Banjarmasin wins National Regional Language Revitalisation Award 2026
We want regional language revitalisation to go beyond ceremonial activities and truly be integrated into education, arts and culture, and the social lives of students,
Banjarmasin (ANTARA) — Banjarmasin City Government in South Kalimantan has been awarded the National Regional Language Revitalisation Award 2026 by Indonesia’s Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
Mayor H Muhammad Yamin HR, when confirmed in Banjarmasin on Monday, said the award demonstrates that preserving national regional languages remains important in the city amid technological and modern cultural developments.
Yamin, who received the award directly from Deputy Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Dr Fajar Reza Ulhaq at the National Mother Tongue Seedling Festival (FTBIN) 2026 in Depok, West Java, stated that regional languages are not just communication tools but also identities reflecting the Banjar community’s character.
“Regional languages must not be lost to time. The government wants the younger generation to know, use, and be proud of Banjar language as part of the local cultural identity,” he said.
According to Yamin, the biggest challenge is the use of regional languages in daily life, especially in urban areas and digital spaces.
However, he added, the government sees significant opportunities to strengthen language preservation through schools, cultural activities, social media, and collaboration with creative communities.
These steps, Yamin said, are crucial to ensure regional languages do not just survive as oral heritage but evolve with changing times and youth communication patterns.
Meanwhile, Banjarmasin City Education Chief Ryan Utama said the achievement motivates the city to strengthen the regional language revitalisation programme sustainably.
He stressed that schools play a strategic role in fostering habits for students to stay close to local language and culture.
“We want regional language revitalisation to go beyond ceremonial activities and truly be integrated into education, arts and culture, and the social lives of students,” he said.
Looking ahead, Banjarmasin City Government plans to expand regional language protection through strengthening cultural literacy in schools, teacher training, developing locally-based learning materials, and increasing Banjar-language digital content.
Ryan hopes these steps will preserve regional languages amid modernisation while strengthening the younger generation’s cultural roots.