Yogyakarta, 12 July 2024 – The Office of Public Relations, News, and Protocol of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) successfully held a sharing session themed “Strategic Content Development of Universitas Gadjah Mada” today. The event which lasted from 12.00 to 16.00 WIB was attended by UGM public relations, news, and protocol staff in Multimedia Room 1, 3rd Floor of the North Wing, UGM Central Building.

The speakers who attended this session included Dr. Tirta Mandira Hudhi, M.B.A., Winda Pratiwi, Farchan Noor Rachman, and Mohamad Ryan Saputra. They provided various insights and strategies in strategic content development for UGM such as recognizing audiences through data interpretation, as well as content planning and development. 

Previously, the organizers had invited all relevant staff to participate in this activity, which aims to strengthen the public relations function on campus. The University Secretariat would like to thank all participants for their attention and participation.

Bali is an island with a continuously growing tourist appeal recognized internationally. The glittering tourism industry brings significant economic benefits but often obscures tourism practices that involve children, a well-known issue. Unfortunately, in recent times, the involvement of children in tourism has been linked to sexual tourism practices, and the cases are often hidden from social dynamics.

This prompted four interdisciplinary students from Universitas Gadjah Mada to explore the topic of Child Sex Tourism (CST) in Bali. They are I Ketut Aditya Prayoga from the Tourism Study Program, Ni Luh Feby Riveranika from the Sociology Study Program, Putu Daryatti from the Psychology Study Program, and Adi Surya from the Law Study Program, guided by Dr. Fahmi Prihantoro, S.S., M.A., who has an interest in tourism policy. This research is conducted under the Student Creativity Program in Social-Humanities Research (PKM-RSH), which received funding on April 20, 2024. The team’s success in the PKM-RSH process involved a lengthy selection process, from faculty and university levels to national selection.

The urgency of the topic is quite sensitive as it involves sexual and child-related issues. However, the projected benefits of this research are substantial for creating an environment that better supports the rights and freedoms of children. During the research process, the researchers faced difficulties in finding survivors of CST cases in Bali due to restricted access. Despite this, the research serves as a platform to analyze CST cases more deeply, from factors leading to victimization, the trauma experienced by survivors, to protective measures that can be implemented to minimize future cases through policy briefs and scientific journal publications.

The World Meteorological Organization estimates that the global average temperature is expected to rise by 1.5°C by 2025 compared to the 1900s. One of the contributing factors is deforestation. In Indonesia, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that the area of Indonesia’s forests decreased by 956,258 hectares (0.5% of the total land area) between 2017 and 2021. One example of successful conservation is Wonosadi Forest in Gunungkidul, which has been restored thanks to community awareness and the oral tradition of Sadranan Wonosadi.

Wonosadi Forest is a forest located in Duren Hamlet, Semin District, Gunungkidul Regency. It is classified as SG (Sultan Ground) and functions as a protected forest that safeguards life support systems. In 1960, Wonosadi Forest experienced massive deforestation due to the ideological shift of the PKI. Currently, thanks to the Sadranan oral tradition, the community has successfully restored the forest’s sustainability.

An important oral tradition in the conservation of Wonosadi Forest is the will of Ki Onggoloco, which states that:

• Wonosadi Forest must be preserved for the prosperity of future generations.
• This forest contains many medicinal plants.
• The Sadranan ritual is held annually to strengthen social bonds.

According to Muhammad Lodhi Firmansyah (Cultural Anthropology, 2023), “We are conducting research on the Sadranan tradition as a collective awareness to preserve Wonosadi Forest from deforestation, using ecocriticism as our main approach. Our main goal is to find new formulas to internalize the values of the Sadranan Oral Tradition as an effort to preserve the environment and curb climate change.” Besides Lodhi, the research team consists of Ghina Danilah as the leader (Indonesian Language and Literature, 2022), Syifa Hasna Yunifa (Forestry, 2023), Afif Naufal Widiadi (Cultural Anthropology, 2021), and Febriano Agung Nugroho (Law, 2023), under the guidance of Dr. Aprillia Firmonasari, S.S., M.Hum., DEA.

This research involves surveys of 78 residents of Duren Hamlet using observation and interviews with key figures such as the gatekeeper, forest rangers, village officials, and the head of Beji Village. “As supporting data, we conducted archival readings and a population census,” said Lodhi.

Survey results show that the majority of respondents (43.9%) are in the group that is active and committed to preserving the tradition. A small portion (8.5%) is in the group that participates and believes but does not understand or spread the tradition.

Ecocriticism analysis of the Sadranan Oral Tradition shows that human awareness of nature can maintain ecosystem balance and create ecological conservation. However, social and economic factors can threaten this sustainability, especially the low participation rate among the younger age group (<25 years), which risks eroding local culture.

Active participation and community commitment in preserving the Sadranan oral tradition indicate that the social system in Duren Hamlet has achieved balance and sustainability. Through this tradition, the community has successfully built social systems and structures that support the conservation of Wonosadi Forest.

With the ecocriticism approach, this research emphasizes the importance of integrating local traditions into ecological conservation strategies for climate change mitigation, and opens new perspectives on conservation efforts in other forests in Indonesia.

As one of the agendas of the 2024 Summer Course Program organized jointly by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Victoria University (VU), and Institut Seni Yogyakarta (ISI), a general lecture was held on Thursday, July 11, 2024. The lecture took place from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Siti Baroroh Building, Room 201, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM.

This lecture was delivered by Dr. Rudy Wiratama, S.I.P., M.A., an expert in traditional Indonesian puppetry. Dr. Rudy presented highly engaging material on various types of wayang, such as wayang kulit and wayang golek. He explained the philosophical meanings contained in each character, the performance methods, and much more.

Dr. Rudy’s discussion attracted significant attention from the participants, especially the students from VU. They asked many questions about wayang, such as whether wayang golek and wayang kulit can be performed together, whether wayang stories must be taken from religious or cultural stories or can be created to follow contemporary developments, and so on.

In addition to providing theoretical explanations, Dr. Rudy also gave the lecture participants the opportunity to handle wayang puppets directly. He even demonstrated how to perform with wayang, making the lecture atmosphere more lively and interactive.

This event not only provided new insights for the participants about wayang art but also strengthened their understanding of Indonesian culture. This general lecture became one of the highlights of the summer course program and is expected to increase interest and appreciation for traditional arts among international students.

On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, representatives from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences participated in a calligraphy workshop as part of the International Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in Asia 2024 conference. The representatives included Maulita Shinta Maharani and Aulia Muchtarom. The workshop took place in the atrium of Building B of the Faculty of Philosophy at UGM, Yogyakarta, from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM WIB.

The event began with a round table discussion featuring calligraphy experts from various cultures, including Islamic, Javanese, Chinese, and Korean calligraphy. This discussion provided deep insights into the history, techniques, and philosophies behind each type of calligraphy, enriching the participants’ understanding of calligraphy art from different cultural perspectives.

Following the discussion session, participants enjoyed a communal lunch, which served as an opportunity to strengthen relationships and share experiences among participants from diverse cultural backgrounds. The event then continued with a hands-on calligraphy practice session, where participants were divided into four classes based on their chosen type of calligraphy: Chinese, Islamic, Javanese, and Korean.

Each class was guided by expert instructors who provided direct mentorship to the participants. The participants were taught various basic to advanced techniques in creating calligraphy and understanding the philosophical meanings behind each stroke of ink. Through this activity, participants were encouraged to realize that calligraphy is not just beautiful writing but also a form of self-expression that requires heart and soul in its creation.

The workshop attracted participants from various countries, creating a diverse and enthusiastic learning environment. The participation of representatives from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM in this event demonstrated their commitment to fostering international relationships and enriching cultural understanding through the art of calligraphy.

The event concluded with a group photo session and a coffee break, where participants had the chance to converse informally and strengthen social networks. This calligraphy workshop not only provided technical and artistic knowledge but also introduced participants to the profound philosophies behind each calligraphy stroke, teaching that art should be done with the heart.