Promoting positivity through poetry
Event will expose international audience to Malay literature values
NURADZIMMAH DAIM IPOH news@nst.com.my
PERAK will emphasise positive values when promoting arts and culture among the people. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said arts and culture were important elements in the development of a nation.
Therefore, he said the Pangkor International Poems and Folk Songs Festival (Pulara) 2017, which began yesterday until Sunday, was geared towards this objective.
“Some people have asked us the reasons for organising the event.
“It allows us to learn more about Malay literature and, hopefully, to give a better understanding of Bangsa Malaysia.
“As we know, arts and culture are the identity of society. We feel we should organise seminars and events that revolve around arts and culture to instill positive values in Bangsa Malaysia.”
Zambry said Pulara, which was in its eighth edition, was also a platform for foreign participants to learn about Malay literature and enable them to share their knowledge with others.
“International events like Pulara also help to promote Perak and Malaysia, and boost tourism in the state in line with ‘Visit Perak 2017’.
“The participants, including foreign poets and writers, can observe what we have to offer and will share their experience when they return home,” he said in a press conference here recently.
Some 200 participants, including language and arts activists from at least 15 countries, were expected to attend the five-day event.
The organiser also expected thousands of visitors to come to Pulau Pangkor.
Festival director Mohamed Ghozali Abdul Razali said a seminar held during the festival would highlight the role of Bahasa Malaysia and Malay literary works in films and theatre in China, Europe and India.
“A session will touch on the preservation of the many dialects of Perakians as well as usage of Bahasa Malaysia among Japanese and other foreigners.”
Ghozali said a leadership talk for undergraduates was also scheduled during the festival.
He said there would be a session where non-Malay youths would be reciting poems in Bahasa Malaysia.
He said 10 Malay literature icons, who had contributed in uplifting of the national language, would also attend the event.