Deputy Minister of Culture Urges Young Generation to Bring Cultural Values to Every Activity

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Giring Ganesha Djumaryo, has called on young professionals, including those in the Beyond Professional (Bepro) network, to integrate cultural values into every activity as part of efforts to strengthen national identity and competitive advantage.

“Whatever you do, never forget and always bring cultural values within it,” he said at the Bepro National Coordination Meeting in Jakarta on Sunday, 1 March.

He further noted that culture can serve as a soft diplomacy instrument, and young professionals are expected to act as government collaborators in promoting culture as a matter of national pride.

Giring cited the example of the female pop group No Na, which promotes Indonesia on the global stage through its music. He also highlighted the animated film “Jumbo,” widely known and watched through the Netflix platform, as an example of a creative product that carries Indonesian identity. Director and screenwriter Joko Anwar was also recognised as having successfully penetrated the global film industry through his works.

Through these examples, Giring encouraged young professionals to explore cultural-based economics or cultural economy and to open up broad collaboration opportunities in cultural advancement.

He expressed hope that Bepro could make a tangible contribution to society whilst strengthening national cultural advancement.

At the same event, Bepro Chairman Lutfi Dipa stated that the forum represents collective work by all officials across various regions. “This National Coordination Meeting was made possible by the leadership’s guidance and constructive input from all Bepro officials. This is the result of collaboration and strong spirit of solidarity,” he said.

Beyond consolidation activities, the event also featured an educational movement presentation by Rian Fahardhi through his Sekolah Tanah Air (Homeland School) initiative. In his presentation, Rian highlighted the condition of thousands of schools in the Sumatra region affected by disasters, disrupting educational access for hundreds of thousands of students.

In response, Sekolah Tanah Air launched an Emergency School programme implemented through three phases: emergency response, stabilisation, and recovery transition. The initial stage focused on three locations in Aceh Province, providing learning tents, school equipment, sanitation support, and training for local teachers. This programme is part of a broader mutual-aid movement of 1,000 schools beginning in Indonesia’s western region.

“Emergency school is not merely about building temporary learning spaces, but about preserving hope for Indonesian children to have a future,” said Rian.