Yogyakarta, 15 November 2025 — Universitas Gadjah Mada once again became a vibrant center of Korean cultural celebration through the Festival Oullim Korea Yogyakarta: 20th Korean Day, held at the UGM Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK). This two-decade celebration was made possible through collaboration between the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB UGM) and the Korean Cultural Center Indonesia (KCCI). The festival was officially opened by UGM Rector, Prof. dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG(K)., Ph.D., alongside KCCI Director Kim Yong Woon and distinguished guests from government institutions, academia, and cultural communities. Their presence underscored the significance of the festival as a thriving cultural interaction platform within the university environment.

The festival opened with the spirit of Oullim, meaning harmony, showcased through collaborative performances blending Indonesian and Korean traditional arts. A captivating fusion of Indonesian mask dance and Javanese gamelan with Korean fan dance and bukchum (traditional drum dance) delighted audiences. This performance was the result of an intensive week-long collaboration between students of SMKN 1 Kasihan and a visiting Korean art instructor. Students of the Korean Language and Culture Program at FIB UGM supported the process as cultural interpreters and assistants, ensuring smooth communication and rehearsals that culminated in a widely praised performance.

Beyond the stage performances, the festival featured a wide array of programs highlighting the richness of Korean culture. Shows by Salmunori UGM, music and dance showcases, dongari exhibitions, noraebang, and random play dance sessions all contributed to the lively atmosphere. One of the most striking highlights was the Hanbok Fashion Show featuring works by Leesle, a renowned South Korean designer known for dressing prominent Korean celebrities. On this occasion, Leesle presented a special hanbok collection crafted using Indonesian batik fabric, creating designs that symbolized harmonious cultural fusion. The interplay of colors, patterns, and silhouettes embodied the true meaning of Oullim as a representation of unity expressed through artistic beauty.

The festival’s dynamic atmosphere was further enriched by Korean culinary booths serving complimentary dishes to visitors, from tteokbokki to a variety of popular street foods. Additionally, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) participated by providing information on South Korean tourism, interactive activities, and destination promotions. Various Korean cultural institutions and communities also contributed, enhancing the festival with educational programs, entertainment, and inclusive cultural engagement. Their involvement reinforced Yogyakarta’s position as one of Indonesia’s key centers for Korean cultural exchange.

In her remarks, the UGM Rector emphasized that the twenty-year continuity of Korean Day reflects the strong cultural relations between Yogyakarta and South Korea, as well as the university’s role in promoting international collaboration. The festival serves as a cultural meeting ground that enriches students’ perspectives and expands UGM’s global network through mutually beneficial partnerships. With its overarching theme of Oullim, the festival fosters an environment that embraces diversity and encourages deep appreciation of cross-cultural heritage.

Through the 2025 Festival Oullim Korea Yogyakarta, UGM hopes to further strengthen collaboration in cultural exchange, education, and academic partnerships between Indonesia and South Korea. The event aligns with key principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 on Quality Education through intercultural learning opportunities; SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities through cultural preservation; and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals through cooperative engagement among universities, government bodies, and international cultural organizations. In this way, the festival stands not only as a celebration of art but also as a meaningful contribution to building harmonious and sustainable global relations.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, September 21, 2025 – Several students from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a Farewell Concert as both a form of preparation and a collective prayer before competing in the Hamengku Buwono X Cup 2025, which will take place on October 11–12, 2025.

The event opened with remarks from the President of UGM Marching Band, I Gede Bagus Manu Sinarascara Budharta, an Archaeology student from the 2022 cohort who has served two consecutive terms in the UGM Marching Band Student Activity Unit. This was followed by a speech from Hempri Suyatna, S.Sos., M.Si., representative of UGM’s Student Affairs Directorate (Ditmawa), who expressed appreciation and extended full support to the students competing in the championship.

The Hamengku Buwono X Cup is a prestigious national-level marching band competition held regularly in Yogyakarta. It serves as a platform for marching band teams from across Indonesia to showcase their talent, creativity, and sportsmanship.

In this year’s event, UGM Marching Band will feature players from various study programs, including:

• Ataya Sasya Rayna Heradie, Pit Instrument Player (Korean Language and Culture, 2024)
• Tabita Nada Kirana, Pit Instrument Player (Cultural Anthropology, 2024)
• Andieni Ika Bela Safitri, Brass Player (Indonesian Language and Literature, 2024)
• Thiery Vincent Masarrang, Brass Player (French Literature, 2024)
• Dian Khairani, Color Guard (Korean Language and Culture, 2022)
• Sylvy Muthqia, Color Guard (Tourism, 2023)
• Keysha Alya Nashifa, Battery Player (Korean Language and Culture, 2022)
  

In addition, four students hold key managerial roles:

• I Gede Bagus Manu Sinarascara Budharta, President (Archaeology, 2022)
• Alma Syahwalani, Head of Public Relations (Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture, 2023)
• Keysha Almira Putri, Drill and Display Coach, Program Director of the Farewell Concert (Tourism, 2023)
• Melati Srigita Putri, Head of Human Resources (History, 2023)
  

The Farewell Concert served not only as a send-off event before the competition but also as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity and support from the UGM academic community. With a spirit of togetherness, UGM Marching Band aspires to bring pride to the university while also contributing to the preservation of marching band music in Indonesia.

