In December 2023, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia, in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, held a selection for a cultural internship program at the Indonesia Centre, Busan University of Foreign Studies (BUFS). This program aims to introduce Indonesian culture within the framework of cultural diplomacy in South Korea.
The Indonesia Centre at BUFS, inaugurated in June 2022, functions as a center for cultural diplomacy and strengthens Indonesia-South Korea relations. The internship program runs for three months, from April to June 2024, with five selected participants living in campus dormitories and interacting with local students. This allows for a deeper exchange of information and cultural introduction. One of the selected participants is Veronika Dian Anggarapeni, a student from PSPSR UGM.
During the internship, participants engage in various important activities, including:
- Global Gathering 2024, held on May 18, 2024, at Busan Cinema Center. This festival brings together representatives from various countries through embassies and international communities. Indonesia Centre presented Indonesian culture through exhibitions of batik, angklung, wayang kulit, wayang suket, traditional dance costumes, and Indonesian culinary delights such as ‘mie ayam,’ ‘batagor,’ ‘sate ayam,’ ‘es cendol,’ and ‘es campur.’ The event attracted around 13,000 visitors, consisting of Busan residents, diplomatic mission participants, art communities, and foreign embassies.
- Indonesian Week: This annual event is a result of collaboration between Indonesia Centre, the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, and Busan University of Foreign Studies, held on the BUFS campus. Indonesian Week showcases Indonesian culture through batik exhibitions, wayang suket performances, regional dances, traditional songs, and Indonesian cuisine.
- Singing Competition: Veronika Dian Anggarapeni served as a judge in a singing competition organized by BIPA Korea at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul. The participants were South Korean nationals studying the Indonesian language and demonstrated their singing abilities. The songs in the competition included Indonesian national songs, keroncong, and Indonesian pop. The event was lively and filled with enthusiasm. Although the participants had only recently started learning Indonesian, they were able to sing Indonesian songs with excellent pronunciation.
- Cultural Introduction at BUFS: During the internship, the participants also introduced Indonesian culture to students at Busan University of Foreign Studies by conducting cultural classes twice a week for three months. This activity expanded knowledge and appreciation of Indonesian culture among international students.
Additionally, participants attended Korean language classes to facilitate better interaction with the local community.
This internship program serves as a cultural diplomacy effort that deepens bilateral relations between Indonesia and South Korea, introduces Indonesia’s rich culture, and strengthens Indonesia’s position on the global cultural stage, aligning with SDGs No. 4 (Quality Education), No. 10 (Reduced Inequality), No. 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and No. 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). (VDA)
