The Faculty of Cultural Sciences has many talented young students whose potential has been recognized by many people, one of them is Alya Ranti Azzahra. The student who is often called Alya, has succeeded in publishing 4 printed books which have been distributed on Gramedia, one of them has been filmed in cinemas & the other one has also been serialized on Genflix. This young woman from West Java is currently studying at the Indonesian Language and Literature department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University. At just 22 years old, she has already achieved many achievements. She admitted that she had loved reading and writing since childhood. She often took part in competitions and won. That is what then motivated her to take her writing talent more seriously.

In 2018, the rise ofphenomenon made Alya interested in writing and publishing work on that platform. Her first work, entitled The Other Side, has so far been read 23 million times. Since then, her works began to be recognized by readers and she began to write consistently. In 2020, the novel entitled The Other Side was published by Pastel Books, PT Mizan Pustaka. The novel was then filmed nationally in Indonesian cinemas by PT. Lingkar Karya Pratama and broadcast on March 17th 2022. In addition, her work entitled Broken Memories was broadcast on Genflix and succeeded in occupying the second highest position in the most watched series.

Alya admits that she feels happy when writing. According to her, she can express whatever is in her head without having to communicate it directly. “Because my mind is quite full and I like to imagine many things, I feel that writing is a ‘container’ for me. On the other hand, I think writing is like sharing feelings with other people. I can also create a new world. Also, I can express myself through the characters I create in the story.” She said on January 25th 2024 when she was asked about the reason why she liked writing so much. Furthermore, she also shared several tips for writing and producing work, such as:

• Always write from heart! It sounds classic, but anything written from the heart will definitely reach other hearts. Write sincerely and position yourself as if you are the character you are writing about.
• Consistent! Consistency in writing stories is really necessary. Especially as a digital writer. Readers are more likely to read our writing when we consistently write stories.
• Want to learn. You can start by learning about writing from writing books, writing seminars, and writers who have written before to find out writing tips. Apart from that, you also want to learn to develop yourself. Because now social media is developing very quickly.
• Read lots of books! To become a writer, of course you have to read a lot of books to find inspiration and increase your vocabulary.
• Be open to all suggestions and criticism, often chat with lots of people, be more sensitive to the environment around us because many new and brilliant ideas come from it.

In closing, Alya gives advice to the prospective writers that when we decide to become writers, we give our whole body and soul to the writing. We have to really like the world of writing. Write a story honestly and from the heart. Always be open to suggestions and criticism, often chat with people, & never stop learning. Just have fun writing, but don’t forget to come from the heart! She hopes that her journey to achieve success can motivate and provide valuable lessons for many people.

On Wednesday, January 25, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences of Universitas Gadjah Mada UGM sent a student representative named I Putu Adhimas Radiansyah Aryawan to participate in the Pojok Bulaksumur dialogue session. Pojok Bulaksumur is a casual dialogue session held by UGM that involves the university’s leadership and the media, aiming to provide information transparency to the general public. At this Pojok Bulaksumur event, three main speakers were invited to discuss the latest issues in the general election and the role of students as youth in exercising their right to vote and making their choices for the future of the nation and state. The three speakers were: Alfath Bagus Panuntun El Nur Indonesia, S.I.P., M.A., a lecturer in the Department of Politics and Government UGM, Laksito Lintang Kinanthi, the Chairman of the Student Element Board of Trustees, and Linda Kristiani Sianturi, Law Student from Faculty of Law Batch 2022.

Pojok Bulaksumur was opened with a speech by the University Secretary, Dr. Andi Sandi Antonius Tabusassa Tonralipu, S.H., LL.M., who gave a message to the university’s public relations and staff to communicate information transparently, both in the front office and back office, especially during moments when issues surrounding Single Tuition Fees (UKT) and PTN-BH status are starting to emerge. Dr. Andi Sandi also opened the Pojok Bulaksumur dialogue by giving a brief introduction to the general election, specifically the theme of first-time voters for the election of legislative candidates and executive candidates.

After the opening speech, the event continued with a casual dialogue session with the three speakers about the performance of the presidential and vice presidential candidates in the debates, which represented the discussion of the executive branch, and a discussion that highlighted the legislative election, which also plays an important role in the current general election atmosphere. The discussion then continued with the speakers’ hopes for the presidential and vice presidential candidates regarding universities, inclusive digital spaces for voters, the trend of youth commodification, and green elections, which are a concern for environmental issues after the campaign.

“This Pojok Bulaksumur discussion was very beneficial and opened up a space for education about the general election, especially the discussion about first-time voters, which was the subject of the theme that became the circle of discussion this time,” expressed Radiansyah Aryawan, the student representative from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM.

The discussion at Pojok Bulaksumur on January 25, 2024, opened the eyes of students, invited media, and the university and faculty leadership and representatives to the transparency of information from UGM and the general election matters that are currently underway. As Linda Kristiani Sianturi said, all presidential and vice presidential candidates have a vision and mission for Indonesia Emas 2045, so we need to highlight each one’s vision and mission. This aligns with the implementation of SDG 16, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

Wednesday, January 24 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences released 36 graduates from the Postgraduate Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This event took place at the Soegondo Auditorium at 13:00 Western Indonesian Time (GMT+7). The event began with an opening speech from the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, M.Si, followed by a speech from the representative of Postgraduate students, I Made Umbaran Jaya, from Archeology Master Program who achieved the highest GPA with a GPA of 3.98. There was also a special performance from Rampoe UGM, performing Tarek Pukat Dance, followed by submission of graduation documents, and ended with a joint prayer.

At this moment, the atmosphere was full of emotion and pride, which was also radiated on the faces of the graduates who have completed their study at postgraduate level. Each graduate received a recognition, which marked as the end of their study and the beginning of their new journey in a professional environment.

With this event, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences wrote a new history in preparing the young generation with intellectuals, ready to make a valuable contribution to the society. Hopefully they can continue to be an inspiration to many people. Congratulations on achieving your dreams!

At the end of 2023, a collaborative work, “Harmony in Diversity: A Journey from Jogja to Singapore, and Back,” emerged as a result of an academic collaboration between English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). This book explains the journey of diversity and interculturalism they experienced during a cultural exchange program, emphasizing the importance of celebrating diversity and eliminating boundaries.

The book is divided into several chapters, each written by two English Department’s lecturers; Alvanita, S.S., M.Ed., and Rahmawan Jatmiko, S.S., M.A., along with ten English Department students; Maulita Shinta, Misma Ro Daud, Jesse Puspita, Leni Cahya, Mellyana Nungki, Anisa Sofiana, Aulia Muchtarom, Gabriella Novianti, Anis Daika, and Nur Aini. They pour their ideas and thoughts on the concept of multiculturalism in Singapore and Indonesia, which makes the book become a pure reflection of multiculturalism that provides insights about cross-cultural interactions. Furthermore, students’ involvement also reflects their perspectives that have developed during the cultural exchange program.

Overall, “Harmony in Diversity: A Journey from Jogja to Singapore and Back” contributes to the on going discussion on multiculturalism and cross-cultural understanding. Through the lens of English Literature, the authors invite readers to explore a journey beyond geographical boundaries and contemplate the importance of cross-cultural communication and understanding. This collaboration is expected to serve as inspiration for future cultural exchange programs and academic collaborations, serving as a tool to promote a world where diversity is celebrated, and harmony is appreciated.