On Saturday (10/28), several international students from America, Norway, Colombia, Japan, China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia enthusiastically participated in the Indonesian competition held at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara campus on Jalan Kapten Mukhtar Basri, Medan.
The competition organized by BIPA UMSU was a part of the International Language and Culture Month festival, which coincides with the Commemoration of Youth Pledge Day on October 28. The festival’s theme was “Embracing Diversity through Preserving Language and Cultural Heritage.”
Dr. Muhammad Arifin, M.Pd, Chairman of BIPA UMSU, inaugurated an event commemorating “Bulan Bahasa” and the Indonesian Youth Pledge Day. He also acknowledged and appreciated the international students at UMSU for their contribution to the North Sumatra Language Center.
“The International students at UMSU have been invited to perform and take the UKBI exam,” said Dr. Arifin.
Dr. Cut Novita Srikandi, the Secretary of BIPA UMSU, expressed her enthusiasm for an event that engaged international students from all over Medan. She believes this event will create an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of global cultures and promote cross-cultural understanding.
Colombian participant Sara Henao expressed her delight in joining the Indonesian language singing competition. During the event, she performed “Sempurna” by Andra ‘n The Backbone.
“I felt pleased to sing, although I was quite nervous while being on stage,” she conveyed in reasonably fluent Indonesian. Sara, who has been in Indonesia for 12 years, also shared her fondness for rendang, a traditional Indonesian dish.
The festival included various linguistic and cultural seminars featuring presentations by Prof. Wan Syaifuddin, M.A., Ph.D., discussing “The Importance of Culture in Learning Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA),” and Dr. Andi Wate Polili, M.Hum, sharing “Easy and Fun Tips for Learning BIPA.”
Moreover, the festival comprised diverse language and cultural contests, including competitions for singing Indonesian songs reciting rhymes and poetry. Alongside these events, every international student from UMSU took part in a cultural parade and performed songs from their respective home countries.
The festival concluded with the announcement of the winners from each competition category, followed by captivating performances from students representing Cambodia and Thailand.
