Khon Kaen, Thailand – The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Khon Kaen University (KKU) recently hosted the Ambassador of Peru to Thailand, showcasing the success of its Spanish language cooperative education program and strengthening the enduring friendship between Thailand and Peru.
On March 20, 2026, the faculty officially welcomed a delegation from the Embassy of the Republic of Peru. The delegation was led by H.E. Cecilia Z. Galarreta, Ambassador of Peru to Thailand, and included Mr. Martín Abarca, Third Secretary and Head of Economic, Commercial, and Cultural Affairs, and Mr. Natthawat Pornpinith, Honorary Consul of Peru in Khon Kaen. Assistant Professor Dr. Dararat Khamphu-saen, Assistant Dean for International Affairs, received the guests on behalf of the faculty dean.
A key event during the visit was a cultural film screening of “A World for Julius” (Un mundo para Julius). The event was professionally coordinated by two third-year Spanish majors, Ms. Sirilak Jakabut and Ms. Supitcha Churasri, who are currently completing their cooperative education internships at the Peruvian Embassy in Bangkok.
Their successful coordination highlights the quality of the university’s graduates. Both students were mentored by Assistant Professor Fuangkate Thongwan-chai, a faculty member in the Spanish program, who played a crucial role in guiding them from classroom learning to performing effectively in a diplomatic setting. This serves as a model for the program’s success in providing students with real-world, international work experience.
In her remarks, Ambassador Galarreta emphasized the importance of educational ties. “The Embassy of Peru is pleased and committed to being a key mechanism in supporting educational exchange between institutions in both countries,” she stated. “We believe that education and culture are the most powerful mediums for connecting people. Supporting Thai students in learning the language and way of life of Peruvians will build a strong foundation for cooperation in other dimensions in the future.”
The featured film, “A World for Julius,” is an adaptation of a world-renowned novel by Alfredo Bryce Echenique. It tells the story of an upper-class boy in 1950s Lima who confronts a world of social inequality, serving as an educational tool for students to analyze Peru’s social structure and cultural diversity.
The visit marks the ninth anniversary of the cooperative education partnership, during which 19 students have interned at the Embassy of Peru. This long-standing collaboration underscores the faculty’s leadership in creating global opportunities for Thai graduates.
