BY RACHEL MINA
KUCHING: It is important to preserve the culture and literature of each race in Sarawak for future generations, said Sasterawan Negara Professor Datuk Dr Siti Zainon Ismail.
She said this during her talk entitled ‘Warisan budaya dan Perubahan Nilai Kemasyarakatan: Cerpen semasa Sarawak’ during the Syarahan Perdana Sasterawan Negara 2021 programme on Tuesday (Sept 21).
The programme was jointly organised by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub Library (PeTARY), Unimas Faculty of Language and Communication and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Unimas Vice Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi said it was held in conjunction with the Dekad Bahasa Kebangsaan, Independence Day and Malaysia Day.
The programme aimed to provide exposure to students and the community with the works of writers as well as enliven the atmosphere of knowledge discourse on campus.
“Such programmes can shape and support the community from a very practical and rational standpoint, especially when we are confronted with this pandemic.
“The fact is that cultural literature will continue to shape life according to what we want in life as beautiful paintings, rhymed poetry, and clear according to their respective races and cultures,” he said.
The virtual programme was officiated by the Vice Chancellor and moderated by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Sarawak Branch Director Abang Haliman Julai.
Aside from that, Unimas will organise exhibitions of the works of Sasterawan Negara and Anjung Maya Sasterawan Siti Zainon Virtua as part of the Read@UNIMAS programme.
This exhibition honours the contributions and sacrifices of the nation’s Sasterawan Negara, and to instil a sense among the students on the greatness and knowledge that exists in the minds of all writers.