This activity also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By supporting the development of students’ potential in the arts and culture, the event fosters quality education. The Farewell Concert and participation in the national competition reflect students’ active role in sustaining performing arts as part of both local and national cultural identity. Moreover, the event represents collaboration between students, the university, and the community—embodying the spirit of partnership to achieve sustainable development.

[Public Relations, FIB UGM – Alma Syahwalani]

Yogyakarta, 23/1/2025 – The third day of the 20th International Conference of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM20) was held on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. A series of agendas on the third day included plenary sessions, Ignite State, various parallel and virtual sessions, and closing.

The agenda on the last day began with a plenary session entitled “Multidimensionality in Urban Displacement and Knowledge Production”. The plenary session discussed the paradigm shift in studies and practices related to forced migration where the knowledge of refugees is increasingly recognized as an important source of information. Refugees are no longer simply seen as objects of research, but as witnesses with valuable life experiences, and can even position themselves as partners in the production of knowledge related to forced migration.

In the context of this discussion, some refugees no longer live in camps under the supervision of humanitarian agencies, but settle in urban environments and interact with diaspora communities, fellow refugees, and even local communities so that the role of international organizations such as UNHCR and IOM becomes less dominant, while refugee-led organizations become increasingly important. Recognizing refugees’ knowledge can change the way refugees are perceived and policies related to refugee issues. The discussion session also explored the new perspectives that can emerge with this approach and how more inclusive knowledge production methods can reshape the relationship between researchers and research subjects.

After the plenary session, there was an “Ignite State” session that discussed the leadership role, creativity, and achievements of refugee youth in developing community-based initiatives. In recent years, refugee youth have shown remarkable resilience of innovation in addressing various issues faced by refugee communities. However, their efforts still need further attention in the global discussion on displacement and migration.

Through this one-hour session at IASFM20, young leaders are given the space to share their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned in running community-based programs. The main objective of the session is to amplify the voices of refugee youth and showcase the tangible results of their initiatives. In addition, the session also aimed to change the narrative of refugees from being a vulnerable group to innovative and independent agents of change.

The 20th IASFM International Conference at Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakata is not only an academic event, but also a space for researchers to share their experiences and demonstrate their active role in creating solutions for the international community. With refugees’ knowledge and leadership increasingly recognized in forced migration issues, the conference emphasized the importance of a more inclusive and collaborative approach in refugee-related research and policy.

[Public Relation of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]

Yogyakarta, 22/1/2025 – The second day of the 20th International Conference of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM20) was held on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. A series of agendas on the second day included public lectures, plenaries, various parallel and virtual sessions, and a welcome by the Resilience Development Initiative Urban Refugee Research Group (RDI UREF).

Department of Anthropology UGM Documentation

The first agenda on the second day was a public lecture entitled “The Urban Perspective on Forced Displacement” delivered by Prof. Dr. Stephen Cairns, an academic from Monash University Indonesia who has expertise in urban and architectural studies at the Soegondo’s Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Prof. Dr. Stephen Cairns has conducted several studies focusing on the overlap between architecture, urbanism, and environmental sustainability with a strong emphasis on Southeast Asia. Prof. Cairns has contributed extensively to urban studies, particularly in understanding city dynamics in the context of climate change and sustainability.

Before continuing with the coffee break session, there was a plenary session with the topic “Reflection on the (Re)conception of Urban Displacement and the Right to the City”. The plenary session began with the presentation of the material “Cosmological Markings and Erasures: The Politics of Heritage, Gentrification and Displacement in Yogyakarta’s Kraton” which examines a study on the reconstruction of the fort wall around the Yogyakarta Kraton area. There are three main elements discussed in the delivery of presentations at this plenary. First, the reconstruction is related to economic development based on tourism. Second, planning and development have been characterized by observations to create and recreate the authenticity of the built environment. Third, the project appeals to the authorities because the Sultan, the sovereign leader of the Province and owner of the land that used to be palace grounds, is respected and known for his kindness in terms of public housing.

