UNAIR NEWS 鈥 东京热 (UNAIR) once again demonstrated its presence on the international stage by sending delegates to the 2026 Asian Youth Cultural Forum (AYCF) in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China. This annual forum serves as a valuable platform for young people from various Asian countries to exchange insights into their respective cultures, arts, and
traditions.
This year, UNAIR sent four delegates, namely Marsha Oktavia and Syarief Husein as representatives of UNAIR Ambassadors, as well as Andrean Marcelino and Risyad Zulkarnaen as representatives of the UNAIR Student Executive Board (BEM UNAIR). The delegates were accompanied by a faculty advisor, Usma Nur Dian Rosyidah SS MA, a lecturer from the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) UNAIR.
Introducing Indonesian arts through the Rahwana Dance
The AYCF series of activities began with a visit and cultural tour of the Guizhou Provincial Museum. In the evening, AYCF featured an arts showcase where participants from each country introduced their respective arts and cultures. The Indonesian delegation performed the Rahwana Dance from Betawi as a representation of the richness of Indonesia鈥檚 performing arts. In addition, the Indonesian delegation also presented a wayang performance.
鈥淭he dance is characterized by strong visual elements through the use of masks, costumes, music, and dynamic movements. It also represents the richness of traditional Betawi performing arts as part of Indonesia鈥檚 cultural diversity. The Betawi Rahwana Mask Dance demonstrates that Indonesian culture has diverse forms of artistic expression. Indonesia is home to arts rich in symbolism, philosophy, and community identity,鈥 she explained.
In addition, the character of Rahwana was chosen for the dance due to his strong and complex characteristics, which can represent values such as courage, strength, leadership, and ambition. Through the performance, the Indonesian delegation sought not only to present an artistic performance but also to introduce the values and meanings embedded within it.
鈥淭hrough this performance, we hope to create opportunities for cultural exchange with participants from other countries. It also demonstrates that traditional arts can serve as a means of fostering understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity at the international level,鈥 she added.
Enthusiasm from other countries to discover Indonesian Arts
On the second day, the delegates explored traditional Chinese music and dance and learned about various traditional musical instruments. On the third day, they explored traditional Chinese visual arts, including Chinese ink painting, printmaking, and paper cutting.
The activities continued with a cultural bazaar. The Indonesian delegation introduced various products from across the country, ranging from traditional games, musical instruments, and textiles to performing arts and traditional Indonesian cuisine. The products included traditional games such as dakon, bekel balls, and yoyos. The delegation also showcased batik, ulos, and traditional woven textiles. Various traditional culinary products were also presented, including sambal, ginger candy, shrimp spring rolls, tempeh chips, rengginang, green chili, and rendang.
鈥淲e want Indonesia to showcase more than just one form of culture, but to provide a broader picture of Indonesia through various aspects of everyday life. These include traditional games, music, textiles and handicrafts, performing arts, culinary traditions, and educational institutions,鈥 she emphasized.
Author: Putri Andini聽
Editor: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
