Bali Revives Bung Karno's Fighting Spirit Through Creative Competitions
Denpasar (ANTARA) – The Bali Provincial Government is reviving the fighting spirit of Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno, through a month-long series of creative competitions during Bung Karno Month 2026.
“This year’s theme, Kawya Atma Kerthi or ‘Celebrating the Proclamator’s Spirit’, encourages us not only to remember Bung Karno as a historical figure but to rekindle his struggle as a living energy in our thoughts, attitudes, and daily actions,” said Bali Governor Wayan Koster in Denpasar on Monday.
In line with the theme, the provincial government is implementing Bung Karno’s teachings through educational creative competitions, including poetry creation and recitation contests themed around Bung Karno the Proclamator, and speeches on ‘Bung Karno, Father of the Nation’.
“Participation is open to all societal groups, including school and university students across Bali. These activities aim to foster spaces for expression and reflection among the youth in understanding and applying Bung Karno’s struggle values,” Koster added.
According to the Governor, President Sukarno held deep admiration for Bali as a cohesive cultural space where spiritual values, traditions, and social life harmoniously coexist.
The event also features the Teruna Jaya dance competition, open to junior and senior high school students across Bali.
“Teruna Jaya is a Balinese dance heritage born from youthful expression, dynamic, spirited, and rich in courage to showcase identity,” said the Bali Governor.
The Bali Provincial Government has positioned Bung Karno Month as a spiritual space to preserve the nation’s collective memory, promoting a legacy of daring to dream big, thinking beyond one’s time, and acting for the people’s welfare to be introduced to the younger generation.
Historically, Bung Karno’s struggle was forged through pressure, imprisonment, and exile, yet it birthed grand ideas for an independent Indonesia, making him a living source of inspiration in public consciousness today.
Koster stated that the provincial government applies the proclamator’s values in Bali’s development, rooted in local wisdom and future-oriented.
Therefore, the Governor urged that these values not only be remembered or implemented in government programmes but lived out in everyday societal actions.
“With this spirit, Bali will not merely survive but continue to grow as a culturally rooted hub that contributes meaningfully to the world. Together, we preserve ancestral heritage and solidify Bali’s future as resilient, sovereign, and dignified,” he said.
The Bali Governor called on all citizens, especially the youth, to keep growing, enhancing their capabilities, broadening perspectives, and building resilient, competitive character, as Bali’s future depends on the quality of its people today.