Source:https://beritajatim.com/mural-sejarah-surabaya-hasil-kolaborasi-uc-dan-utm-hiasi-jalan-mliwis
A Surabaya History Mural, a Collaboration Between UC and UTM, Decorates Mliwis Street
22 Februari 2025
Surabaya (beritajatim.com) – A mural themed on the history of Surabaya’s past now adorns Jalan Mliwis, thanks to a creative collaboration between students from Ciputra University (UC) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
The “Uniting Colours in Creativity and Heritage” program, which took place from February 16-22, 2025, not only produced high-quality artwork but also strengthened international relations and supported the revitalisation of Surabaya’s Old Town.
Around 20 UTM students from various departments, accompanied by four lecturers, actively participated in the creation of this 7.5 x 3 meter mural. They collaborated with students and lecturers from the UC Visual Communication Design (VCD) Study Program.
Vice Head of International Relations at Ciputra University, Gelar Nanggala Wahyu Sagara Putra, explained that this program is a concrete manifestation of UC’s support for the Surabaya City Government’s revitalisation of Surabaya’s Old Town.
The selection of the mural’s theme and location was coordinated with the Surabaya City Department of Culture, Tourism, Youth, and Sports (Disbudporapar).
“This program aims to strengthen international cooperation, particularly in non-academic fields, highlighting creativity, cultural exchange, and the involvement of students across countries,” Gelar said on Saturday (February 22, 2025).
A Mural Telling a Story
UC VCD lecturer and mural designer, Pandu Rukmi Utomo, explained that the mural features iconic Surabaya icons such as horse-drawn carts (horse-drawn carts), clover vendors, lontong balap (rice cake) vendors, and the cangkrukan atmosphere.
The three-day, six-hour-long project demonstrated the harmonious collaboration between Indonesian and Malaysian students.
In addition to painting, UTM students were invited to explore Surabaya, enjoy local culinary delights such as lontong balap (rice cake) and clover, and visit the Tunjungan National Furniture Agency (Deskranasda) to learn about local MSME products.
Participants were also given the opportunity to explore Surabaya during a sightseeing session. This was part of the cultural experience. “We invite our UTM friends to enjoy Surabaya culinary delights like lontong balap (rice cake), semanggi (vegetable salad), and sinom (rice cake),” he said.
A Valuable Experience for Students
This experience was very memorable for the students. UTM Mechanical Engineering student Shym Pei Xun admitted that he felt challenged because he had never painted a mural before.
He said the only challenge was being blocked by people on the public road, but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. “I’m proud to be able to create a work on an icon of Surabaya. “The difficulty is that it’s blocked by people passing by because it’s a public road, but it’s not really a problem,” he said.
Then, Thayabharam, a UTM student majoring in Petroleum Engineering, expressed his joy at collaborating with Indonesian students and sampling unique Indonesian cuisine.
Meanwhile, Cleo, a UC student, was pleased to see her UTM classmates’ enthusiasm and gained valuable experience in enriching their cultural knowledge and strengthening friendships.
She hopes this mural can serve as a bridge for cultural diplomacy between Indonesia and Malaysia and become a new tourist attraction in Surabaya. Furthermore, the Surabaya community will be encouraged to preserve the mural.
Furthermore, this program aims to develop students’ insight and character, particularly among aspiring designers, while upholding cultural values and identity. [ipl/beq]