Indonesia
The Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) received an official visit from the production team of Shenzhen Media Group (Shenzhen TV), China, to implement an international documentary project entitled “Telling China’s Story.” The program is a global communication initiative that aims to tell the story of cooperation between China and partner countries, including Indonesia, with a cultural approach and collaborative narrative.
The visit involved intensive cooperation between the Shenzhen TV team and FCS UB, particularly through Yang Nadia Miranti, S.Hum., M.Pd., a lecturer of the Study Program of Chinese Literature FCS UB, as well as involving local artists, cultural actors, and students of UB.
During the two-day event, Friday to Saturday (4/18-19/2025), the documentary team consisting of six Shenzhen TV crew members, including host Zhang Hongshuo, director Wang Ting, and professional photographers, shot at various cultural locations.
The shoots included: (1) Kranggan Village, Malang, to document a Topeng dance performance (Sailendra Topeng Dance Studio) and the traditional mask-making process by Arif Dwi Cahyono (2) UB campus for a cultural digitization training workshop and discussions related to the application of AI in cultural heritage conservation, and (3) Exclusive interviews with lecturers and students of FCS UB regarding the potential for China-Indonesia collaboration in the context of village development, cultural exchange, and vocational education.
In addition, Shenzhen TV also conducted an exclusive interview with Dr. H. Fadli Zon, S.S., M.Sc., Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, who at that time also visited UB, Prof. Widodo, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D.Med.Sc., Rector of UB, and Hamamah, S.Pd., M.Pd., Ph.D., Dean of FCS UB. The interview was held separately, on the same day, on Saturday (4/19/2025).
The program also highlights the preservation of local culture through technological approaches, including visual documentation training to build a database of mask patterns and explore cultural branding using AI.
The project is part of a global communication campaign initiated by the Shenzhen Broadcasting International Communications Center, focusing on President Xi Jinping’s three major initiatives, and has won numerous awards, including the 2024 “TV Landmark” and the China News Award.
The year 2025 is an important moment as it marks 75 years of China-Indonesia diplomatic relations and 70 years of the Asian-African Conference in Bandung.
In this context, UB was chosen as a key partner to showcase a portrait of strategic partnerships in culture, education, and sustainable development.
In her official correspondence, Wang Ting, director of Shenzhen TV, expressed her deep appreciation for the cooperation of FCS UB, especially to Yang Nadia Miranti, who was considered very professional and supported the smooth running of the project.
“Under the guidance of the Dean and the full cooperation of Ms. Yang Nadia, we hope this project will become an important milestone of cultural exchange between China and Indonesia,” Wang Ting wrote in an official letter via Shenzhen Email.
The documentary will be aired on Shenzhen TV International channel and various global media platforms to represent productive cultural cooperation between the two countries. [dts/PR FCS]