Meutia Hatta Urges Youth to Preserve Culture Through Creativity

Meutia Farida Hatta, daughter of Proclamation figure Mohammad Hatta, has called on the younger generation to preserve Indonesian culture through creativity by developing products based on cultural heritage that can enhance the nation’s competitiveness. Speaking at a talk show titled ‘Satu Abad Rahmi Hatta 1926-2026’ in Jakarta on Wednesday, Meutia said today’s youth possess greater creativity and more advanced technological support than previous generations, giving them a bigger opportunity to develop Indonesia’s cultural wealth. ‘I want today’s young people to be more advanced, with more advanced technology, and their creativity is also increasing,’ Meutia said. She believes that a love for cultural assets can be expressed through innovation in developing kebaya, traditional textiles, and other cultural products to make them more appealing to the public. Meutia noted that this spirit was exemplified by the late Rahmi Hatta, who enjoyed combining traditional fabrics and textiles into outfits that suited her personality, thereby attracting public interest. She assessed that such efforts have long contributed to advancing women’s empowerment, particularly in the economic sphere. ‘What she did back then, especially the mix-and-match approach, already encouraged progress in women’s economic empowerment,’ she said. Meutia expressed hope that the creativity of the younger generation could be harnessed to develop products made by Indonesian women, whether from young entrepreneurs or older artisans. ‘Now, if young people are more creative and use economic products from women, both young and elderly, I think we can elevate Indonesia’s name even higher on the world stage,’ she added. Beyond developing cultural products, Meutia also encouraged young people to get to know Indonesia by travelling to various regions. She said that tourism is not only a means to enjoy natural beauty but also an opportunity to learn about local culture and community life. ‘For Ibu, tourism is about learning. Besides enjoying the beauty, we also learn about the region and its people. It is also important to educate ourselves to love our homeland and its people,’ Meutia said.