UNAIR NEWS – The 13th International Convention of Asian Scholars (ICAS) commenced with a lively Opening Ceremony and Gala Dinner at Taman Surya, Surabaya City Hall, on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) Rector, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih, praised the dedication of the entire Airlangga Institute of Indian Ocean Crossroads (AIIOC) team, who served as the secretariat for 13th ICAS.
Prof. Nasih also expressed his pride in partnering with the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) and being chosen as the host for 13th ICAS. He emphasized that ICAS is one of the world’s most prestigious and largest conferences, and this year marks its debut in Indonesia.
“It is a great honor for UNAIR to be the first host of ICAS in Indonesia. It reflects UNAIR’s commitment to nurturing global academic partnerships and contributing to the international academic community,” Prof. Nasih stated.
ICAS as golden opportunity for Indonesian Youth
Hilmar Farid, PhD, the Director General of Culture, attended the ceremony and emphasized that international conferences like ICAS provide invaluable opportunities for youths. They can gain extensive knowledge from various panel discussions on current issues, featuring distinguished speakers.
“For us, this is an excellent opportunity for the youth of Indonesia to engage in these vital conversations. Young people should take full advantage of this chance,” he said.
Hilmar Farid also praised the theme of ICAS 13, Crossways of Knowledge, and its conference festival format. Its approach promotes interactive knowledge exchange not only among academics but also between academics, practitioners, and the local community.
“This conference goes beyond discussions, allowing for diverse forms of expression. This is very beneficial. Here, you can see artworks as part of the conference. I appreciate this openness,” he commented on this year’s ICAS concept.
IIAS commends AIIOC
Prof. Philippe Peycam, Director of IIAS, expressed his delight in collaborating with AIIOC for 13th ICAS. He was impressed by the conference festival concept developed by AIIOC for ICAS 2024.
“In trying out new forms of intellectual engagement, we were fortunate to find partners at AIIOC and UNAIR who embraced this challenge with us,” Prof. Peycam said.
Prof. Peycam was also amazed by Surabaya’s charm as a metropolitan city that maintains rich cultural values and is home to many artists and cultural figures. This diversity and spirit were key reasons IIAS chose Surabaya as the host city, with AIIOC as the organizing secretariat.
“We quickly realized, thanks to several key individuals, that this new version of ICAS, as ConFest, would be a locally rooted yet globally connected event,” Prof. Peycam concluded.
Author: Syifa Rahmadina
Editor: Edwin Fatahuddin
