EN
INA
Strengthening Intercultural Understanding: Opening of the Cultural Visit Program Kanto International Senior High School 2025
On Monday, August 4, 2025, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University, through the Indonesian Literature Study Program in collaboration with the Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) Unit, officially held the Opening Ceremony of the Cultural Visit Program Kanto International Senior High School 2025. The event took place at the Ir. Soekarno Hall, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University.
The Cultural Visit Program of Kanto International Senior High School is an annual program consistently implemented as part of academic and cultural cooperation between the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University, and Kanto International Senior High School, Japan. The program aims to broaden students’ understanding of Indonesia’s cultural diversity, particularly Balinese culture, and to strengthen intercultural awareness through direct interaction with academics, local culture, and the surrounding community.
The opening ceremony began with a Cendrawasih Dance performance presented by the Satyam Sivam Sundaram Student Activity Unit of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University. The dance symbolically represented a welcoming gesture and expressed the hope that the Cultural Visit Program Kanto International Senior High School 2025 would be carried out with enthusiasm, joy, and cultural openness for the visiting students from Japan.
This was followed by a welcoming address from the Chair of the Organizing Committee of the Cultural Visit Program Kanto International Senior High School 2025, Prof. Dr. I Ketut Sudewa, M.Hum. In his remarks, he expressed high appreciation to the organizing committee for their dedication and hard work in preparing and implementing the program. He also emphasized the importance of program sustainability and encouraged young lecturers to continue fostering enthusiasm and carrying forward the Cultural Visit Program in the future as part of strengthening the international network of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University.
The next address was delivered by a representative of Kanto International Senior High School, Japan, Ms. Cecilia Yumiko Horas, who formally introduced the school to the academic community of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University. In her presentation, she explained that Kanto International Senior High School has been established for more than one hundred years and is the only school in Japan that specifically offers Indonesian language studies. She also introduced the nine students participating in the 2025 Cultural Visit Program. During the program, the students will stay with host families in the Balinese community, allowing them not only to observe but also to directly experience daily life and gain a contextual understanding of Indonesian cultural values.
The ceremony continued with a welcoming address and official reception by the Vice Dean I for Academic Affairs and Planning of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University, Dr. I Gede Oeinada, S.S., M.Hum. In his speech, he expressed appreciation and enthusiasm for the arrival of the students and accompanying teachers from Kanto International Senior High School. He emphasized that the Cultural Visit Program is one of the flagship programs of BIPA, as it provides authentic experiences in learning the Indonesian language and culture for foreign students. He also expressed hope that all program activities would run smoothly and provide tangible benefits in the form of new knowledge and intercultural experiences for the participants. At the end of his remarks, he officially and symbolically declared the Cultural Visit Program Kanto International Senior High School 2025 open until its completion.
The opening ceremony concluded with a group photo session, marking the official commencement of the program. This was followed by a traditional Balinese lunch prepared by the organizing committee and enjoyed by all invited guests and participants. The informal gathering served as an initial introduction between the Kanto International Senior High School students and the lecturers involved in the Cultural Visit Program.
Throughout the program, which takes place from August 4 to August 23, 2025, participants are scheduled to engage in various academic and cultural activities, including Indonesian language classes at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Udayana University, traditional arts performances, and educational and cultural visits. Through these activities, it is expected that the students of Kanto International Senior High School will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Indonesian language, Balinese culture, and Indonesian society through direct experience.
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES