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ASEACCU 28th Conference

03/09/2022 WIB

       The Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) is a regional association of Catholic Universities in countries within this geographical area. The organization’s purpose is to promote Catholic higher education and support the local Churches. One of the annual events held by ASEACCU is a conference. This year, ASEACCU held the 2022 physical conference on "Memory and Identity" on August 23-27, 2022, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, hosted by St. Paul Institute. There are 29 universities from 7 countries participating in this annual event. Each university sent several faculty, staff, and students, but some universities only sent faculty and staff. Sanata Dharma University sent two delegates from the Graduate Program in ELS, Paulus Sarwoto, Ph.D., and Olyvia Vita Ardhani, and two other delegates, Fr. Antonius Sumarwan, SJ, and Jean Michelle Anwar, from two other departments. However, the faculty & staff, and students had different agendas even though they were at the same event. The faculty and staff conference was held at the St. Paul Institute and Dara Airport Hotel from August 24-27, 2022. The student conference was held at Phnom Penh Thmey Pastoral Center (PPTPC), St. Paul Institute, and Dara Airport Hotel from August 23-27, 2022.

           The event arranged by the committee was enjoyable and filled with new knowledge related to the conference theme. The participants received many materials such as Historical and Political Memory of Cambodia, Identity and Social Issues in the Context of Cambodia, Memory and Human Dignity, and Interreligious Dialogue Between Catholic and Religious Practices in Cambodia. In addition, participants also had the opportunity to participate in interfaith prayer between Catholics and Buddhists at one of the temples in Krang Ta Chann. Moreover, they also visited the Choeung Ek Killing Field and Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. Both places hold wounds that are still etched in the hearts of the Cambodian people because of Pol Pot's cruelty. The conference closed with a concelebration mass presided by the Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, H.E Bishop Olivier. After the closing mass, all participants enjoyed dinner while enjoying student performances by each country. The students from Indonesia performed several traditional games such as Cublak-Cublak Suweng, Ampar-Ampar Pisang, and Domikado. Our performance was closed by inviting all participants to dance together to the song Kopi Dangdut. (OV)

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