Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) proved its worth in the realm of international by participating in the International Volunteers Program in Hong Kong. The program was specifically participated in by a student from the Undergraduate English Department at Udinus, namely, Evi Juli Ana. Evi became a volunteer to learn the cultural differences between Hong Kong and Indonesia.
Evi was chosen by the English Department, which is under the management of the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) at Udinus, after a certain set of selections. She also fulfilled the criteria, which included excellent English skills, as well as non-academic feats, as Evi herself is a professional chess player with international accomplishments.
Despite it being her first time as a volunteer, Evi did not have any difficulties or problems in participating in the program, which took place in Saikung District, Hong Kong. On that occasion, she learned about various cultures in Hong Kong from the locals through events, like a lecture and a culture showcase. Evi also had the opportunity to be actively involved in a festival known as Tin Hau.
“This festival is an annual event, involving their ancestors, and it involves a ceremony to a local goddess named Tin Hau. The locals were friendly and welcomed us with open arms. There were many things being taught, urging me to respect cultural diversity,” she revealed.
During her time of volunteering, Evi met many students from other countries, like Russia, Turkey, Thailand, Laos, Japan, and Macau. To Evi, one of the most interesting things was how the locals introduced them to the uniqueness of their tourist destinations. This pushed her to be more aware of tourist destinations in Semarang and Indonesia in general.
On that occasion, Evi was not on her own, as she was accompanied by a faculty member, Rahmanti Asmarani, S.S., M.Hum. Rahmanti revealed that the volunteering program could come to be in the first place by involving De Javati and Voltra. These two institutions served as facilitators to participate in cultural exchange programs with local or global educational institutions.
“The Humanities Faculty at Udinus is supportive of these kinds of volunteering programs, as they provide students with the opportunity to learn about cultures from other countries. This is necessary to embody global mindsets and respect diversities,” Rahmanti stated.
There was also a film screening entitled Winter Charts during the volunteering program. The movie mainly tells the life of the locals of the Ho Chung Village. On that occasion, the volunteers were met with Jessey Tsang Tsui-Shan, the director, screenwriter, and producer of the movie. For additional information, Jessey has won various awards at many international film festivals. (Humas Udinus/Penulis: Haris. Foto: Humas FIB Udinus)
