Qatar, itb.ac.id- around 120 ITB alumni along with their families who now reside in Qatar attending an alumni gathering cum lestari fundraising on Saturday 22nd March. This is the first alumni gathering since the management formation in November 2007, taking place in Al-Waga Clum Al Knor Community Complex, Al Khor, Qatar. In this event, 20 thousand QAR which is about 50 million Rupiah was raised for the ITB Lestari Fund. Upon attendance registration, the alumni received a package containing a magazine ‘Cinta ITB’, stickers and ‘Cinta ITB’ pin, Satuan Kekayaan dan Dana (SKD) 2007 report and list of ITB alumni in Qatar. Photos of ITB’s campus and Bandung from years ago, Rene L Conrad’s passing, invasion of ITB campus in 1978 to the recent photos of campus were on display upon the wide banner of the front stage. ITB’s hymn was played and echoed to all parts of the complex. At 1600 in the evening local time, events took off with children’s games, coordinated by the wives of the alumni. “The main purpose for the games besides meeting one another, it is training the children to work together in teams and encouraging them to believe in themselves more,” said Anissa Ramadina, the coordinator and Architecture 1996’s alumna. At 1700 the children’s games ended and it continued on as games for the alumni. The alumni were divided into two teams based on geography of their allocation- West Block (where Mechanical Engineering and Physical Engineering among other faculties are located) and the East Block (where Environmental Engineering, Geology Engineering and Chemical Engineering departments are). With their feet tied, the players have to move a container from one player to another from one end to the other end of campus. In the night, children of the alumni played classical pieces using a piano and a violin which were then auctioned. The money was then contributed to SKD ITB. The first to perform was Dyasanti Vidya Saputri Susilo, daughter of Susilo Cahyono, Head of IA ITB Qatar. Following her were Tresa Variyani Zen, daughter of Djatiwangsa Zen, Petroleum Engineering 1983 alumni, Rania Amalia Putri Susilo Cahyono, daughter of Susilo, and Andien Agung Dharmawan, daughter Agung Dharmawan, Petroleum Engineering 1979 alumni. Final performance of the alumni’s children was again by Dyasanti, who then played Für Elise- a Beethoven masterpiece. Bidders topped one another to prices ranging from QAR 100, 200, 500 and sometimes up to QAR 1500. The enthusiasm of the alumni was something that was never expected or seen before. At the end of the auction, a large commitment fund as much as QAR 15 750 was raised. That night’s collection along with the fun collected prior to the even through the Q-ta Fund which as QAR 4250 summed up to QAR 20 000 or 50 million Rupiah was contributed to ITB via SKD. Master of ceremony Yuniarto, Physics Department 1995 alumni known as Unang made sure the event was festive and refreshing. His appearance alternated with presentations by Djatiwangsa Zen titled ‘Menabung, Saham dan Investasi’ (Saving, Stocks and Investments) and also by Faisal Wiryasantika titled Black Berry. “This event is the first step by alumni in Qatar to give the best to the alma matter for there is no such thing as a former alma matter. For that reason, it is fair that we now give a part as a return of the luxury of education ITB had provided us years ago for our beloved alma matter,” said Susilo Cahyono, Head of IA Qatar in his short speech before the event was concluded. Original article by krisna