Festival Altruisme 3.0: Elevating societal awareness for persons with disabilities
List of Authors
  • Dianna Suzieanna Mohamad Shah , Muhammad Irfan Mhd Rusdi

Keyword
  • altruism, PWD, community, awareness

Abstract
  • This research seeks to analyse community knowledge and attitudes towards Persons with disabilities (PWD), whose abilities and contributions are often overlooked. Understanding public perception of PWD is critical in promoting social inclusion and recognising the unique and strengths and potential of this marginalised community. To address this issues, The Festival Altruisme 3.0, hosted by Akademi Pengajian Bahasa (Academy of Language Studies, APB), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam, in collaboration with the Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (Shah Alam City Council, MBSA) on October 7, 2023, was the third iteration since its beginning in 2017. This biannual event aims to foster a sense of altruism or charity among UiTM faculty, students, alumni and the local community around Shah Alam. It acts as a platform for fostering interaction with PWD, while also enabling external firms to show their commitment to corporate social responsibility by promoting inclusive goods and services. Data were obtained using qualitative method, including post-event reports, input from event organisers and questionnaires to participants. These were assessed to determine satisfaction levels, event outcomes and the festival efficacy in reaching its social goals. The result underline the need of increased public and private sector involvement in highlighting the capabilities of PWD and promote greater social inclusion. While current cooperation between APB, MBSA, educational institutions, and the general public have played an important role in promoting awareness, the research finds gaps in involvement and public consciousness that need additional investigation. These findings serve as a foundation for future community-driven efforts focused on increasing inclusion for PWD.

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