Source: FT Untar

Red lanterns hung across several corners of the Untar campus, casting a warm glow along the university corridors. Beneath them, students moved about as usual, yet the atmosphere felt more vibrant than on ordinary days. The color red was not merely decoration, but a symbol of the arrival of Lunar New Year, gradually bringing a sense of togetherness amid academic activities.

The Lunar New Year celebration on campus was more than a seasonal decoration. It became a meeting space for cultures, where Lunar New Year was not simply a tradition, but also a reflection of the philosophy of togetherness that accompanies it.

Historically, Lunar New Year has been celebrated for more than three millennia within Chinese civilization. Yet within the campus environment, its meaning feels closely connected to students’ daily lives. Values such as respecting parents, working hard, striving for self-improvement in the new year, and maintaining social relationships resonate strongly with academic life—from completing group assignments and building friendships to learning how to adapt to differences.

At Untar, diversity is indeed part of everyday reality. Students come from various regions across Indonesia with different religious and cultural backgrounds. Lunar New Year then becomes one of the moments when those differences no longer feel like boundaries, but rather become shared experiences.

Through these simple interactions, tolerance grows naturally—not because it is formally taught in classrooms, but because it is experienced directly.

The atmosphere demonstrates that a campus is not only an academic space, but also a social one. Diversity is not merely a concept discussed in lectures, but a lived practice in everyday life.

Ultimately, Lunar New Year celebrations at Untar do not belong to only one group, but to the entire campus community, serving as a moment to get to know, understand, and appreciate one another. The university provides a space for interaction where dialogue can occur without barriers, and it is there that the true value of education extends beyond theory.

In a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected yet vulnerable to division, simple experiences such as celebrating Lunar New Year together carry important meaning. They help shape younger generations who are not only academically capable, but also socially mature—able to live within diversity, think openly, and respect the identities of others.

Under the glow of lanterns hanging across the campus area, that sense of togetherness feels real. Lunar New Year becomes a reminder that hopes for the new year are not only about personal fortune, but also about preserving unity and harmony. And at Untar, those values continue to grow every day. (KS/YS)