A student of the Arabic Literature Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), class of 2023, Pandhita Hapsari, achieved an outstanding accomplishment by securing a place in the Top 10 of the 2026 Prime Minister’s International Malay Speech Competition (PABM), held in Malaysia. The international Malay speech contest brought together participants from various countries, including Burundi, Italy, Russia, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and several others. The contestants came from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Pandhita’s achievement attracted attention because she comes from a Javanese background rather than a Malay cultural environment. Meanwhile, many other participants were native Malay speakers or originated from regions with strong Malay cultural roots. Despite this, Pandhita successfully competed against international participants and advanced to the Top 10. In the competition, Pandhita delivered a speech on the challenges faced by the Malay language in the modern era. She highlighted the impacts of globalization, the rapid development of digital technology, and the changing communication patterns among younger generations on the sustainability of the Malay language today.

The competition series lasted for one week, from 2 to 9 May 2026. The preliminary round was conducted online approximately one week before the participants’ departure announcement. After arriving in Malaysia on 2 May, participants competed in the quarterfinal round on 4 May, the semifinal round on 6 May, and the final round on 8 May 2026. Although she did not win the championship title, Pandhita expressed gratitude for the valuable experience and opportunities she gained throughout the competition.

“For me, this was not merely a competition, but also an opportunity to learn about culture, language, and to meet people from various countries,” she said. During her stay in Malaysia, Pandhita also experienced the warm hospitality extended by the organizing committee and the local community toward international participants.“We were welcomed very warmly during our time there. This experience has made me appreciate our shared language and culture even more,” she added. Pandhita returned to Indonesia on Saturday, 9 May 2026, after the entire series of activities had concluded. Her achievement of reaching the Top 10 in an international competition is expected to inspire Indonesian students to continue striving for excellence and confidently compete on the global stage.

Author : Pandhita Hapsari

Yogyakarta, May 21, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) is hosting the Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival 2026 from May 21 to 23, 2026. The festival features a traditional leather puppet painting (sungging) competition and a cardboard puppet coloring contest, representing a concrete step by the educational institution to preserve Indonesian heritage.

This event is part of the EQUITY program funded by the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP RI) and serves as a celebration of the 80th anniversary of FIB UGM. This year, the Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival adopts the grand theme “Kita. Butuh. Wayang.” (We. Need. Wayang.). The theme conveys a vital message about fostering a balanced synergy between the university’s academic discourse and the livelihoods of wayang craftsmen in Butuh Hamlet, Sidowarno Village, Klaten Regency.

The competitions began simultaneously on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 09:30 AM WIB. The leather puppet painting competition targets high school students, university students, and the general public from various regions, with a maximum age limit of 25. The organizing committee provided a Surakarta-style Gathutkaca puppet character as the primary medium. Participants are given five and a half hours to complete their work individually. They are free to choose their painting style based on personal preference, such as the Surakarta or Yogyakarta style.

Alongside this event, the committee is holding an in-person cardboard puppet (Wayang Karton) coloring competition at Pusaka Jawa UGM. This competition is specifically designed for elementary and junior high school students. Participants are given three hours to complete their work. All entries from both competitions will be returned and remain the full property of the participants after the winners are announced.

The evaluation for both competitions takes place in a single judging phase. The primary criteria used by the panel of judges include coloring technique, color composition, neatness and cleanliness, as well as the level of creativity shown by the participants.

These efforts to preserve wayang artistry serve as an important bridge to keep local cultural heritage deeply rooted in the identity of the younger generation. The close collaboration between the higher education institution and village artisans demonstrates that protecting tradition goes hand in hand with community empowerment and strengthening the local economy for the future.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, May 21, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) has officially opened the Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival 2026 at the UGM Center for Javanese Studies (Pusaka Jawa). The event, running from Thursday, May 21, to Saturday, May 23, 2026, is part of the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP RI) EQUITY program and serves as a celebration of the 80th anniversary of FIB UGM.

This year’s festival highlights the main theme “Kita. Butuh. Wayang.” (We Need Wayang). This theme carries a vital message regarding the effort to build a balanced synergy between the academic sphere of UGM and the creative pulse of wayang artisans in Butuh Hamlet, Sidowarno Village, Klaten Regency.

FIB UGM emphasizes that this year’s theme reflects a commitment to keeping traditions alive. It serves as a declaration that the existence of wayang cannot merely be preserved in museum showcases or through stage performances. Wayang must be actively sustained by empowering its makers in Butuh Hamlet, appreciating its creative process, and ensuring its noble values are carried forward by ‘Us’ into the present and future.

The Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival series opened on Thursday, May 21, 2026, with an Opening Ceremony and a Solo Wayang Performance. On the same day, the committee also hosted a Cardboard Wayang Coloring and Wayang Painting (Sungging) Competition. For three full days, the general public can visit the Wayang Exhibition and Market, which showcases a variety of highly valuable artworks crafted by local artisans.

The second day, Friday, May 22, 2026, focuses on strengthening the academic foundation through an Expert Lecture. The highlight of the festival will take place on Saturday, May 23, 2026. On this final day, the public will have the opportunity to participate in a Tatah Sungging (Wayang Carving and Painting) Workshop, watch the vibrant Nusantara Wayang Parade, and attend the closing ceremony along with the announcement of the competition winners.

