National Stage for Literacy Activists, Nominate Them Here!
Yogyakarta is known as a city of students, but that title cannot be separated from the role of people working outside the classroom. There are managers of community reading gardens established through residents’ self-help efforts, volunteers for village literacy communities, and mobile library activists reaching children in remote corners of Jogja and its surroundings.
They work without fanfare, sometimes with only a simple bookshelf and a passion for building a reading culture. Now, this kind of dedication has a path to national appreciation through the DPD RI Awards 2026.
“Through the DPD RI Awards 2026, DPD RI hopes that more individuals who have worked and contributed to society will receive appreciation while also becoming an inspiration for other regions,” DPD wrote in its official statement.
Of the four categories opened for the DPD RI Awards 2026, the Nonformal Education/Out-of-School Education Innovator category is the most relevant for literacy activists. This category targets individuals dedicated to expanding public learning access outside formal education pathways.
“The award is given to Nonformal Education/Out-of-School Education Innovators who are dedicated to developing nonformal education and expanding learning opportunities for the public,” DPD RI wrote.
The scope is broad. Reading garden managers, digital literacy community activists, and volunteer teachers opening literacy access in underdeveloped areas all have the opportunity to be nominated through this category.
The DPD RI Awards 2026 also opens three other categories beyond nonformal education. They are Health Technology Innovator, Self-Sufficient Food Village Mover, and Regional Culture Preserver, plus Special Recognition Awards for figures with consistent contributions to their regions.
DPD RI Chairman Sultan B Najamudin explained that the event was conceived to provide a stage of honour for inspirational figures from various regions. According to him, they are individuals who have been working and contributing concretely without national public spotlight.
“Through this event, DPD RI wants to emphasise that the strength of Indonesia’s development rests on the initiative and hard work of communities throughout the archipelago, not only on the central government and big cities,” Sultan said during the DPD Awards last year.
He assessed that there are still many community figures who are drivers of regional change and progress in various strategic sectors, but have not received adequate appreciation.
“Several categories deserve to be given to regional people or regional figures whose contributions are quite significant,” he said.
In Jogja, grassroots literacy movements of this kind are actually thriving, but rarely receive wide attention. The DPD RI Awards 2026 could be a bridge so that the quiet work of literacy activists becomes better known and inspires other regions.
Registration for the DPD RI Awards 2026 remains open until 21 August 2026 at 23.59 WIB. Nominate a literacy activist in your area through awards.dpd.go.id/nominasi.