Foreign students of the Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) Program at Universitas Negeri Medan (UNIMED), under the guidance of BIPA lecturers from the Faculty of Language and Arts (FBS UNIMED), Nadra Amalia, S.Pd., M.Pd., and Tomi Arianto, S.S., M.A., organized a cultural tour aimed at introducing the rich cultural heritage and history of Medan City. On Friday, January 3, 2025, the students visited three significant landmarks that reflect the local history and culture: Tjong A Fie Museum, Rahmat Gallery Museum, and the North Sumatra State Museum.
The activity, which began in the morning, was enthusiastically welcomed by students from African countries such as Algeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Comoros, and Sudan. The participating students included Alsadig, Kaleb, Ikrame, Said, and Badru. The tour began with a visit to the Tjong A Fie Museum, which showcases the life story of Tjong A Fie, a prominent figure in Medan’s history. The students had the opportunity to learn about his life journey as a Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneur who significantly contributed to the economic and cultural development of Medan in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Next, the group continued to the Rahmat Gallery Museum, which features a collection of art and artifacts related to the flora, fauna, and local culture of North Sumatra. Here, the foreign students gained deeper insights into the region’s biodiversity and the important role art plays in preserving nature and local heritage.
The final destination of this Medan cultural tour was the North Sumatra State Museum, which displays a wide array of historical objects related to the region’s history, culture, and social development. The students were invited to explore the diverse cultural heritage of North Sumatra, from prehistoric times to the colonial era.
This activity not only gave the foreign students an opportunity to gain a closer understanding of Indonesian culture—particularly that of Medan—but also broadened their perspective on the importance of cultural preservation through museums. The program aims to foster intercultural relations and deepen students’ understanding of Indonesia’s local history and traditions.
“We are very happy to join this cultural tour, as it helped us better understand the amazing history and cultural richness of Medan. This has been a truly valuable experience,” said Kaleb, a BIPA student from Ethiopia, Africa.
This cultural excursion is part of UNIMED’s efforts to introduce the richness of Indonesian culture to foreign students in the BIPA program. Activities like this are expected to not only help students improve their Indonesian language skills, but also inspire love and appreciation for Indonesia’s cultural heritage.
(Public Relations UNIMED)
