One World: Indonesia Hand in Hand

In accordance with the common tradition. MUISS OneWorld has once again delivered us a wonderful event that celebrates all the different international cultures in Monash University! Unlike previous years that were mostly about bazaars and cultural showcases, this year added more competitive spirit through an international sport tournament! Students representing each country participated in four different sport categories: futsal, basketball, dodge ball, and badminton. This created an energetic atmosphere to encourage teamwork and friendly competition amongst international Monash students!

During its opening day, PPI committee members marched through the pathways while carrying Indonesian flags, cheering and chanting a hymn to motivate those who’re participating in the tournament! Chairs were quickly filled with anticipating audiences, eager to watch a battle unfold, and amongst them, our committee members were there wearing our signature jersey and supporting fellow Indonesians who represent our country throughout the tournament! Yet, despite the applause and encouragement to beat the other countries, we didn’t forget that this event is ultimately about sportsmanship and international camaraderie. Thus, the Indonesians played not just for the sake of beating their opponents, but to learn more about them through their playstyle as well. 

One of the highlights of the event was one of the dodgeball matches, specifically Indonesia against Maldives and Brunei. All players displayed quick reflexes and coordination that made the match look tense. Spectators were cheering and wondering which team would come out on top. Yet, the Indonesians showed a strong level of team communication that felt more cohesive as the match went on. It’s a brilliant spectacle when one of the players told the others to stand back to ensure they didn’t get hit by their opponents, and the player shot the ball straight into one of the Bruneians. The crowd erupted into cheers, especially the Indonesia supporters, who cheered the loudest. The match remained lively for most of the run, and in the end the Indonesians beat the Bruneians 2-0.

Another notable moment was in the badminton category, where both male and female players displayed agile and flexible skills in the game. There were many times where Indonesian players were able to get the first point of the game, often catching the opponent off guard. In fact, we have so many talented players this year, that by the end of the tournament, Indonesia managed to secure a podium third place win in Badminton men singles! It became one of the staples of the event, when the MC’s on the final day announced us achieving a spot on the podium. The PPI committee felt so proud of these players’ efforts to represent Indonesia in the best way

Unfortunately, we did experience some losses, as just before we could make it to the podium in the Basketball category, the team lost in the third place playoffs to Japan. Nevertheless, the fact that Indonesia managed to get so close to the podium is still impressive. We may have lost, but what matters is that the team did their best to proudly represent Indonesia.

Overall, this event based around sportsmanship and international rivalries was another success from MUISS. PPI is glad to have participated in this event and represented Indonesia once more with our hardworking and talented players. Here’s to hoping the next MUISS event will be another great one!

As we wait for that, please remember to keep in touch with updates from PPI, as new content will appear every so often. We even recently hosted a new podcast episode, so please do watch that if you haven’t already! Until the next new content, we hope you will continue to support PPI and stay updated on the latest news!