August 29, 2012

IT/ PROJECTS: Partner Profile: In Malaysia, Youth Use Mapping to Address Religious Understanding


Kota Kita, a youth advocacy organization in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is conducting a series of interactive mapping projects for youth. Young, trained volunteers explore and learn about their communities on foot, noting and logging religious institutions into an online map that highlights the cultural and religious diversity of the area.
"It's a fun and rewarding experience,” said Tay Zhi Cong, an 18-year-old student participant. “I learned about the Hindu religion more in-depth and you start to see the whole picture of the religion. All the rituals and special things in the temples, I have not known it before."
Religion can be a sensitive topic in Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country that is home to a diverse range of ethnicities and religious beliefs. The project is oriented towards dialogue and cross-cultural understanding through media and the arts.

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