The Gadjah Mada Wayang Festival 2026 represents a concrete step by the university to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage. Empowering village artisans and placing them at the center of art preservation will foster self-reliance and economic growth within local communities. This empowerment-based preservation approach ensures that ancestral heritage remains competitive, inclusive, and capable of supporting the welfare of its artisans across generations.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, May 22, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), in collaboration with the UGM Academic Hospital (RSA UGM), organized a blood donation drive. Centered at the Soegondo Building, this humanitarian activity was part of the events celebrating the 80th anniversary of FIB UGM.

The blood donation drive took place from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB) in Room S107 on the first floor of the Soegondo Building. This social initiative successfully attracted participation from various members of the academic community. Participants who came to donate their blood included students, lecturers, professional staff, and alumni.

Before the blood donation began, the campus was already lively early in the morning with a group sports event titled “FIB Sehat” (Healthy FIB). Starting at 7:00 a.m. WIB, participants gathered to take part in a variety of weekend sports activities, such as volleyball, line dancing, a fun walk, and a fun bike ride. Meanwhile, tennis facilities were specially prepared at the Lembah Sports Hall. Through an official announcement, the organizing committee invited the entire FIB UGM community to get ready and join early in the morning to make the event a success.

The combination of physical activities and social initiatives added profound meaning to the FIB UGM anniversary celebration. This event served as a tangible step in maintaining physical fitness while fostering a sense of solidarity. The spirit of care generated through the blood donation and shared sports activities is expected to support a healthier, more balanced, and prosperous quality of life for the campus community and the wider public.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Kinarya Setyaning Tyas, an English Department student, shows that her major isn’t a limitation for learning and exploring her myriad of passions. As she entered her sixth semester, she was driven to seek an internship opportunity aligned with her interests. Her choice then fell on PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) Borobudur, Prambanan & Ratu Boko, which she believes can accommodate both her abilities as an English Department student and her particular interest in culture and arts. From there, she took initiative and applied for an intern position, where she began her delightful journey at Satuan Kerja Teater & Pentas Ramayana Ballet Prambanan.

In Ramayana Ballet Prambanan, Kinarya is part of the Sales and Attraction division, where she takes charge of uploading documentation and handling guests for the Ramayana Ballet. She explains her role thoroughly, from creating advertisements, handling social media—especially TikTok—and reporting social media performance. Kinarya noted that one of her accomplishments was when her TikTok content reached more than 340k views, attracting more people to attend the show. Outside of marketing, she is also responsible for reservations and being an usher, or among tamu, for the guests. 

So much to be done, so much to learn too. Kinarya confessed that when first applying, her motivation was to improve speaking and listening skills, which can only be polished by practice. Answering many questions and listening to the foreign tourist, she senses an improvement in her communication skills. “Especially when I handle British tourists, my listening skills are being tested because of the accent. So I’ve improved a lot,” she admits. 

Although she deals with a lot of tasks, she had so much fun during her internship experience. In fact, she even plans to extend her internship that was supposed to end in late April. Kinarya recounts the social environment in TWC, especially in the Ramayana Ballet Prambanan unit, which she describes as very friendly and supportive—from the staff, supervisor, and other interns. Having met her fellow interns from different majors and universities, she gets to share a lot of meaningful experiences together. 

Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean that Kinarya didn’t face any difficulties. During the first month, she doubted whether she could do this job alone. There is a lot of information that she needs to memorize: the flow of the show, the show’s schedule, the seating system, and even how to input the reservation data. “I also need to adapt quickly because I was only given three months here,” she utters. The struggle continued until the second month, during the peak season. “Because there is Eid Al-Fitr, we can even hold a show for eight days in a row, ” she explains.

After almost three months, Kinarya has gained many benefits from the internship as she gets to learn various skills outside of her major. She learns to analyze and report the social media performance of Ramayana Prambanan. “There are reports for Instagram and TikTok performance every month, their analysis, and also about marketing. It was quite apart from English Literature, but I learned a lot here,” she reflects. Kinarya also delves into content creation deeper, from planning to editing. She confesses that she never really did editing in a professional context, so she has improved a lot, “I learned so much in editing—the tools—and also about tech content like where to shoot, etc.” 

Kinarya also adds that, relating to her study, she gains a practical experience of interpreting and translating Indonesian—especially Javanese—culture and tradition. “So how do we translate the [cultural] terms to English? Then there’s the tolak bala procession, arak-arakan, we have to explain it to foreigners with an accurate interpretation,” she explains further. While she admits that it’s a bit challenging, it also fosters her cross-cultural understanding. “It makes me appreciate our culture more, especially Javanese culture,” she adds.

Her internship experience in PT. Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) is part of her effort to preserve our culture and heritage. “It’s like being a bridge, a mediator, an agent in cultural preservation,” she says. Furthermore, Kinarya notes how she also considered her future career when starting this internship. “I feel like I want to seek a career where it’s beyond handling a job desk; I want something more purposeful, meaningful, valuable,” she declares. 

Thus, Kinarya also shared her principle, “As an English literature student, don’t be afraid to explore more about other subjects. Don’t rely too much on one skill.” She chose her place of internship not by a matter of convenience, but she deliberately sought a gap where her interests met her skills and competence, which she found at PT. Taman Wisata Candi (TWC). Kinarya is aware that to explore and master other fields, learning by doing is the way to do it. “If I had never tried, I would have never known. If I didn’t make mistakes, I would never learn,” she concluded. 

Penulis: Gulma Zahra Auradatu