Inspiring Underprivileged Kids Through Performing Arts

KL Pac and StART Society Band Together for a Day of Learning, Fun and Laughter Through the Novartis Community Partnership Day 2013

Novartis Corporation in conjunction with the company’s global initiative of Community Partnership Day recently collaborated with the KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) and StART to play host to underprivileged kids from the welfare homes of Sunbeams, Rumah Ozanam and Ti-Ratana in a performing arts and dance workshop at the KL Performing Arts Centre. 

Facilitated by The Actor’s Studio and taught by KLPAC’s very own performing arts luminaries Mark Beau de Silva, Christopher Ling and Lex Lakshman Balakrishnan, the one-day workshop entitled “The Performer in You!” gave the kids an opportunity to learn various methods of artistic expression through dance, singing and acting accompanied by Novartis’ employees. “Once again The Actors Studio Academy congratulates the organizers. Opportunities like these should be done more often for the sake of the children,” said Dato’ Faridah Merican, Executive Producer and Director of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. 

Joshua Lee, Programme Director of StART Society also shared the same sentiment when he mentioned that it was nothing less than wonderful when a local powerhouse in performing arts like KLPACand a multinational pharmaceutical company like Novartis take underprivileged children with the same passion and penchant under their wings.

During the event, the various parties had also organized a fund raising drive by selling T-Shirts, CDs and kids painting. “As a socially active and responsible company, we are proud to be able to bring new and once-in-a-lifetime experiences to these underprivileged kids in conjunction with our global initiative called Novartis Community Partnership Day (CPD),” said Annie Lim, Head of HR for Novartis Corporation Malaysia. “We wanted it to be fun and creative. When we spoke to KLPAC and StART about this idea, we knew it was something that would be significant not just for the kids but also members of the Novartis family,” added Lim.

At the end of the session and after a long day of learning the various performing arts techniques, the underprivileged kids had the honor of presenting a well-choreographed show at the lobby of KLPAC to the delight of all the guests present. 

This workshop collaboration is done in concurrencewith Community Partnership Day (CPD) on April 25,and an opportunity for more than 16,500 Novartis Group company associates in 56 countries - both large and small - to make an active contribution to their local communities. Around the world, the working day will be spent volunteering for charitable causes, as Novartis divisions contribute to a huge variety of projects. Established in 1996, CPD marks the anniversary of the creation of Novartis, and exemplifies our long-standing commitment to corporate responsibility. The majority of Novartis Group companies celebrate CPD today, while others are set to organize volunteer activities over the remainder of 2013.