A great nation is a nation that does not forget its heroes. The same applies to Indonesian students who are currently undergoing the IISMA student exchange program at Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic. As a form of appreciation and commemoration of Heroes’ Day, the students held a cultural introduction program entitled Djoempa Pemoeda 4.0. This program aims to bring the values of cultural diversity owned by Indonesia to the academic community of Palacky University Olomouc and the general public who live in the campus area.

Through this program, IISMA students recalled the legacy of heroes from Sabang to Merauke and introduced the cultural side of the heroes’ home regions through musical theater performances. By telling the story of Budi who dreams of meeting Soekarno – one of Indonesia’s heroes, the show brought the audience to know more about the role of Indonesian heroes. From Cut Nyak Dien to Christina Martha Tiahahu, each hero emphasizes how the collective struggle for independence that is colored by cultural diversity can bear fruit. In addition, the event also invited the audience to join in traditional Indonesian games and taste authentic Indonesian food.

The implementation of Djoempa Pemoeda 4.0 could be realized successfully thanks to the cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Prague. The provision of grants in the form of Indonesian food and batik cloth that can be used as decoration tools as well as a visit during the rehearsal by the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Czech Republic, H.E. Kenssy Dwi Ekaningsih, showed how the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Prague took part in this program.

The cultural introduction by IISMA students at Palacky University Olomouc did not stop there. Three Indonesian students, Riva Imtinan Putri (20) from Diponegoro University, Rania Nasifa Fitriawan (19) from Telkom University, and I Dewa Ayu Ari Pradnyani (20) from Udayana University introduced Indonesian weaving in the “Asian Clothes Evening” event. The event involved 3 other study programs in the Asian Studies department at Palacky University Olomouc, namely Korean, Chinese and Japanese studies. Riva, Rania, and Pradnyani made presentations on the techniques and types of weaving from North Sumatra, Lampung, and Bali.

Before completing their exchange program at Palacky University Olomouc, IISMA students organized another cultural introduction activity. This time, the project was in collaboration with the National Presentation program, which is an Erasmus Student Network UP Olomouc cultural introduction program that aims to introduce the home country of international students at the university. Themed “Meet the Indonesian”, this event invited international students to get to know various tribes in Indonesia along with the uniqueness of each tribe. The presentation was also colored by performances of Indonesian dances, songs, and traditional musical instruments. In addition, the audience was also introduced to Indonesian pop culture, such as the latest songs by Indonesian musicians, movies, and social media trends that are currently loved by Indonesian youth. The event was attended by more than 80 participants and received compliments from other international students.

This series of cultural events has attracted the interest of international students and communities to get to know Indonesia more deeply, even interested in visiting and experiencing Indonesia’s cultural diversity for themselves. The success of these programs shows how the Indonesian diaspora in the academic realm can act as cultural diplomacy actors who bring Indonesian local values to the world.

Author: Riva Imtinan Putri