IT was just another stroll to lunch after class in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for undergraduate Chee Boon Chin, 21, when she was hugged for no reason at all by a girl, a complete stranger.
Slightly stunned with the gesture, Chee found out that she was one of the many students who were given ‘free hugs’ at the Lifting Others through Volunteer Engagement (L.O.V.E.) community service festival in the lecture hall foyer at USM.
The L.O.V.E. event, which was aimed at spreading the spirit of volunteer engagement among the university’s students, was jointly organised by Aiesec USM and the Right Livelihood College Global Secretariat that is based at the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRIS).
Over 20 established non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and non-governmental individuals participated in the festival by setting up booths and offering activities to attract passers-by.
The NGOs included Water Watch Penang, Northern Network for Migration and Refugees (JUMP), Asia Community Service, Children’s Protection Society, National Cancer Society of Malaysia (Penang branch), St Nicholas’ Home and SPCA as well as ‘green crusaders’ Don Theseira and Mylene Ooi.
CenPRIS director Assoc Prof Azhari Karim said the first ever community service programme in USM was held for students to be more conscious of their roles in society.
“They will be able to understand and appreciate NGO activities,” he told a press conference.
He added that there were plans to turn the programme into an annual event.
Among the highlights was a three-minute freeze where over 30 members from a USM voluntary students’ group called Green Lung stood still at 1.10pm.
The freeze, which was first organised in 2009, was aimed at spreading awareness for a tobacco-free campus.
Student Syuhairah Ahmad, 21, said she learnt the importance of reporting cases of domestic violence and child abuse.
“We should not keep quiet like what most people choose to do nowadays, if we are aware of such incidents. This kind of thing should not be kept secret,” she said.
p/s: a great ideas should be share by amongs universities students
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