By NUR ASHIKIN LOUIS
KUCHING: Sarawak Museum comes to live with 80 students staying overnight for the ‘Night at the Museum’ programme.
This two-day-one-night programme which started yesterday was organised by Sarawak Museum Department and Faculty of Language and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
Unimas Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and International Professor Dr Fasihuddin Badruddin Ahmad said the objective of the programme is to expose and encourage the students to know more the rich historical and cultural heritage of Sarawak.
“This year’s camp is the first of its kind to be held on a large scale and it has attracted about 80 entries from Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Laos, Yemen, Pakistan and host, Malaysia.
“The participants are from Thaksin University in Thailand, Soutsaka College in Laos, South East Bangkok College, Sinka Education Centre of Sinkawang in Indonesia, Segi College, Swinburne University of Sarawak and International as well as local students of Unimas,” he added.
“It is an honour for Unimas to become host of this event which is aimed to foster close ties and understanding among varsity students in this region,” Fasihuddin said during the launch of “Night at the Museum by Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah”.
He said, “There are many exciting activities which have been planned for the participants who are also accompanied by their lecturers. Among the highlights of their activities during the camp are; visit to Sarawak Cultural Village and its nearby areas, Sarawak Museum Treasure Hunt which requires them to explore Kuching City on foot, and spending the night at Sarawak Museum.
“We hope all the participants will use this opportunity to make new friends and get acquainted with one another including the lecturers. There is no harm in making new friends here because we hope that you will return home with only fond memories and lots of new friends coming from different countries.
Yesterday night, the programme started off with a briefing about Museum in Sarawak by Mohamad Noor Omar, followed by zoology/taxidermy session with Wong Siew Fui, archeology session with Mohd Sherman Sauffi and conservation session with Bong Ah Khan and Rahmah Enche Yusuf.
Today, there will be an International Intercultural Treasure Hunt to be flagged off at 8am by Sarawak Museum Department acting director Suria Bujang.