College Students Wins United Nations Poster Design

Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah congratulating Chiang on winning the poster design. Chiang's poster that won him the first prize is in the background.

28th October 2005 “Reverse the Spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015!” was the theme of the poster design competition organised by the United Nations Association of Malaysia (UNAM) this year. The prize-giving ceremony was held at the National Art Gallery in conjunction with the United Nations Day (60 th Anniversary), launched by DYTM Raja Muda Perak Darul Ridzuan, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibuddin Shah. The event was graced by other VIPs including Tun Dr Siti Hasmah bt Mohd Ali, YB Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar – Minister of Foreign Affairs, and YM Tengku Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ahmad Rithauddeen – President of the United Nations Association of Malaysia. 4 students of MSC International College USJ won 2 first prizes and 2 second prizes in the poster competition. The College has the largest number of winners for the competition.

Students Adrian Chiang Wei Lek won first prize for poster theme Youth and Drugs, Tan Pei Sean won first prize for poster theme Effects of Drugs on HIV/AIDS on Society, Sundar a/l S. Ramasamy won second prize for poster theme Drugs and Its Link to HIV/AIDS, and Wong Chin Yee won second prize for poster theme Reversing the Spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

“It's like a dream come true!” said Adrian Chiang. “I did it for fun as my other college friends were also entering the competition for our lecturer had encouraged us to do so. The prize money, of course, was also a motivational factor.”

Like Chiang, the other three winners were also ecstatic with the results.

“I believe that youth today need to be constantly reminded of the dangers of drug abuse which not only effects their health and society, but is also a number one channel for HIV/AIDS transmission from person to person,” said Chiang.

“HIV and AIDS has been a world health crisis before any of us (students) were born, and we feel strongly about making it known to people the disastrous nature of this disease. Stopping the abuse of drugs will also cease the transmission of this killer disease,” adds Chiang.

“Our means of spreading the warnings of HIV and AIDS is through art – the posters we create hopefully impact the minds of those who see them,” said Chiang.

Mentoring the students to participate in the poster competition was lecturer and Coordinator of Graphic Design, Fiona Wong.

“To have won in the United Nations poster competition has certainly put MSC International College on the map of college for promising artists with a strong believe and bond for society and the world,” said Wong.

“We make it a practise to encourage our students to enter competitions of international and local platform to build their confidence in their work. Their winning the UN poster competition has certainly made us feel proud of their achievements and have boosted their belief in their creativity.”

Art is about expressing oneself, whether what one feels emotionally or how one views the world. We believe in encouraging our students in portraying positive messages and images through their art work, adds Wong.

The winners awarded prize money of RM1,000 for first prize winners and RM500 for second prize winners.

MSC International College offers diploma programmes in graphic design, advertising design, industrial design, multimedia design, interior design, music, photography, video & animation, journalism and performing arts.