King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) has concluded Arabic Language Month in Indonesia, held in the cities of Jakarta and Malang from January 7 to February 3.

The Arabic Language Month in Indonesia featured training programs and educational activities held at several academic institutions to develop Arabic language teaching curricula, improve the teachers’ performance, and enhance the status of the language. Throughout the event, KSGAAL highlighted its endeavors in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers and underscored the Kingdom's commitment to serving the Arabic language globally, training teachers and enhancing their teaching capabilities, and ultimately improving learning outcomes for Arabic language learners.

As part of the program, KSGAAL held an Arabic language academic competition for non-native Arabic speakers in Indonesia across three tracks: Public Speaking, Storytelling, and Calligraphy. The competition attracted 260 participants from 84 colleges in Indonesia. The jury outlined specific criteria for each track to ensure transparency and fairness.

During the first stage of the competition, three winners in each track were tested remotely and then competed (in person) before the jury at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta. The contestants exhibited remarkable competitiveness and enthusiasm, giving the competition significant momentum.

In the Public Speaking track, Ujang Endin (Arraayah University Sukabumi) won first place, Via Nour El Qamaria (Sunan Ampel University Surabaya) won second place, and Alfabean Mahdani (STIBA Makassar) won third place. In the Storytelling track, Mghfara al-Hasna (University of Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo) won first place, Muhammad Farid Ferdana (Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University) won second place, and Razia Sabran (Antasari State University Banjarmasin) won third place. In the Calligraphy track, Isra Renandito Hirawan Yawarno (Raden Mas Said University Surakarta) won first place, Khairul Anam Marzuki (Shams-Ul Uloom College Sukabumi) won second place, and Muhammad Rabudin (Quran Calligraphy Institute - LEMKA) won third place.

The Arabic Language Month in Indonesia was held for three weeks in Jakarta and one week in Malang. The program included four teacher training courses dedicated to employing modern learning strategies in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers. Additionally, five training courses were offered to learners and covered listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

The program included two panel discussions addressing a range of topics, including

the most commonly used language tests, methods to evaluate teachers of Arabic language to non-native speakers, the use of technology in teaching Arabic language, approaches to identify the best available tools and applications, and designing modern programs and materials for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers. Additionally, two academic seminars were held focusing on the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers and the status of Arabic language learning in Indonesia, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities.

Organizing the Arabic Language Month in Indonesia reaffirms KSGAAL’s strategic role in supporting all aspects of the Arabic language and teaching it to non-native speakers. The initiative helps enhance collaboration between KSGAAL and institutions outside the Kingdom that are interested in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers. The event emphasizes KSGAAL’s mission of capitalizing on opportunities for the service of the Arabic language, preserving its integrity, and supporting its spoken and written word to elevate its status globally, promote its use, and facilitate its teaching and learning inside and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.