Bandung, August 12, 2026 – Three international students of Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), Amin Ghul Oriakhail from Afghanistan, Hoby Nasandratra Andriamiandrisoa from Madagascar, and Muhammad Shahzad Mazhar from Pakistan—proudly represented UIII at the Grand Final of Festival Pemelajar BIPA 2026, held at Balai Bahasa Provinsi Jawa Barat, Bandung. 

Organized by Balai Bahasa Provinsi Jawa Barat, Festival Pemelajar BIPA 2026 is an Indonesian language and cultural festival that provides a platform for international students to demonstrate their proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia while exploring their artistic talents through various competitions. The festival featured, among others, Indonesian-language singing and storytelling competitions. 

The participation began with a preliminary selection in which international students submitted video performances. From hundreds of submissions received from international students at universities across West Java, 20 participants were selected as finalists to compete in the Grand Final. 

In the final round, Hoby Nasandratra Andriamiandrisoa and Muhammad Shahzad Mazhar competed in the Indonesian-language Singing Competition, while Amin Ghul Oriakhail participated in the Indonesian-language Storytelling Competition. Their participation demonstrated not only their individual talents but also their ability to engage with and express themselves through the Indonesian language. 

Hoby delivered an outstanding performance and was awarded First Place in the Indonesian-language Singing Competition, marking a remarkable non-academic achievement for the UIII international student. Her accomplishment highlights her musical talent as well as her Indonesian language proficiency. 

The achievement of Hoby, together with the participation of Amin and Muhammad Shahzad, reflects the active involvement of UIII international students in Indonesian language and cultural activities beyond the classroom. Their participation also demonstrates how international students can build meaningful connections with Indonesian society by learning the language and engaging with local cultural experiences. 

UIII congratulates Hoby, Amin, and Muhammad Shahzad on their achievements and participation in the Grand Final of Festival Pemelajar BIPA 2026. Their journey serves as an encouraging example for other international students to explore their talents, embrace Indonesian language and culture, and take part in enriching experiences throughout their time in Indonesia.