Physical exhibitions at Layar IIUM<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The completed artworks were unveiled through virtual and physical exhibitions in October 2024. The final showcase at Layar IIUM runs until December 6, after which the pieces will travel to the United States in December and Cuba in January 2025, sharing their message with global audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis initiative demonstrates how art serves as a universal language, breaking barriers and fostering collaboration for a shared vision,\u201d said project leader Dr. Siti Zubaidah. She also acknowledged the committees\u2019 efforts: \u201cThe success of this international project reflects the dedication of our team members, especially the MRC from Mahallah Aminah and the UNESCO Club.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Organisers of the project, Dr. Siti Zubaidah and Dr. \u2018Atiah with Professor Abigail and participants of the project<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Abigail G\u00f3mez from Shenandoah University called it, \u201cthe biggest project we\u2019ve undertaken so far.\u201d She highlighted the participants\u2019 creativity and resilience in overcoming challenges like language barriers, adding, \u201cVisual arts can illuminate global challenges and drive meaningful action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants shared their enthusiasm for the program\u2019s impact. IIUM\u2019s Nursarah reflected, \u201cThis project taught me the importance of cultural collaboration and sustainability.\u201d Maya, a Shenandoah University student, said, \u201cIt broadened my perspective and showed how art can address pressing global issues.\u201d The \u201cEmpowering Global Citizens for SDG Impact through Visual Arts\u201d program exemplifies how creativity, sustainability, and cross-cultural collaboration can inspire global change and foster unity.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Finished mural painting drawn by students<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides the Waste to Wow project, the initiative was extended to include mural painting, which involved 10 IIUM students and 9 Shenandoah University students working online via Zoom to create and design a mural. The concept of the mural was based on the 5 Ps of Sustainable Development: People (ending poverty and hunger, ensuring dignity and equality for all), Planet (protecting the planet and promoting sustainable use of resources), Prosperity (ensuring fulfilling lives in harmony with nature), Peace (fostering peaceful and inclusive societies), and Partnership (mobilising global partnerships for sustainability). The mural is located on the outer wall of the Centre for Professional Development, IIUM. A similar mural is being painted at Shenandoah University, showcasing unity in addressing sustainable development issues and creating awareness about the importance of the SDGs.***<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By, Nurin Ahmad and Ilham Muhammad GOMBAK, 16 December 2024: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Shenandoah University in the United States on 21… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":275,"featured_media":182043,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,9,4,65,6,114,8,25],"tags":[],"nelio_content":{"isAutoShareEnabled":true,"autoShareEndMode":"never","automationSources":{"useCustomSentences":false,"customSentences":[]},"followers":[275],"suggestedReferences":[],"efiUrl":"","efiAlt":"","highlights":[],"permalinkQueryArgs":[]},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSCF9400-scaled-e1733376386677.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182013"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/275"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=182013"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":182305,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182013\/revisions\/182305"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/182043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=182013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=182013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.iium.edu.my\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=182013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}