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Environmental Carnival
By Kuala Lumpur News Group (Originally in English)
[Kuala Lumpur] In order to encourage individuals to go green in their daily activities, a group of conscientious medical students organized a one-day Environment Carnival at the prominent National University of Malaysia Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur on January 9, Golden Year 7 (2010). NGOs, JAKIM (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia), the Tzu Chi Buddhist organization, Malaysian Nature Society, WWF-Malaysia, Wild Asia, and their main sponsor—Recycle for Rewards—joined hands to offer interesting and colorful activities for visitors of all ages. Our Association members provided free sampling of vegan food and distributed SOS flyers at the Carnival. The Director of the Department of Environment for the state gave a keynote address at the opening ceremony, calling for all caring Malaysians to take “gentle footsteps and concrete actions” in order to save and to conserve the environment. The award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore was presented along with other informative short films on biodiversity and the environment during the event. JAKIM held an interfaith forum titled “A Meaty Issue—Between Halal Food and Vegetarian Food”. A panel from JAKIM, medical experts, and food nutritionists provided insights on why it is healthier to eat more plant-based fare. Clinical booths were also set up to provide free check-ups, with friendly medical students on hand to offer timely advice on the healthy diet. The magnificent array of delicious vegan dishes prepared by
our Association members delighted the many who flocked to their booth
for free samples. Some of them understood that livestock are a major contributor
to global warming and intended to cut down on their meat consumption to
help save the planet. |