The second presentation was delivered by Marco Kusumawijaya, a professional and activist in the fields of architecture, environment, art, cultural heritage, planning, and urban development. He delivered a presentation titled “Gentrification + Suburbanization = Ab-urbanization” which discussed the population shift from depleting city centers to increasingly dense suburban areas in several small, medium, and large cities in Indonesia. The current trend, driven by neoliberal gentrification and suburbanization, is resulting in “ab-urbanization”, urbanization “away from the city” that is getting further and further away without boundaries.

In the last presentation, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wiwandari Handayani, a professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, explained that land subsidence in several major cities along the north coast of Java reaches 15 cm per year because it is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. According to him, this pressure is exacerbated by the rapid urbanization taking place in Java, where it is recorded by the Central Bureau of Statistics that 56.10% of Indonesia’s population inhabits Java in 2021. This double pressure exposes northern coastal residents to higher threats. However, despite these challenges, migration or mobility has not emerged as a solution to address environmental risks for communities living in coastal areas.

With the end of the series of public lectures and plenary sessions on the second day of the 20th IASFM International Conference at Gadjah Mada University, it is hoped that participants will increasingly realize the complexity of the challenges faced by communities affected by forced migration in urban areas. The various perspectives raised, ranging from gentrification, environmental change, to the right to the city, emphasize the need for a multidisciplinary approach in finding sustainable solutions. This conference is not only a space for exchanging ideas, but also a momentum to strengthen collaboration between academics, practitioners, and policymakers in designing more inclusive and equitable strategies for affected communities.

[Public Relation of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]

Yogyakarta, 21/1/2025 – The first day of the 20th International Conference of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM20) was held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. A series of agendas on the first day included welcome speeches, public lectures, plenary sessions, creative presentations, various parallel sessions, the IASFM General Meeting, and dinner together.

Department of Anthropology UGM Documentation

After the opening ceremony held at Grha Sabha Pramana, the agenda continued with a public lecture entitled “International Migration and Forced Displacement in the Southeast Asia Region” delivered by Prof. Dr. Tri Nuke Pudjiastuti, M.A., a professor specializing in national security and strategic issues in Indonesia. She holds a key position at the Center for Political Research, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), where she has dedicated her career to migration, human security, and international relations, particularly in the Southeast Asia region. Prof. Pudjiastuti is a recognized expert in the field of forced migration and human smuggling. Her research significantly influences policy-making and academic discourse on these issues.

After a coffee break, there was a plenary session with the topic “Reflection on the Global Agenda for International Migration”. The plenary session began with the presentation of “Global Migration Agenda and Realities in Southeast Asia” which examined the relationship between the global migration agenda and the reality on the ground in Southeast Asia. The presentation investigated the impact of ASEAN migration and asylum policies (or lack thereof) on the protection of migrants’ rights, debates on order and disorder in the Southeast Asian context with a particular focus on how ASEAN dealt with migrants from Myanmar after the February coup and the issue of transnational repression. The presentation concludes with some thoughts on rethinking the implications of ASEAN’s lack of migration governance and commitment to migrant rights protection in the region. The presentation was delivered by Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree, an expert in human rights, ASEAN/SEA studies, migration, citizenship, business and human rights, and international relations.

The second presentation was delivered by Prof. Ranabir Samaddar, an Indian political scientist who serves as Distinguished Chair in Migration and Forced Migration Studies at the Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group. He presented the material with the title “Protection as Punishment” which in his explanation, Prof. Ranabir Samaddar revealed that the figure of refugees in certain situations represents illegal existence – which is “legally” deprived of rights, modes of mobility, and resources. Humanity in such conditions binds this illegal figure to the state for the continuation of illegal or semi-legal life. Sovereignty is restored by neoliberalism in this way. Digital and other modes of control are used. And, remember, here too, the reason at the beginning is always protection. Indeed, the global compact’s push to use new technologies to protect refugees and migrants is loud and clear.

In the last keynote, Dr. Susan Banki, an expert in political, institutional, and social affairs, explained the roots of and solutions to human rights violations and social justice abuses, delivering a keynote entitled “What Refugee Activists Contribute to Global Protection Regimes”. According to her, the global migration agenda, processes, and actors associated with it can be distinguished from the Global Protection Regime which unequivocally prioritizes the protection of migrant populations over the control of them. In this material, Dr. Susan Banki shows that migrants and refugees play an important role in forms of activism that advance the Global Protection Regime.

As the first day of the 20th IASFM International Conference at Universitas Gadjah Mada comes to a close, the in-depth discussions have opened a portal for further collaboration on regional and global forced migration issues. Participants, whether they are researchers or individuals interested in the topic, not only gained new insights from renowned experts, but were also invited to reflect on the role of policy, technology and activism in creating more inclusive and equitable protection systems for migrants and refugees.

[Public Relation of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Muhammad Ebid El Hakim]