The BIPA Institute of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) organized a series of events titled “Sapa Ramadan and Country-Specific Cooking Demo” to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan with BIPA learners.
The event was held in four sessions from Monday to Sunday (March 10-16), both online and offline, centered at the UMSU Campus, Jalan Muchtar Basri No.3, Medan.
The speakers for this event included the Head of BIPA UMSU, Dr. Cut Novita Srikandi, SS., M.Hum, the Secretary of BIPA UMSU, Dr. Tengku Winona Emelia, S.Pd., M.Hum., and Yulhasni, SS., M.Si.
The Head of BIPA UMSU, Dr. Cut, stated that BIPA students who had participated in classes at the BIPA Institute of UMSU would share their experiences of Ramadan in their home countries. Through this activity, they are expected to enhance their Indonesian language skills and develop a deeper love for the Indonesian language and culture.
“We hope this event will broaden the horizons of the students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara in recognizing the cultures of various countries, enhance respect for diversity, and foster a spirit of tolerance,” she said.
Meanwhile, during the cooking demo session, UMSU international students from Thailand, Cambodia, Sudan, and Yemen introduced traditional dishes from their respective countries. The dishes included Tomyam from Thailand, Loklak beef from Cambodia, Salatah Tomatim bel Daqua from Sudan, and Nasi Kabsah from Yemen.
“This activity aims to sharpen the BIPA learners’ skills in presenting the Indonesian language while also introducing the richness of international culinary culture to UMSU students,” said the Head of BIPA.
In addition, Abdullah, a student from Sudan, expressed his happiness in participating in the cooking demo as it gave them the opportunity to cook their native dishes and relieve their homesickness.
“I tried Nasi Kabsah here, but it tastes different from the one in Yemen, so I’m happy to cook the authentic Yemeni dish,” said Ahmed.
Through this activity, the BIPA Institute of UMSU hopes that the BIPA learners will be more motivated to learn the Indonesian language and gain a broader understanding of Islamic culture around the world.
