DiGi’s celebration of Culture & Heritage

Culture & Heritage — By csr on July 17, 2009 at 4:12 pm

Malaysia’s unique, diverse and vibrant national heritage is found in many different faces of the nation and expressed through customs, folklore, language and traditions. This category recognises companies that support the preservation of Malaysia’s heritage. By invigorating these fading traditions they have inspired new practitioners and found fresh audiences, thereby contributing to the survival of unique features of our shared national identity.

At the inaugural PM’s CSR Awards, DiGi Telecommunications’ culture and heritage conservation programme took home the trophy. This was a remarkable initiative aimed at conserving Malaysia’s rich heritage - cultural, art, social, built and natural.

Targeted at youth in rural communities across Malaysia, DiGi identified ‘Amazing Malaysians’, heritage champions and unsung keepers of knowledge, arts and traditions to create lasting awareness and to inspire them to continue the conservation efforts.

Five Amazing Malaysians were selected each year from 2005 – 2007, a total of 15 in all. Each project had a three month implementation period during which youth work closely with their respective Amazing Malaysian. The programme drew wider interest than initially envisaged, with involvement of principals, teachers, parents and families, neighbourhoods and communities in the various towns where the projects were being implemented. Children that had the opportunity to participate obtained a lasting sense of pride in their heritage.

DiGi ensured that there was a project in every state, including East Malaysia. The programme boasted true nationwide reach and cut across ethnic and religious boundaries, powerfully driving home a message of unity and understanding of each other’s cultures.

The Amazing Malaysians Programme was characterised by strong management and staff involvement. Each project was “adopted” by a different department and led by its department head. DiGi were also involved in all phases of implementation.

The projects were designed to enable transfer of ownership from DiGi and Amazing Malaysian to the communities on a “build, operate and transfer” basis. DiGi partnered with government and non-govt organisations to ensure communities would lead future conservation efforts. See some extraordinary examples of Malaysia culture and heritage in the Photo Gallery of DiGi’s Amazing Malaysians below.

The Prime Minister’s CSR Awards, launched by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in 2007, aims to recognise companies that have made a difference to the communities in which they operate through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. Download the Official Entry Form.