Particularly committed: DAAD Prize and Prize for Intercultural Commitment awarded to international master's students

Chikita Rini Lengkong, a student in the master's program Media and Communication Science, has been awarded the prize for intercultural commitment by the city of Ilmenau and the Ilmenau University of Technology for her efforts to connect people and bring others closer to her native culture of Indonesia. For example, as coordinator of the education and culture section of the Indonesian Student Association in Thuringia, she organized the "Close the Gap!" event in Ilmenau's city center, which brought students and residents of the city closer together. Chikita Rini Lengkong is also active in the Children's and Youth University, she supported the multicultural Christmas party at the Ilmenau Technical University and the "Neighbors with a Heart" campaign of the Ilmenau Housing Association. The prize for intercultural commitment, which comes with 500 euros in prize money, is awarded every year to people who have made a special contribution to the integration and support of foreign citizens, and was presented by Beate Misch, mayor of the city of Ilmenau, at a ceremony in the Audimax:

Chikita Rini Lengkong's commitment to the realization of human rights and respect for the dignity of all people is not just a vision for Ms. Lengkong, but - as the examples of her numerous activities mentioned here illustrate - lived everyday life.

Viveka Venkatramana Bhat was also honored for his remarkable social and intercultural commitment as well as for his special academic achievements. During the event, the master's student was presented with the DAAD Award for Outstanding Achievement by International Students at German Universities, which is endowed with 1,000 euros. As a student in the master's program in Communications and Signal Processing, Viveka Venkatramana Bhat was involved, among other things, as an active member of the Indian Cultural Organization at the TU Ilmenau and accompanied new international students on their first steps at the university in the buddy program of the international we4you student service of the TU Ilmenau. He also advises prospective students via social media about studying in Germany. The award for his exceptional commitment was presented to him by Sophia Siegfried, Head of the International Office at TU Ilmenau:

Starting your studies during the corona pandemic is a special challenge, especially for international students. Viveka Venkatramana Bhat has mastered this situation excellently despite online teaching. His academic achievements are impressive. In addition, he has volunteered on campus from the very beginning and has actively implemented his motto "one for another" outside of lectures.

The award ceremony was framed by piano music by student Alina Schröter.