Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 The Five-Centuries Literacy Movement was\nofficially launched at the 2026 HB Jassin Awards ceremony at Taman\nIsmail Marzuki (TIM) in Central Jakarta on Saturday (17 October).<\/p>\n
The movement was initiated by the Jakarta Library and Archives\nService ahead of the city\u2019s 500th anniversary in 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough this movement, the public is encouraged to produce written\nand creative works, such as poetry, short stories, personal accounts,\nessays and other forms of writing that record Jakarta\u2019s life from a\nrange of perspectives,\u201d said Diki Lukman Hakim, head of the Jakarta\nLibrary and HB Jassin Literary Documentation Centre (PDS) technical\nimplementation unit, in Jakarta on Sunday.<\/p>\n
He said pupils, university students, educators, writers, literary\nfigures, literacy communities and the general public would have the\nopportunity to contribute stories and ideas about the capital\u2019s\njourney.<\/p>\n
Libraries and cultural spaces are therefore expected to become more\nclosely connected to everyday life, while also serving as places where a\nnew generation of writers and thinkers can emerge.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Jakarta approaches its five-century mark in 2027, literature is\none way to record the city\u2019s journey, give voice to its residents\u2019\nexperiences and pass ideas on to the next generation,\u201d Diki said.<\/p>\n
Diki also said events for the 2026 HB Jassin Awards were held beyond\nthe main stage. On 16 and 17 October, organisers presented a community\nand food-and-drink exhibition, as well as an open-mic stage where\nmembers of the public could take part directly.<\/p>\n
The exhibition involved Big Bad Wolf Books, Jakarta Book Party,\nJnanasastra, Los Buku patjarmerah, Penalis, Rawamangun Concept, Redaksi\nNawala-Rabupagi, Sekacil, Eattiew, Jiucible by Surplus, Kaneramen and\nLace Coffee.<\/p>\n
The participation of literacy communities, food and drink businesses\nand creative groups broadened visitors\u2019 experience while bringing\ncultural activities into closer contact with community life.<\/p>\n
The open-mic stage, meanwhile, gave visitors, literary communities\nand participants a space to present their work and share their\ncreativity.<\/p>\n
Through these activities, Diki said, literature was not only an\nobject of evaluation in a competition, but also a cultural practice\nnurtured through encounters, the exchange of ideas and the courage to\nexpress oneself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese activities formed part of the Pustakarsa Festival\u2014the Library,\nArchives and Literature Festival\u2014which runs from 14 to 22 October 2026,\u201d\nDiki said.<\/p>\n
He added that the programme also included literacy discussions,\nread-aloud sessions, writing workshops, literature and music\nperformances, Piknik Baca Jakarta and the Urban Reading Walk.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Jakarta Library and Archives Service head Nasruddin Djoko\nSurjono said 14,988 people had taken part in the 2026 HB Jassin Awards,\neither individually or in groups, across four competition\ncategories.<\/p>\n
The competitions included the National Poetry Reading Competition,\nwith 3,700 entrants; the International Short Story Writing Competition,\nwith 10,011 entrants; the International Literary Criticism Writing\nCompetition, with 1,069 entrants; and the high-school-level Poetry\nMusicalisation Competition for the Greater Jakarta area, with 208\ngroups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese diverse categories show that literature can develop through\nmany forms of expression, from poetry readings, short-story writing and\nliterary criticism to performances combining language and music,\u201d\nNasruddin said.<\/p>\n
He said the event continued the spirit of Hans Bague Jassin in\ncollecting, documenting and preserving Indonesian literary works.<\/p>\n
Through the event, the government also hopes to expand creative\nopportunities for writers, foster emerging literary talent and ensure\nthe literary ecosystem can be passed on to future generations.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/five-centuries-literacy-movement-officially-launched-1792302642", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }