On Tuesday (Apr. 8), the first day back at work, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a post-Eid gathering at the Balairung of the UGM Central Office. The event was attended by university and faculty leaders, lecturers, and staff within the UGM community.
In the post-Eid al-Fitr atmosphere, university and faculty leaders, lecturers, and staff greeted one another and asked for forgiveness for past mistakes and missteps.
The UGM Rector, along with the Vice-Rectors, Chair and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Chair and Secretary of the Academic Senate, Chair and Secretary of the Professors’ Board, deans, and other leaders, received greetings of forgiveness from lecturers and staff.
The event began at 8:00 a.m. Western Indonesia Time, with lecturers and staff lining up to shake hands with university and faculty leaders.
At UGM, this type of event has become a tradition, serving as a moment of self-reflection on the progress made after a month of fasting during Ramadan. This tradition of mutual forgiveness further strengthens the bonds of togetherness among academic community members.
UGM Rector Professor Ova Emilia stated that the act of forgiving one another is an important tradition in celebrating Eid al-Fitr. In a renewed and purified state, she said, all members of the UGM academic community can return to work with renewed enthusiasm for collective progress.
“Hopefully, everyone is healthy this morning after our week-long holiday. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness, both physically and spiritually. Let’s open a new chapter so we can become better. Let me share a rhyme: Drinking coffee and roasting sticky rice, with a catchy song playing in the heart; Eid without forgiving each other is like eating sambal without shrimp paste,” she said.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographers: Firsto & Donnie