DPD RI Awards 2026 Opens Nominations for Regional Heroes

The Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) has opened nominations for the DPD RI Awards 2026, an event designed to recognise local heroes who have contributed to advancing their regions. The public can propose candidates via the official website at http://awards.dpd.go.id until 21 August. Last year’s awards ceremony was held at the Tribrata Hotel and Convention in South Jakarta on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, with five categories awarded. These included Social Development and Health, Culture and Tourism, Child Protection and Women’s Empowerment, Creative Economy, and a Special Award for Vulnerable Group Champions. Among the recipients was East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Paransa, who won in the Child Protection and Women’s Empowerment category. The award was presented by Minister of Women’s Empowerment Arifatul Choiri Fauzi and accepted on the governor’s behalf by Vice Governor Emil Dardak. Other winners included young medical researcher Aqsa Aura Syauqi for Social Development and Health, village tourism activist Sugeng Handoko for Culture and Tourism, South Sumatra PKK Chairwoman Febrita Lustia for Creative Economy, and Bayu Satria, an advocate for people with disabilities from rural Aceh, who received the Special Award for Vulnerable Group Champions. DPD RI Speaker Sultan B Najamudin stated that the awards aim to provide a platform for regional heroes whose efforts have not yet been spotlighted. He noted that the 152 DPD members represent approximately 80 million people and that the awards are a way to channel the aspirations of regional communities. Sultan assured that the DPD leadership cannot intervene in the selection of winners, as the process involves capable and independent judges. The 2026 awards will feature four categories: Innovator in Non-Formal Education, Innovator in Health Technology, Driver of Food Self-Sufficient Villages, and Preserver of Regional Culture. Special Recognition Awards will also be presented to individuals or groups who have made consistent and sustainable contributions to their regions.