Dwi Surya Saputra (Tito), Salatiga, April 25,2024, graduation committee photo’s
Hello, friends! Most people call me Tito, but my real name is Dwi Surya Saputra. I sincerely thank you for your support during my studies at university through Friends Peace Teams, Asia West Pacific. I have now finished my degree in English literature from Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, after 3.5 years of wonderful studies. There, I learned about translation theories, cross-cultural understanding, and many other things. I especially enjoyed the interpreting course, in which I learned how to become a good interpreter, with theories that can be used to support translating in real-time.
After earning this degree, I feel a big improvement in my skills in translating and writing. Now, I often help Petrus and Nanik with translation, and help make videos for promotion and educational activities.
Beyond classwork, I was actively involved in various college committees and had the privilege of serving on the college senate. One of my favorite student activities was participating in the annual drama, a musical performance that is a grand event of the College of Language and Arts. This activity combines the results of 3 study programs: English Education, English Literature, and Music Art. While there, I participated in 3 dramas: Tangled; Jekyll and Hyde; and Beauty and the Beast.
Joining the college senate was a way to work for justice and peace. Together with my friends, I tried to create an environment free from corruption. We did this by checking all financial reports and also being directly involved in every activity. For example, I encouraged the senate to criticize the college because there was no canteen and the students had to go out to get food. That’s not in line with the campus program about healthy food, so I encouraged the senate to criticize the dean for this and to encourage building a canteen for students.
Tito, facilited PoG for teenager, Peace Place Pati, July 20,2024,Photo’s: Petrus
I had a direct dialog with the dean. The chairman of the senate and I discussed the needs of students for a bigger parking area, a canteen for healthy food, and no unfair water fee. My senate friends and I also had a demonstration at the college’s “Green Campus” program. The campus charges students to buy a gallon of drinking water from which students can later fill their tumblers. We objected because this is a private campus where we have paid semester fees. In this case, I tried to apply some AVP principles to choose the non-violent way. A peaceful demonstration was conducted with an open dialog in which each class president was invited to express his or her opinion. As a result, the college now covers the expense and no longer charges the water fee to students.
I am grateful to Nadine for allowing me and my team to translate the book, Creating Cultures of Peace, in the internship program. Through this internship program, I am trying to bring a nonviolent approach to campus. My friends find this book very useful for teenagers, as mental health has become a big issue among teenagers and lecturers on campus. Some people call the Satya Wacana Christian University community mini-Indonesia because students come from almost all over Indonesia: Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, and Papua. From conflicts that exist in and among these regions arises a lot of violence. Therefore, learning and practicing Creating Cultures of Peace is especially valuable for our students.
In addition to translating this book, my friends also learned and practiced some of the tools in it. On October 27-29, 2023, I had the opportunity to invite my fellow interns to attend a basic AVP training. They commented that the training was not like any other training they had taken. They didn’t just sit and listen for hours, but were invited to share their experiences and practice from their own and others’ experiences. Although the training was short, one friend used it as a tool for self-healing from her past trauma. My team and I hope that the translation can be used as an initial draft for an Indonesian version of Creating Cultures of Peace.
The internship program that I did with my team interested the vice dean of the College of Language and Arts. She commented that this was a new thing in the college. She even came to Peace Place Pati and met with Petrus and Nanik to talk about this internship program. She hopes that Peace Place Pati can accept internship students from the College of Language and Arts in the future.
Many interesting things have happened during my 3.5 years of college. I am very grateful to the people who supported me during my studies. Looking ahead, I hope I can help and support all peace work around me. Thank you and Best Regards
Tito and his friends from the English literature class at Satya Wacana Christian University graduated ( from left : Margaretha, Yemima, Yona,Sonia,Regina,Tito,Tiara, Yesaya) on April 25, 2024. Photo Tito friends