The Faculty of Languages, Arts, and Culture at UNY successfully organized a vibrant and meaningful German Culture Exhibition on Thursday, 19 June 2025. The event, held within the faculty environment, not only showcased the rich culture of Germany but also became tangible proof of the students’ creativity and commitment to learning. A total of 23 student groups were actively involved as participants. They came from the “Kulturkunde A” class (9 groups) taught by Dr. Akbar Kuntardi Setiawan and Nila Viayanti Mala, M.Hum.; the “Kulturkunde” class (8 groups) supervised by Dr. Iman Santoso; and the MBKM Kulturkunde class (8 groups) led by Dr. Rahma Novitasari. This diversity of participants indicates a high level of enthusiasm for German cultural studies at UNY.

The event opened with official remarks. Dr. Iman Santoso, representing the lecturers of the course, expressed appreciation for the students’ hard work. The speech from the head of the department, represented by Dr. Akbar Kuntardi Setiawan, emphasized the importance of such an event as a contextual learning medium and cultural promotion. The exhibition was interactive and dynamic. Visitors were presented with various booths that displayed different aspects of German culture — from traditions and everyday life to contemporary issues. Not only did visitors observe, but they were also invited to participate in small activities and received special prizes. Entertainment was provided by a well-performing student music ensemble and the screening of creative videos produced by the “Sprechen” class.

The success of this event earned special appreciation from Nina Eifler, lecturer of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service), who attended as a visitor. “I believe all groups really did a very good job. This event is extraordinary!” said Nina with enthusiasm. “I would be very happy if events like this could continue in the future, and I can support them.” Overall, she stated that she could say the students really carried out their topics very well. Nina praised the depth of student preparations. “They considered many things to offer small activities, prizes, or something tangible that people can try. They were very meticulous in designing their booths and posters.” Another strength she pointed out was the presentation and multilingual ability. “I am very happy that in most booths there was someone who could explain and provide information, and that information was usually also available in various languages. This makes the exhibition interesting even for students from different disciplines. Bravo! I really feel this was very successful and it was clearly visible how the students felt proud and enthusiastic.”

On the other hand, the exhibition participants also shared deep impressions. “We were very happy because this was a new experience of how to package a course into an exhibition,” said one participant. “We didn’t expect that there would be so many visitors!” Beyond just a course assignment, participants admitted to gaining life lessons. “We can learn from German culture and strive to implement it in our everyday lives, such as the culture of punctuality, orderly queuing, waste-management culture, and concern for nature,” they explained. The 2025 German Culture Exhibition became tangible evidence of the success of a project-based and experiential learning model in UNY’s Faculty of Languages, Arts, and Culture. The event not only enriched the cultural insights of students and visitors but also instilled universal values such as discipline, neatness, environmental responsibility, and innovative spirit. The success opens the hope for the event to be made a regular, larger-scale agenda in the future.