UNS — The Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta hosted a virtual nostalgia with UNS international alumni. This activity takes place in the 1443 Hijri UNS Postgraduate School Academic Members’ Annual Meet and Greet at the Ki Hadjar Dewantara Building Friday (13/5/2022). This teleconference invites Maksud Khoshimov, an alumnus of the Master in Translation Linguistics Study Program, and Yuzana Maung, an alumnus of the Medicine Education Study Program and Master in Public Health Sciences (IKM) Study Program. Maksud Khoshimov, who came from Uzbekistan, is currently working as a staff member of the Protocol and Consular Section for the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, Yuzana, who is from Myanmar, has just returned to her hometown after 7 (seven) years of studying at UNS.
In this teleconference, a number of UNS leaders, such as the Dean of UNS Postgraduate School, Prof. Sutarno, and the Head of the Master in Public Health Science Study Program, Prof. Bhisma Murti, were conversing with the two UNS alumni. Warmly, the Rector of UNS congratulates the two alumni for their good news and update. The two were currently celebrating Eid al-Fitr in their respective countries. Prof. Jamal also asked them to share the Eid al-Fitr celebration there. “Here, it’s not much different from Indonesia. There is a meet and greet after Eid prayer, then a visit to your relatives’ house,” said Maksud Khoshimov.
In contrast to Maksud Khoshimov’s experience, the Eid celebration in Negeri Seribu Pagoda is not as festive as in Uzbekistan or Indonesia because Muslims are a minority in Yuzana Maung’s home country. She recounted that there was no such ‘Takbir’ night like the one in Indonesia. “The Eid celebration is quite different because there are not many Muslim populations here. So, there is no ‘Takbiran’ from Maghrib to Subuh, Bedugs, and firecrackers. Then, the communal Eid prayer in the mosque is only for men, while women pray at home,” Yuzana said.
This year’s Eid celebration is also starkly different from her previous years, given that Yuzana only returned to Myanmar at the beginning of this year. Again, she added that after Eid prayer, they held a feast with the Muslim community there. Yuzana admitted that she missed the Eid al-Fitr celebration atmosphere at UNS. “Eid celebration and Ramadan in Indonesia are joyful. There are firecrackers, Bedugs, and Eid prayers in the UNS Rectorate courtyard. Eid al-Fitr in Indonesia is a national holiday, here, we have to take a day off to prepare Eid celebration,” she added.
The teleconference continued with several topics with Prof. Jamal, Prof. Bhisma, and Prof. Sutarno. At the end of the discussion, Prof. Jamal offered a scholarship to continue their studies at UNS for Maksud and Yuzana. Humas UNS
Reporter: Bayu Aji Prasetya
Editor: Dwi Hastuti