Two International Relations students from the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), Hanny Nurfiani and Angela Vania Wibowo, joined 27 other students from universities within the ASEAN University Network to participate in the 19th ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum, which was held in Brunei Darussalam from Jun. 23 to 28.
In a statement to journalists on Saturday (Jul. 13), Nurfiani shared that over the six-day program, they were involved in intensive activities to understand the cultures of various Southeast Asian countries as well as those of China, South Korea, and Japan, which also participated in the forum.
“We were invited to learn about and exchange cultural experiences with participants from China, Korea, and Japan,” she said.
Besides immersing themselves in international cultures, Nurfiani and Wibobo also had the opportunity to introduce Indonesian culture through traditional dances from the Riau Islands province, specifically the Lancang Kuning dance.
“We performed the Lancang Kuning dance complete with traditional Malay attire,” Nurfiani added.
Wibobo recounted their participation in the ASEAN program as an effort to promote Indonesian culture to delegates from other countries. The promotion was not limited to dance performances but included various shows with other Indonesian delegates.
“Our performance, along with other students from different universities, successfully captivated the entire audience,” she reminisced.
In addition to performing traditional dances, Wibowo mentioned that the UGM team showcased various Indonesian food products and traditional games during the bazaar. These included traditional bamboo otok-otok toys, batik pencil cases, and mustofa potatoes.
Dr. Hempri Suyatna, Secretary of the UGM Directorate of Student Affairs, expressed hope that UGM students’ participation in the ASEAN+3 Youth Forum would provide valuable experiences.
He highlighted that the forum serves not only as a platform for cultural promotion but also as a means to foster collaboration in the development of arts and culture among students and universities participating in the regional cultural exchange forum with delegates from China, Korea, and Japan.
Author: Gusti Grehenson