Dutch Ambassador Gave Public Lecture at FIB UI on Dutch Language Day
Lambert Grijns, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Indonesia, Timor Leste, and ASEAN, gave a public lecture at the Faculty of Humanities (FIB), Universitas Indonesia (UI), Depok Campus, on Thursday (24/11), coinciding with Dutch Language Day (De Nederlandse Taaldag). This public lecture was the opening event of Ambassadorial Lecture Series on Humanities (ALeSH) initiated by FIB UI for its 83rd Anniversary (December 2022). The event was attended by Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Abdul Haris; Dean of FIB UI Dr. Bondan Kanumoyoso, S.S., M.Hum .; Director of Erasmus Taalcentrum Fons van Oosterhout; Director of KITLV-Jakarta and Representative of Leiden University in Indonesia Marrik Bellen; and the entourage of embassy staff, who are mostly the alumni of Dutch Studies Program.
Lambert Grijns delivered “Nederland in Tijden van Crisis“, which discussed the Netherlands during various crises, namely the energy crisis due to the Ukrainian war, the labor crisis, the crisis of many migrants seeking asylum, and the climate change crisis which also had an impact on related policies. cattle farm which resulted in farmers’ anger. Specifically for students, Grijns said that learning a foreign language must meet native speakers. Even if you cannot go to the Netherlands, you can learn the language by reading poetry, listening to songs, watching the news, etc. Learning cannot be limited only from the lecturer in the class. Public lecture participants who were dominated by students, lecturers, and alumni of the Dutch Studies Program were very eager about the presence and presentation of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In addition to public lectures, art performances were performed by students under the guidance of Dutch Studies Program lecturers, as well as Dutch musicians and poets. De Nederlandse Taaldag event also launched Buku Prosiding Kongres 50 Tahun Studi Belanda di Indonesia, which contained scientific articles by lecturers from Dutch Studies Program and researchers of Dutch language, literature, culture, and history from various countries with Dr. Lilie M. Roosman as the head of the editorial team as well as the head of the organizing committee for De Nederlandse Taaldag. This book is published in bilingual editions, which are in Dutch and Indonesian, and can be accessed digitally by the public.
Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Abdul Haris in his speech expressed his pride for Dutch Studies Program UI, which is the only Dutch studies program in Southeast Asia for the Undergraduate program. “Dutch Studies Program, since 1970, has produced graduates who have pursued careers in various fields ranging from education, banking, mass media, politics, and so on in government and private institutions,” said Prof. Harris. He added in his speech, “The collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Indonesia is also expected to continue and grow in the upcoming years.”
Dean of FIB UI Dr. Bondan Kanumoyoso, S.S., M.Hum. said that the public lecture from the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at De Nederlandse Taaldag was a good start for FIB UI’s ALeSH series. “As a faculty that has 11 undergraduate study programs based on foreign languages, we have close relationships with various countries in Asia, Europe, America, Australia, as well as the Middle East. Through ALeSH, which also coincides with the month of FIB UI’s 83rd Anniversary, we are trying to strengthen FIB UI relations with Ambassadors from the countries to be able to provide public lecture topics that can raise the enthusiasm of students during their studies and encourage them to pursue their potential careers,” said Dr. Bondan.
ALeSH invites ambassadors from countries that have partnerships with FIB UI, especially several foreign language-based study programs at FIB UI, to deliver public lectures for FIB UI academics.
