Students of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, have once again achieved an outstanding accomplishment on the international stage. A team of 12 students successfully won the K-Speech Jingle Singing Contest 2026, organized by the Korea Speech Eloquence Association. The competition brought together individual and group participants from various countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Ethiopia, and several others.

In the competition, participants performed the official K-Speech jingle entitled “외쳐봐 한국웅변”, which promotes the courage to speak, deliver speeches, and express ideas in Korean. Through its inspiring and energetic lyrics, the song encourages Korean language learners to improve their speaking skills while building confidence in communication. With a well-coordinated, expressive, and spirited performance, the UGM team successfully demonstrated both strong vocal abilities and a deep understanding of the message conveyed in the song.

The journey to victory was far from easy. The UGM team had to go through five stages of selection over a period of more than six months. The preliminary screening was held in late November 2025, followed by the first YouTube video evaluation on December 15, 2025. The second YouTube video evaluation took place on March 13, 2026. Participants then advanced to an online judging session conducted via Zoom on March 15, 2026, before competing in the final round in May 2026. The winning video is scheduled to be showcased during the K-Speech Grand Final in South Korea on October 8, 2026.

One of the team representatives, Theresia Chindyawati (2nd year student), expressed her gratitude and pride regarding the achievement she attained together with her teammates.

“This was the first time the jingle competition had ever been held, and since the participants came from various countries, we honestly did not expect to win. Throughout the long selection and practice process, there were certainly moments when we felt tired. However, because we spent so much time together, we became closer and more united as a team, which made the practices much more enjoyable.

I would like to sincerely thank all the members of the jingle team for their enthusiasm, hard work, and dedication. At the same time, all team members were also participating in the K-Speech Big Group category, and thankfully both teams managed to win the grand prize. I would also like to express my gratitude to Ms. Alfi as our supervisor and Ms. Anggita as our vocal coach for their patience, guidance, and support throughout the preparation process. Thank you for the valuable experience and all the wonderful memories!”

This achievement demonstrates that students of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at UGM excel not only in academics but also actively develop their potential in the fields of arts, language, and culture through various international competitions.

The success achieved by the team is expected to inspire other students to continue developing their talents and skills, seize opportunities at both national and international levels, and actively contribute to promoting Korean language and culture through activities that foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding among nations.

For those who are interested in watching the team’s performance of the jingle “외쳐봐 한국웅변”, the video can be viewed through the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk_kzsabSxs&list=PLM_kkY5y1vKkwmhuJzxqQR6W2EsSHHTR3

Universitas Islam Indonesia hosted the Qatar Debate Indonesian Chapter, widely known as UNISI Debate. This prestigious competition brought together 16 universities across Indonesia—including public, private, and Islamic higher education institutions—and involved 22 professional adjudicators with expertise in Arabic debate.

The Arabic Literature Study Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada participated by sending four student delegates: Hashifa Zara Ahfiyani and Ahsana Matswayasha (fourth semester), as well as Ismail and Rayya Adhiya Syifa (second semester). The team competed in five preliminary rounds held over two days.

During the first three rounds on April 11, 2026, the UGM team faced Institut Darul Ulum Banyuanyar, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, and Universitas Sebelas Maret. The fourth and fifth rounds, held on April 12, 2026, saw the team competing against a swing team (a combined team from Universitas Islam Indonesia and UIN Sultanah Nahrasiyah Lhokseumawe), before facing UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim once again.

Out of the five rounds, the UGM team secured two victories—during the third round against Universitas Sebelas Maret and the fourth round against the swing team. In the fourth round, one of the delegates, Ismail, was also awarded Best Speaker.

This participation marked the team’s first experience in a national-level Arabic debate competition connected to an international platform. One of the delegates, Rayya, noted that the experience serves as an initial step toward revitalizing Arabic debate activities at UGM. She also emphasized that the preparation process and competition provided valuable lessons, including improving language proficiency, developing argumentation skills, and strengthening teamwork.

Beyond competition, this participation represents an important milestone for students to grow, build confidence, and contribute to reviving the culture of Arabic debate within the academic environment.

Author: Hashifa Zara Ahfiyani

Gadjah Mada University Language Center, through its Foreign Languages Learning Services (FELLAS), in collaboration with the British Council Indonesia, held an IELTS Writing Workshop on Thursday, June 18, 2026. The event took place at the Soegondo Building, FIB UGM, and was attended by students and members of the general public who wished to improve their writing skills for the IELTS exam.

