JOHOR BAHRU, June 24 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) demonstrated its commitment to global justice, peace, and humanitarian advocacy through the event titled “Voices for Palestine: Bearing Witness and Calling for Global Justice,” held at Masjid Sultan Ismail, UTM Johor Bahru. This full-day program brought together students, staff, and the broader community to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine amidst the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The event was organised collaboratively by the PGSS Faculty of Computing, the Postgraduate Student Society (PGSS) UTM, the International Students Society (ISS)-Palestine, and the UTM Islamic Centre. It aimed to raise awareness and foster solidarity with the Palestinian cause and was supported by various sponsors, including the School of Graduate Studies (SPS) UTM, UTM International, the UTM Islamic Centre, the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA), the Faculty of Computing, UTM Waqf, the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Sekolah Seni Malaysia Johor (SSeMJ), Humanitarian Care Malaysia Berhad (MyCARE), and Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia (IKRAM). The event was officiated by Associate Professor Dr. Ahmad Che Yaacob, the Director of the UTM Islamic Centre.
The program featured several reflective and action-oriented segments, including a colouring competition for primary school children in Johor Bahru and an intergenerational drawing competition that brought together participants from diverse community backgrounds. These creative activities were complemented by a sharing session with Palestinian students and staff, who offered personal insights into the realities of life under occupation. A dialogue session followed, with speakers from the Jabatan Agama Islam Johor (JAIJ), MyCare, and UTM staff emphasising the importance of bearing witness and advocating for global justice. Throughout the event, an exhibition titled “Voices for Palestine” showcased powerful artwork and written expressions centred on themes of justice, resistance, and survival. Exhibitors from MyCARE, UTM Endowment, ISS-Palestine, IKRAM, Global Peace Malaysia (GPM), and SSeMJ highlighted their efforts in supporting Palestine and the community at large.
In the evening, participants, including representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UTM Marshals, community members, UTM staff, students, and Voices of Palestine Committee members, participated in a peace march across campus, carrying banners and raising messages of unity and justice. A symbolic gesture involved students and staff leaving handprints on a white cloth banner, which served as one of the event’s outcomes. The program concluded with an inspirational speech from representatives of various NGOs and an artistic street performance by SSeMJ, leaving attendees with a renewed commitment to advocate for peace and human dignity worldwide.
In conjunction with this event, UTM announced the launch of the Tabung Palestine, a special endowment fund under the Voices for Palestine program. This fund aims to support long-term humanitarian, educational, and advocacy efforts for the Palestinian cause, with a target of RM50,000. The contribution period will remain open until 7 October 2025, inviting ongoing donations from individuals, organisations, and institutions wishing to contribute to a sustainable support system for oppressed communities through trusted humanitarian partners.
This initiative reflects UTM’s commitment to fostering awareness, compassion, and informed advocacy within the campus and the wider community. The event also served as a collaborative platform for student activism, community engagement, and intercultural dialogue—key elements of UTM’s holistic approach to education.
For more information, please visit the following Facebook pages:
Voices For Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/voiceforpalestin
PGSS UTM: https://www.facebook.com/PGSSUTM
(For those interested in contributing to the Tabung Palestine, please refer to the details in the poster below)
Prepared by: Postgraduate Student Society (PGSS), UTM
