The 75-year journey of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta has also grown alongside the communities that are part of the campus's daily life. In a spirit of gratitude for that journey, Dharma Wanita Persatuan (DWP) and UIN Sunan Kalijaga held a tali asih (gift-giving) and community service event for the families of the academic community and residents near the campus on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The event took place in two areas that are part of the university's development. In the morning, about 200 packages of basic necessities were distributed to residents near the construction site of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Campus II in Pajangan, Bantul. In the afternoon, the event continued at the main campus, where tali asih was presented to a number of children of faculty and staff members, and basic necessities were provided to 60 residents of Sapen.

At the event held in the first-floor Meeting Room of the PAU building, Vice Rector for General Administration, Planning, and Finance Prof. Dr. Mochamad Sodik emphasized that the university's journey must deliver benefits that people can feel. He pointed to the work of professors and lecturers that serves as a reference for other researchers as evidence of the academic community's contribution to the advancement of knowledge. These contributions also underpin UIN Sunan Kalijaga's second-place national ranking in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027.

According to Prof. Sodik, this spirit of contributing should also be reflected in the campus's relationship with its extended family and the surrounding community. Tali asih and silaturahmi (fellowship) are a way of nurturing those relationships, and of affirming the awareness that the university's progress is supported by many parties who strengthen one another.

“UIN Sunan Kalijaga wants what it does to make an impact. We ask for the prayers of all of you as part of the extended UIN Jogja family. Through tali asih and silaturahmi, we show that we are one whole, like a building whose parts strengthen one another,” he said.

Prof. Sodik also expressed appreciation to the DWP of UIN Sunan Kalijaga for the care it continues to show through its various social activities. What UIN Sunan Kalijaga is building is mutuality: helping one another, strengthening one another, and looking after one another. What we are building is not only an ivory tower, but also a wellspring for life," he said.

He also invited the recipients of tali asih and the community to pray for UIN Sunan Kalijaga so that it continues to grow and bring about public good. “Prayer is the essence of worship. So please pray for UIN Sunan Kalijaga,” he said.

On the same occasion, DWP UIN Sunan Kalijaga Advisor for Social and Cultural Affairs Ny. Nurlaeni Kholid Zulfa said the event was DWP's contribution, together with the university, to the success of the 75th Dies Natalis commemoration. The care was expressed by presenting tali asih to eligible families of the academic community and by sharing basic necessities with the community living alongside the campus.

For the recipients, this attention carries its own meaning. Nina Kusniwati, who spoke on behalf of the tali asih recipients, said the event showed that the university's academic achievements go hand in hand with social concern and a willingness to share.

The tali asih was presented symbolically to the recipients by Prof. Mochamad Sodik together with DWP representatives Ny. Ida, Ny. Sulastri, and Ny. Dina Misnen, and a representative of UIN Sunan Kalijaga who is also Head of the Public Relations Team.

After the event in the meeting room, the distribution of basic necessities continued in the first-floor Lobby of the PAU building. Dozens of residents lined up to receive the prepared aid packages. The afternoon gathering became a space for silaturahmi between the campus and the Sapen community, which has long been part of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's daily surroundings.

At 75, as in previous years, the effort to make an impact takes a form close to everyday life: attention to the families of the academic community, well-tended relationships with neighboring residents, and a willingness to help one another. From Sapen to Pajangan, this event affirms that UIN Sunan Kalijaga's growth also carries the responsibility of safeguarding its social bonds with the communities that accompany its journey. (humassk)