The PIONEER 2025 program continued to its second event on Saturday, August 30, 2025, with a day of Cultural Excursion and Immersion at the Taman Tunas Wiguna Babarsari Camping Ground.
Following the opening ceremony held on August 15, this event served as a warm welcome for international students not only from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), but also from other universities across Yogyakarta.
The activity aimed to introduce international students to the richness of Indonesian and Yogyakarta culture, while also fostering friendship among students and the local community. The event was opened by Gusti Kanjeng Ratu (GKR) Mangkubumi as the Head of Yogyakarta Regional Scout Council (Kwarda DIY), welcoming all the international students to Yogyakarta.
Divided into two sessions, the international students firstly experienced Indonesian culture firsthand through a variety of activities, including playing the traditional gamelan, learning how to make hand-drawn batik, practicing jemparingan (traditional Javanese archery), and trying traditional Indonesian children’s games. These activities gave students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in local traditions beyond the classroom.
“I particularly enjoyed the traditional archery,” said Ella Erdahl, UGM international student from the USA who is currently studying in the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. “I found it very meditative as a practice. Batik was also fun, but it was a lot harder than I was expecting! I had a great time and it was really exciting to connect with other international students,” she concluded.
The second session featured a dinner and formal welcoming ceremony attended by representatives from the Keraton Yogyakarta and the Yogyakarta Regional Government (Pemda DIY). During this session, a symbolic gesture took place as universities “handed over” the international students to the Keraton and Pemda, symbolizing the acceptance of international students as new members of the Yogyakarta community.
With the success of this cultural immersion, PIONEER 2025 will continue with its third event, Learning Language with Local Community, scheduled for September 20, 2025. The series of activities highlights UGM’s and Yogyakarta’s commitment to providing international students with not only academic excellence, but also a deeper cultural understanding and a sense of belonging.
Recent Comments