UNS – The Center for Javanology Studies (Javanology Institute) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta in cooperation with The Asian-Japan Research Center (A-JRC) and the American Institute for Indonesian Studies (AIFIS) held the Tri Matra International Seminar, entitled “Exploring and Identifying the Dynamics and Its Challenges of Cultural Transformation” as a way to apply its visions. One of those visions is becoming the excellent development center for science, knowledge, and art in the international level which is based on the noble values of the national culture,” on Wednesday (14/3/2018).
Handover of 7 (seven) wheelchairs from Masakatsu Tozu (Professor emeritus from Kokushikan University Japan) to children with disabilities through Rector UNS
This international seminar was opened by Ravik Karsidi as Rector of UNS. This event also presented the invited keynote speaker, Hitoshi Hirakawa (Director of A-JRC Kokushikan University Japan) and the other four experts: Masakatsu Tozu (Professor emeritus Kokushikan University Japan), Djusmalinar (Universiti Prince of Songkla Thailand), James M. Edmonds (AIFIS-America), and Setyo Budi (Javanology UNS). As a part of this event, seven wheelchairs were donated from Masakatsu Tozu to children with disabilities from several districts in Central Java through UNS Rector.
Ravik Karsidi when delivering the opening speech at an international seminar on cultural transformation
“In this seminar I hope there will be cross-cultural sharing in terms of knowledge and experience on cultural arrangements. Cooperation between countries, which I call ‘cross-cultural sharing’ earlier, is very important in order to avoid the tension by expecting that one country is better than others. Furthermore, as the cooperation program between UNS and Kokushikan University, we plan to add 80 more wheelchairs to be donated,” Ravik explained.
Tozu hopes that Japanese students and UNS students can share their happiness with others.
“I rarely see wheelchairs that are specially designed for children here. In Japan, wheelchairs for children are designed cutely as it for kids. At first, we collected these wheelchairs in Japan and then our students brought them to Indonesia. My hope for Japanese students and students of UNS is that all of you should share happiness for other people,” Tozu explained his reason for donating the wheelchairs.
In this seminar, the speakers delivered their speech upon ‘cultural transformation’ in different perspectives. Hirukawa took the economic aspect as the background of cultural transformation issues, Tozu focused on Kimono and Batik, Djusmalinar explained about the transformation of Patani culture in Thailand, Edmonds explained about his interest about ‘sholawat’ in Indonesia, and Setyo Budi unraveled symbols in Javanese culture. humas-red.uns.ac.id/Tni/Dty