The workshop aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of writing strategies for the IELTS Writing section, including techniques for structuring arguments, developing ideas, and managing time during the exam. Through this collaboration with the British Council Indonesia, participants received materials and insights directly from experts with extensive experience in IELTS instruction and preparation.

During the workshop, participants not only received theoretical instruction but also took part in practice sessions and discussions of sample IELTS Writing answers. This event is expected to help participants improve their academic skills and English communication abilities, as well as increase their chances of achieving an optimal IELTS score for international study or career purposes.

The IELTS Writing Workshop is one example of the UGM Language Center’s commitment to supporting the development of foreign language proficiency among the academic community and the general public. Through various training programs and language services, FELLAS continues to strive to offer activities that are relevant to the needs of education and human resource development in the global era.

This event also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by providing access to language skills training and enhancing participants’ academic capacity. Furthermore, the collaboration between the UGM Language Center and the British Council Indonesia reflects the implementation of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, which emphasizes the importance of inter-institutional cooperation in expanding learning opportunities and improving the quality of education.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]

An awareness of the inequalities in the production and dissemination of knowledge between the Global North and the Global South forms the basis for the development of the discourse on decoloniality within both academic and artistic spheres. This new awareness that reality is not universal but rather pluriverse has prompted academics and art practitioners to re-examine everyday life to develop a sensitivity to the roots of power imbalances that may otherwise go unnoticed. The latest issue of Lembaran Antropologi vol. 4 no. 2 explores the theme “Anthropology and Decolonialisation in Performance Studies and Art Criticism” and features Rachmi Diyah Larasati from the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Global Change, University of Minnesota, as editor, inviting readers to engage and gain a deeper understanding of how art and performance now reflect anthropological critique in artistic practice.

This edition discusses artistic practice not merely from an artistic perspective, but also in terms of efforts to convey concerns and social critique regarding everyday social phenomena. Issues concerning narratives of governance, expression, and living spaces form the core of the contributions in this edition. Moving beyond artistic practice based on established standards or conventions, attention is also drawn to the figures who determine these standards. Articles by Chaterji & Loravianti and Pangastuti re-examine the conventions or standards of artistic practice in the MTQ competition and the trans-cultural experiment of ‘Swan Lake’ using gamelan instruments. The presence of standards or conventions as criteria for artistic evaluation must be re-examined: which narratives or values predominantly influence artistic judgement?

Turning to the aspect of dance as a symbolic embodiment that takes root in the human body, rich in meaning and social messages. The article by Sekar Sari and Listyorini demonstrates that dance or choreography conveys messages and expressions to highlight issues regarding care work and forms of resistance against the narrative of global capitalism embedded in daily life. The final topic in this edition discusses the living spaces of folk arts such as Reog Ponorogo (Nurdiyanto, Amrullah, Mahadewa) and Horeg (Nursilah, Gietty, Setyani, Yoesoef). Both forms of folk art, which were originally performed in daily life through communal spaces, are now increasingly being featured in festivals, indicating the commodification of folk art as part of the tourism industry. Does this shift from communal activity to institutionalised practice create a space for negotiation between artists and audiences? To explore this discourse further, please access this edition via the following link: https://journal.ugm.ac.id/v3/LA/issue/view/916

[Okky Chandra Baskoro]

Students of the Undergraduate Archaeology Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, participated in a field visit on iconography at Plaosan Temple, Klaten, on Sunday (June 7, 2026). Led by Sir Aditya Revianur, M.Hum., the activity introduced students to Buddhist iconography through direct observation of statues and reliefs found within the temple complex. During the visit, students learned to identify various visual attributes, postures, and symbolic elements that play an important role in recognizing Buddhist figures in archaeological remains.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of Buddhist iconography, students were assigned to describe selected statues and reliefs observed during the visit. This exercise provided an opportunity to develop observation and documentation skills while engaging directly with archaeological remains. By studying the monuments firsthand, students were able to connect classroom knowledge with practical field experience and gain a deeper understanding of iconographic studies in archaeology.

Nama Penulis: Muhammad Irsyad

Pemilik Foto: Aditya Revianur, M.Hum.