Indonesia
The Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) of Universitas Brawijaya (UB) reaffirmed its role in cultural diplomacy through a guest lecture held for students of Peking University, China, on Friday (1/31/2025). This event presented Yang Nadia Miranti, S.Hum., M.Pd., Lecturer of the Study Program of Chinese Literature FCS UB, as the main speaker, along with accompanying students as speakers in the discussion with the theme of Knowing Malang’s Cultural Wealth and Historical Heritage.
This guest lecture aims to introduce Malang’s cultural diversity to international students, especially from Peking University, by displaying various cultural heritages such as Batik Celaket, Malang Thematic Village, Ganesha Museum, and Oro-Oro Dowo Traditional Market.
In her presentation, Yang Nadia explained how Malang’s culture continues to develop without forgetting its traditional roots. One example that attracted attention was that participants were invited to get to know Malang Thematic Village, which consists of several tourist villages with unique concepts, such as Kampung Warna-Warni Jodipan, Kampung Tridi, which is famous for its colorful murals and 3D art, Kampung Tempe Sanan, and Kayutangan Heritage. These villages have become leading tourist destinations that lift the local community’s economy.
The accompanying students also shared interesting material about Malang’s culture and tourism. One is Batik Celaket, a typical Malang batik that began to develop during the Dutch colonial period. Initially only reserved for royalty, Batik Celaket has become a cultural product supporting the local economy through MSME-scale production and has become one of the leading souvenirs for tourists.
In another session, Peking University students were also introduced to Museum Ganesha, a museum that presents a collection of cultural artifacts from Malang and East Java. The museum is managed with a modern approach that attracts tourists, especially the younger generation interested in historical and aesthetic aspects.
In addition to the museum, the guest lecture highlighted the role of the Oro-Oro Dowo Traditional Market, one of the oldest markets in Malang that has undergone various modernizations without losing its traditional values. This market has become a model for community-based market management that maintains the typical atmosphere of Indonesian people’s markets.
The Dean of FCS UB, Hamamah, Ph.D., said this activity is part of expanding cultural diplomacy between Indonesia and China. With this guest lecture, academic and cultural relations between the two universities can be strengthened.
“We hope this guest lecture can provide new insights for Peking University students about Malang’s rich culture. It is also part of FCS UB’s commitment to supporting the internationalization of Indonesian culture through academic approaches and inter-university collaboration,” he said.
Peking University students who attended this session expressed enthusiasm for learning about Indonesian culture, especially Malang culture. They are interested in the concept of thematic villages that combine aspects of history and visual arts and want to learn more about the potential of the growing creative economy in Malang.
“I am very impressed with this presentation. It turns out that Malang has a vibrantand diverse cultural heritage. I hope one day I can directly visit these thematic villages and see the process of making Batik Celaket,” said one of the participants.
With this guest lecture, FCS UB further emphasized its position as one of the faculties active in cultural diplomacy and strengthening academic relations across countries. In the future, cooperation between FCS UB and Peking University is expected to develop in a broader direction, including student exchanges and joint research in culture and language. [dts/PR FCS]