UNAIR NEWS – 71st Independence Day Celebration in UNAIR held solemnly and full of festivities. On Wednesday morning, August 17, the academicians held a flag ceremony. UNAIR Rector presided the ceremony. Before reading his speech the man born in Gresik shouted ‘Merdeka!’ the same word he shouted in the end of his speech.
He hoped that this year’s independence day celebration becomes not only a special moment but it also motivates the academic community to work and innovate better so they can be useful for the society and contribute to the country and the nation.
After the ceremony, UNAIR management held three contests to celebrate the independence day. They were Javanese presenting contest, cheering contest and banana trunk race. Beside participants from the officials of universities, faculties, units and institutes in university, the supporters also enthusiastically gave supports. They shouted, clapped their hands and cheered to give their friends supports.
“Win or lose thought later, most important thing is shouting!” said one of the supporters by the lake to support the rowing team.
Prof Nasih was asked to deliver opening speech as well as be the first participant for the contest. “How can it be? After delivering speech I was asked to be the participant too,” he said inviting smiles.
The Javanese presenting contest was even livelier with the foreign participants. Yes! Some foreign students also participated. Cathrine, for example, a student from Australia made the audience laughed out loud a few times. Her foreign accent was difficult to adjust with the Javanese pronounced.
Especially, the MC trio, Cak Eko Supeno (CES), Cak Pulung, and Ning Firoh often made funny jokes such as when the Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy (FF) Dr. Umi Athiyah, Dra., MS., Apt. was coming up the stage to read a text on Tembelek Doro Nggarai Geger. Cak Eko said, “She is my mother so I called her Ummi (Arabic for Mother, Ed). So I called her Ummi Ummi,” he said.
Meanwhile, cheering contest participants deserved praises. Some brought musical instruments like mineral water gallon container, painted their face attractively even wore East Javanese traditional dance group. They sang, shook their bodies and jumped full of spirits. “RSUA wins! wins!,” shouted the cheering team of UNAIR Hospital (RSUA). Even they performed at noon, their spirits were extraordinary. The enthusiasm was so great that the audience gave them great applause. (*)
Author: Rio F. Rachman
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
