Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable is the goal of SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) number 11. Efforts to achieve this goal are outlined in more detailed points. One of these points calls for strengthening efforts to protect and preserve world cultural and natural heritage. Behind the busy skyline, gloomy streets, and metropolitan walls of Surabaya, the city still has some places rich with traditional values. The FST Ambassadors, in collaboration with AGE (Airlangga Global Engagement), aims to introduce another side of Surabaya to students from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) through a visit to the village and community of Lawas Maspati, Bubutan (19/06).
Kampung Lawas Maspati is known as a village that upholds the cultural values of Surabaya. The students’ visit to Lawas Maspati was warmly welcomed by the local residents. Before the exploration and community activities began, the villagers lent sarongs and blankons, symbols of East Javanese culture, to the participants. The atmosphere of familiarity and togetherness was reflected not only in the residents’ attitudes but also in the communal facilities built for shared use, such as the pendopo (a traditional open hall) and chess boards, which were always accessible to the locals. The values of caring for one another grew alongside the time spent together by the residents.
The care for the village, culture, and their community was also a value shown to the participants. The villagers invited the students to explore the village of Lawas Maspati and showed them old buildings. “These buildings are relics of the Mataram Kingdom,” said the guide. In addition to the buildings, the participants were introduced to the local customs of neighborly life, cultivating plants like aloe vera and cincau (grass jelly), and community practices. The LJMU students were invited to try making cincau and rolled eggs. The togetherness between the participants and residents continued with the introduction and practice of Senam Pijat (Massage Exercise). The activity concluded with a group photo with the residents.
This cultural approach is expected to serve as an initial bridge to introduce Indonesia’s cultural wealth in alignment with achieving SDG goal 11, which is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Through activities like visits to the village of Lawas Maspati or Surabaya’s community groups, cultural values and care for the community can continue to be preserved and passed on, ensuring that cultural heritage remains protected and appreciated.
