The 10th Global Culture Festival (GCF) that was held at the Monument of Serangan Umum 1 Maret was lively (10/5/2018). The GCF organized by Yogyakarta State University (UNY) is an event to introduce Indonesian tourism, art, and culture to the international community, as well as introducing the culture from various countries in the world to the people of Indonesia, especially Yogyakarta.
The event is an annual event organized by UNY from the Office of International Affairs and Partnership (KUIK). The 2018 GCF is the 10th festival, and has the theme of "Together We Care". In this year's Global Culture Festival, the theme of "Together We Care" is carried out by bringing the concept of "Charity" in which the funds that are fully obtained from the fund itself and the food tickets’ sale will be donated to people with disabilities in the Sayap Ibu Foundation and the National Paralympic Committee of the Special Region of Yogtyakarta in the form of a wheelchair by the Rector of Yogyakarta State University, Prof. Dr. Sutrisna Wibawa, M. Pd.
The 10th GCF that held in this year has two improvements. First, it took place in the outside area of UNY campus and located in the iconic place in Yogyakarta that is Serangan Umum 1 Maret Monument, the place of many cultural events are organized. Therefore, the visitors of the event is not only the people from Yogyakarta State University but also the people from society including the local and international tourists. Second, the event is the contribution of UNY which is in line with the vision of Yogyakarta’s Government to make Yogyakarta as the cultural destination.
The GCF event this year dispalyed the culture through traditional food and cultural performances such as traditional Indonesian songs, stand-up comedy, dance, band, keroncong, and traditional dance from all the various regions and countries to the Yogyakarta’s society. There are 15 provinces and 29 countries that participating in the event. The 15 provices from Indonesia are North Maluku, Southeast Sulawesi, Belitung, Banten, NTB, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta and Gorontalo,. Meanwhile the 29 countries are Peru, Panama, Mexico, America, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Mali, Madagascar, Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Hungary, Turkmenistan, Lithuania, Poland, Netherlands, China, India, Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Timor Leste which are represented by the foreign students who are studying the Indonesian culture and language through the scholarship program, the Developing Country Partnership (KNB), the transfer-credit students, and the self-financing students at Yogyakarta State University.
The event is also delighted by the performance from Student Activity Unit, Student Association, band, stand-up comedy and dancer from UNY. The event opened with the performance of SMP Budi Utama Chinese Band which was followed by the performance of SD Mutiara Persada, dance performances and traditional Indonesian songs, stand-up comedy, dance, band, keroncong performance, dance from various countries and drama performance from the foreign students.
The event also provided booths for each country or region where it can occupies a stand that shows the traditional food and culture of each region and country involved in the Global Culture Festival event. (Andre)
