THE Penang Women’s Development Corporation will celebrate the Penang Goes Orange (PGO) campaign for the 10th year this November as a commitment to preventing all forms of violence against women and children.
The PGO campaign runs for 16 days, from Nov 25 to Dec 10, to increase public awareness of the pressing issue of violence and seek solutions to eradicate it.
State Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said violence has a detrimental effect on Penang society.
“I’m sure everyone agrees that we have zero tolerance for any form of violence, including gender-based violence.
“Not only does it violate human rights, but it also degrades the humanity of all victims,” Lim declared.
Lim explained that the theme for PGO 2023 is ‘Kindness4wellness: Stop Bullying,’ chosen in alignment with the initiative of the Malaysian Ministry of Education.
“It is to cultivate understanding as well as raise awareness about the rising physical and cyberbullying among high school students,” she said.
Lim added that the opening ceremony of the campaign will take place at Padang Kota on Nov 25 while the closing ceremony will be held at SMK Bandar Tasek Mutiara, Simpang Ampat on Dec 9.
She thanked all those involved in the PGO, particularly acknowledging PWDC and its chief executive officer Ong Bee Leng for their unwavering dedication.
Lim encouraged everyone to participate in the upcoming campaign and highlighted its potential impact.
“I hope that the efforts to stop bullying for PGO2023 can be highly effective in conveying the message to all Penang civilians promptly.
“Efforts to approach and prevent bullying culture from an early stage in schools can significantly contribute to the impact on students’ personality development.
“Let’s actively participate in the PGO2023 campaign to shape a brighter future free from violence,” Lim said.
Story by Ammar Mikhail Aamer
Pix by Alissala Thian