Bandung, WPs. - The Sundanese Language Education Study Program (PBS), Faculty of Language and Literature Education (FPBS), Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), invited Prof. Dr. Mikihiro Moriyama as a guest speaker for the Sundanese History course on 10 February 2026. The class, taught by Dr. Ruhaliah, M.Hum., was attended by around 60 PBS students and ran interactively.
“For Sundanese people, Tatar Sunda is a foundation. If Sundanese culture disappears, there will no longer be anyone who recognizes Sundanese culture. Without culture, a society will lose its values and identity,” Prof. Mikihiro Moriyama emphasized in his lecture for undergraduate (S1) and master’s (S2) students. On the occasion, the scholar of Sundanese literature and culture, who pursued his studies at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan, presented six key points on the importance of culture in Sundanese society, while reaffirming that culture is the primary foundation of Sundanese identity.
In his remarks, Moriyama explained that his interest in studying the Sundanese language was inseparable from the influence of Sundanese cultural figure Ajip Rosidi. According to him, Ajip Rosidi played an important role in encouraging him to seriously explore Sundanese cultural heritage. “One of the reasons I have pursued the Sundanese language is the encouragement and influence of Ajip Rosidi,” Prof. Moriyama told the students.
This lecture aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 17, Partnerships for the Goals, which highlights the importance of cross-country and cross-institution collaboration. Through this activity, UPI demonstrated its commitment as a campus that upholds the vision of Leading and Outstanding by opening space for academic cooperation with figures and institutions abroad. Through this initiative, UPI also fostered a collaborative space to strengthen academic development and cultural preservation.
In the material he delivered, Prof. Moriyama raised six key points related to the importance of culture in Sundanese society. He stressed that culture is the primary foundation of Sundanese identity. Without culture, he argued, a society will lose its values and identity. “For Sundanese people, Tatar Sunda is the foundation. If Sundanese culture disappears, there will no longer be anyone who recognizes Sundanese culture,” he reiterated.
Prof. Moriyama’s concern about the potential loss of Sundanese culture served as an important reflection for students. He noted that the younger generation, especially Sundanese Language Education students, carries a moral and academic responsibility to protect, cherish, and preserve the Sundanese language and culture so that they remain alive and relevant amid changing times.
The lecture became an important moment for students to view Sundanese culture through the perspective of an international academic. Prof. Moriyama’s presence also showed that the Sundanese language and culture have global appeal and deserve to be continuously studied and developed within international academic discourse. (Hilal Adha, Dian Hendrayana)