On Monday, March 4, 2024, at 09.30 WITA, Dr. Arsanti Wulandari, S.S., M.Hum, a lecturer from the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program, became a speaker in a public lecture entitled ‘Philology in Javanese Manuscript Studies’. This activity was organized through the Zoom platform by the Old Javanese Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University (FIB UNUD).

In the public lecture, Dr. Arsanti Wulandari presented an introduction to philology, reviewed the concept of philology, the object of study, the tasks of philologists, and the final product produced. The presentation was equipped with examples of Javanese manuscripts and their identification, so that the audience could understand about philology more easily. The discussion session that followed provided space for participants to ask various questions, showing their high enthusiasm for the topics discussed.

This public lecture on philology was held in response to the diminishing interest of students in the field of philological studies. However, the government is currently seriously encouraging the excavation of knowledge and values contained in ancient manuscripts. Hopefully, through this kind of activity, interest and understanding of philology can grow again among students.

The importance of understanding and maintaining the sustainability of knowledge and cultural values contained in ancient manuscripts is the focus of this public lecture. By providing knowledge, enthusiasm, and establishing good cooperation, it is hoped that the knowledge and cultural values in ancient manuscripts can be preserved and can then be developed according to the needs of the times.

Yogyakarta, Friday, February 23, 2024 – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, has held a public lecture for the Comprehensive Korean 2 course. The Comprehensive Korean 2 course includes learning about Korean language that often appears in the business world. This course itself is a course held as a result of cooperation between the Korean Language and Culture Study Program and the Korea Foundation with lecturers directly from South Korea.

The Comprehensive Korean 2 public lecture is held online through the Zoom platform at 13.30 WIB. This public lecture is open to all students of Korean Language and Culture UGM, and is mandatory for students who take Comprehensive Korean 2.

This public lecture invited alumni of the UGM Korean Language and Culture Study Program, namely Jodie Anisya Kusumasari as a guest speaker. Jodie is an alumnus of Korean Language and Culture UGM class of 2017 who now works at the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) Jakarta Center. In the public lecture, Jodie shared her experiences during college until she started her career. After the presentation of the material, the public lecture continued with a question and answer session between the participants and the speakers. Then, the public lecture was closed with a closing session and documentation by the moderator.

This Comprehensive Korean Public Lecture 2 aims to introduce the world of work to students. That way, this public lecture is expected to be a means of self-development for students. In addition, this public lecture is a medium between the study program and alumni to continue to establish cooperation with alumni. This is in line with the sustainable development goals, namely Quality Education and Partnerships to Achieve Goals.

On Wednesday, March 06, 2024, the Department of History of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM held a seminar series on the history of Chinese people in Indonesia. The seminar entitled “The Role of Chinese in Indonesian History” was held in the Multimedia Room, 2nd Floor, Margono Building, Faculty of Arts UGM from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. This seminar was very interesting because the speakers who attended to present their research results came from China. Meanwhile, Dr. Farabi Fakih, M.Phil. from the Department of History UGM served as moderator.

The first speaker in the seminar was Guanmian Xu, an Assistant Professor from the Department of History, University of Peking. His research titled “Capitalism to Genocide: Batavia’s Sugar Frontier, 1700-1740” which explains the emergence of Chinese capitalism in the sugar industry and its relation to the Chinese genocide in Batavia in the 18th century. Xu, who used a global-history perspective in his research, revealed that the thick issues of racism, violence, and cross-cultural misunderstanding were factors that influenced the ethnic cleansing.

Meanwhile, Ma Guanglu who is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the School of International Relations, Xiamen University presented the results of his research entitled “Bung Karno’s Body and Chinese Doctors”. In his presentation, he explained about diplomacy in the medical field between China and Indonesia that occurred in 1962 until the fall of Sukarno’s government in 1965. Ma’s presentation quite clearly shows the political position of President Sukarno at that time towards the Chinese government.

On Thursday, April 18, 2024, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM participated in a series of UNESCO Jakarta events together with Tidar University and Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta to commemorate World Heritage Day 2024. UGM Archaeology students joined the one-day event held at Campus II of Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta. This activity is an effort from UNESCO to raise public awareness, especially among young people or students, on the diversity of cultural heritage and draw people’s attention to the vulnerability of existing cultural heritage and steps to protect it. This activity also demonstrates collaboration for the management of cultural heritage sites that include aspects of conservation and interaction with heritage preservation communities for sustainable development.

The event began with an opening in the lobby of the Campus II building of Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta with an exhibition consisting of local crafts. The local works were inspired by Indonesia’s cultural heritage, such as leather wallets in the shape of Borobudur, typical Borobudur wedang powder, card games about cultural heritage conservation, miniature Prambanan temples, and others. The opening began with a group photo followed by representatives from UNESCO Jakarta, UGM, Tidar University, Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta, and Borobudur Conservation Center. The event then proceeded to the Campus II Auditorium for the opening by the representatives and a special opening by the Head of Culture Unit UNESCO Jakarta, Moe Chiba followed by a representative from Borobudur Conservation Center, Mr. Brahmantara. Followed by a panelist session by two main speakers.

The first and second main speakers, Mr. Brahmantara from Borobudur Conservation Center and Ms. Dian Nisa Anna Rahmayani, from Sangiran Conservation Center gave a panel presentation session entitled, “World Heritage Management, Community Engagement and Current Challenges”. This panel presentation presented how a cultural heritage site is managed and the interaction of the management institution to the community with current challenges. Cases used as examples were the management of Borobudur, Sangiran, and the presentation of various cultural heritage site mapping techniques.

The students of the three universities attended the event by sitting in groups and enlivened the event by voicing yells from each group and participating in two game sessions at the interval. Both games were in the form of cultural heritage site puzzles that emphasized the role of group cooperation to solve the puzzles together. Students were given 15 minutes to complete the puzzle. The winners of the puzzles were then awarded prizes after the event ended.

The commemoration of World Heritage Day held by UNESCO Jakarta supported by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (NFUAJ) had an important impact on the community, especially on students. The introduction of local culture and crafts as well as the exposure of how to manage a cultural or world heritage site is the essence of building collective awareness. Awareness to maintain and preserve cultural heritage that becomes regional and national identity.

Jakarta, April 17, 2024, Public Virtue Research Institute (PVRI) together with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Indonesia held the 8th edition of the A.E. Priyono Democracy Forum. Entitled “The Future of Indonesian Democracy,” the event took the form of a public forum at the Erasmus Huis Auditorium in Jakarta attended by speakers from STF Driyarkara, BRIN Political Research Center, Project Multatuli, and the ASEAN Youth Forum.

To start the day, PVRI and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Indonesia also organized an informal meeting that provided a space for Indonesian students who have concerns about the development of democracy in Indonesia. Among the eight students represented at the meeting was Cornelius Prabhaswara Marpaung, an undergraduate student of Cultural Anthropology at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

In a lively and relaxed discussion, attended by staff of the Political Affairs Department of the Royal Netherlands Embassy to Indonesia as well as PVRI, everyone was able to express their concerns, hopes and expectations for the development of democracy in Indonesia. In keeping with his interests, Cornelius raised the issues of health and social inclusion for marginalized groups as important factors to consider to support the development of not only procedural, but also substantive democracy in Indonesia.

The event lasted until late afternoon, and was closed with a visit to the exhibition booths of various civil society groups at Erasmus Huis Jakarta with the speakers and Embassy staff.