UNAIR NEWS – The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UNAIR hosted a visit from students of Phillips-Marburg Universität, Germany, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. The event, held in the Adi Sukadana Hall, was titled “International Visit & Cultural Discussion from Phillips-Marburg Universität”.

Phillips-Marburg Universität sent 33 of its students to learn about Javanese local culture in Surabaya. This agenda was also attended by the Student Executive Board (BEM) of FISIP UNAIR, aiming to build global network with foreign students.

This event was held to introduce the culture and wisdom of Surabaya, with a focus on promoting local culture, especially the Javanese script or Hanacaraka. It provides German students with an opportunity to learn about the cultural philosophy of Java.

Dhahana Adi, Cultural Program Assistant at Wisma Jerman delivered a welcoming speech at the beginning of the event. “The visit marks the first encounter at FISIP as part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FISIP UNAIR and the University of Marburg. Surabaya Cultural Odyssey serves as a platform for foreign students to learn about Surabaya’s culture and wisdom. I hope for more collaborations in the future, especially with the Goethe Institute,” he said.

Students visited the Ethnographic Museum and the Center for Death Studies at FISIP UNAIR. The next agenda was elaborated by International Relations lecturer Probo Darono Yakti, S.Hub.Int., M.Hub.Int.

“The visit will take place in Surabaya, we will engage with the local communities and learn traditional arts,” he said.

The German students are introduced to various cultures in East Java, ranging from Reog, pencak silat, “Rek Ayo Rek” song, to wayang. The excitement continues as the students dance together to “Gemu Fa Mi Re” and “Kewer-Kewer”. Furthermore, they also played traditional games with other FISIP students.

Next, there will be a tour of Surabaya to introduce the city to the German students, followed by cultural practices that will be held at the Balai Pemuda.

The German students enthusiastically dance and interact with their peers from FISIP UNAIR. They are eager to learn about the local culture during their stay in Surabaya.

For the record, FISIP UNAIR has recently conducted an internationalization program called the Surabaya Cultural Odyssey 2024.

Author: FISIP UNAIR

Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia