VIRTUAL TOUR
2020
15 JanUCSI’s painting competition encourages creative expression among youth
UCSI University recently hosted the mySENI 2019 painting competition to encourage students in expressing their ideals of going green to ensure a sustainable, prosperous and equitable future.
The campaign themed “Green City” was held in accordance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at UCSI University, KL Campus.
A total of 40 finalists were shortlisted in the slightly more than two-month long annual campaign. Jeannie Tew won the grand prize that came in the form of RM10,000 in UCSI Bursary, RM2,000 in cash, and a certificate of participation.
“I feel incredible, especially receiving recognition in a competition of this scale. It is a big encouragement for my artwork to be recognised by professionals,” said the 18-year-old from Hin Hua High School, Klang.
“My inspiration for my drawing was to emphasise on the importance of having a balanced ecological, economic and social needs to ensure a clean, healthy and safe environment for all members of society and new generation to come,” she added.
Moreover, her drawing depicted how a sustainable green city works where green infrastructure can be applied including characteristic of the city meeting with nature, restoring values of urban ecosystem, minimising resource and energy consumption as well as taking advantage of the ecosystem service.
Besides Jeannie, prizes were given to a first runner-up, a second runner-up and five others as consolation prize winners.
Each winner walked home with bursaries and scholarships from UCSI, as well as cash prizes from event partner, Guocoland.
UCSI had allocated a total of RM735,000 in bursaries and scholarships for the event.
The ceremony was attended by former director-general of National Art Galley Malaysia Dato’ Mohd Yusof Ahmad, UCSI Group Corporate Affairs vice-president Leong Sat Sing and De Institute of Creative Arts and Design (ICAD) director Assistant Professor Dr Khairul Azril Ismail.
Mohd Yusof described the event as a meaningful competition that acknowledged the artistic talents of the younger generation, especially in articulating their ideas and ideals of the country.
“I am hopeful that amongst all the young talents here today, we have those who will flourish Malaysia’s name on the world map through their creative talents.
“Congratulations to UCSI and ICAD for going a step further in shaping the minds of the younger generation and future leaders through education,” he added.
Meanwhile, director of ICAD Assistant Professor Dr Khairul Azril Ismail stated that mySENI 2019 painting competition shares the same aspiration of bringing people together with common interests apart from acknowledging different perspectives from different groups of people.
“The best part to observe these works; that these students have huge thoughts in their minds and a wandering mind as well, which if properly channelised can lead to much more innovative creations,” he said.
“I am sure each one of us loves art and if we cannot actually give life to anything on canvas we can at least appreciate it,” Dr Azril added.
Chairperson of mySENI competition, Lucas Lim, said that the mySENI 2020 Painting Competition entitled “Malaysian Landscape” will emphasise the beauty of the country.
“I am hoping for these young artists to share their creative and extravagant ideas in promoting Malaysia as a tourist attraction destination in the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign,” he said.
Besides Hin Hua High School, other participating schools were Keat Hwa Private High School, Kedah, SMK Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, SMJK San Min, Perak, SMK Arau, Perlis, SMJK Katholik, Selangor and Chung Hwa High School, Muar, Johor.
Supporting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), UCSI is the only private university in Malaysia to be recognised as the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) organising the Green Campaign in June 2019 in conjunction with the World Environment Day which was launched by KL City Mayor, Dato’ Nor Hisham Ahmad bin A Dahlan.
Some notable events organised by RCE Kuching and UCSI University Sarawak campus were Beach Clean-up at the Damai Central area collecting 58 kgs of waste, in line with the International Coastal Clean-Up (ICC) Day, Sarawak River Art Competition 2019 and a 2-year 5Rs campaign (Reduce, Refuse, Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose).
