Nasywa Nadia Shafira, a 2021 Communication Science student at Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), has brought honor to her university on the international stage. Along with her teammates, Sherly and Naila, she secured victory in the Global Youth Voices: Digital Interfaith Storytelling Campaign 2025, a competition organized by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF), a New York-based organization.

The competition was part of the 2025 World Interfaith Harmony Week, a United Nations (UN) initiative promoting interfaith dialogue and harmony. The event invited young people worldwide to convey messages of peace, tolerance, and religious diversity through short 2–3 minute videos. Nasywa’s team’s video was selected and showcased during a global webinar on 26 February 2025, following a rigorous selection process with a submission deadline of 21 February 2025.

Nasywa’s motivation to participate stemmed from her belief that communication can serve as a powerful tool to bridge divides.

“I believe communication can connect differences. This isn’t just a competition—it’s a platform to voice essential messages,” she said.

In their creative process, the team opted for a professional webinar-style video to make it relatable and relevant to a global audience. This approach also demonstrated that messages of tolerance can be conveyed calmly, structurally, yet still emotionally impactful.

However, the journey to the final product was not without challenges. The biggest hurdle was balancing their academic workload with the demanding video production schedule within a tight timeframe. Busy class schedules, piled-up assignments, and differing team members’ availability made coordination difficult.

“We struggled with time management, especially when things got hectic. But because we worked together and supported each other, we pulled through,” Nasywa explained. 

Despite being produced entirely online, the team’s cohesion remained strong. Intensive digital coordination and clear role division ensured a smooth process.

As a Communication Science student, Nasywa credits her achievement to the knowledge gained in her coursework. Subjects like Public Speaking, Intercultural Communication, and Communication Planning & Research (KPR) helped her structure narratives, deliver messages effectively, and maintain visual and verbal communication quality throughout production.

“This competition made me realize that communication skills can truly make a global impact. Sincere words can become a force that changes the world,” she reflected.

For Nasywa, this accomplishment is not an end but a starting point to continue creating. She hopes fellow Communication students and prospective freshmen will seize opportunities, even in uncharted territories.

“Don’t be afraid to start small. Our voices matter, and through communication, we can be part of change.”*