UMT, in collaboration with other agencies, hosted the 2019 Young- Leaders-Care-for-Water Camp, a national programme involving secondary school students, on 20-21 August. UMT collaborated with UNESCO-International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO-IHP) Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia, and a few other agencies affiliated with UNESCO-IHP Malaysia. The objectives of the camp were to expose the students to the concept of managing the country’s water source and to increase their awareness of the importance of managing it wisely to ensure the survival of future generations.
A total of 50 students from secondary schools in Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, and Sarawak took part in the programme, and 10 teachers from the East Coast served as facilitators.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dato’ Dr Nor Aieni Mokhtar officiated the two-day event. Also present during the officiating ceremony were the Director General of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia Dato’ Abdullah Isnin and two Deputy Director Generals.
Professor Nor Aieni said that the students’ involvement in the event should increase their desire to be agents of change and subsequently motivate them to make constant efforts to instil awareness among their families, friends, and local communities of the importance of water management.
She also said that Malaysia, through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, UNESCO-IHP and public universities, must support the aim of United Nations to achieve global prosperity. This can be done by organizing events such as this camp, where the target participants are students and teachers who will shape the future generations.
She added that the organizing of the camp was also in line with one of the aims of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development endorsed by United Nations, which is Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): Clean Water and Sanitation. SDG 6 focuses on the sustainability of water management and sanitation for all.
Source – sofiah@umt.edu.my