Sorak Betawi Condet 2026 Celebrates Betawi Culture Through Festival and Community Empowerment

Students from the PRDC27-4SP Batch 27 at LSPR Institute of Communication & Business successfully held a series of Betawi cultural preservation activities from 5 to 21 June 2026 under the Community Development programme Sorak Betawi Condet. The programme implemented collaborative learning from four subjects: Creative Production & Publicity, Public Relations Communication Technique, Community Development, and Public Relations Programme & Evaluation, integrated into the design, execution, publication, and evaluation of a culture-based community empowerment initiative. Through an educational, creative, and collaborative approach, the activities aimed to increase awareness and participation among the younger generation, cultural communities, and the general public in preserving Betawi culture. Sorak Betawi Condet was not merely a cultural festival but a series of community empowerment programmes consisting of pre-event and main event activities. The series began with a pre-event titled ‘Ngabimbing Pade-Pade at SMK PGRI 28’ on 5 June 2026 at SMK PGRI 28 East Jakarta. In this activity, students received training on digital content creation, social media management, and video editing techniques as a means to introduce local culture to the younger generation. According to Dr Alexander Mamby Aruan, M.Si., lecturer for the Public Relations Programme & Evaluation course at LSPR Institute of Communication & Business, programmes like Sorak Betawi Condet demonstrate how students can implement communication science in a tangible way through activities that have a direct impact on the community. Community Development is not just about running activities, but about how students are able to create sustainable programmes that provide benefits to society. Through Sorak Betawi Condet, students not only learned to design communication programmes but also contributed to efforts to preserve Betawi culture through a creative, educational approach relevant to the times. ‘I hope the spirit of collaboration between academics, the community, cultural groups, and the younger generation can continue to be fostered to maintain the sustainability of local cultural heritage,’ said Dr Alexander. The pre-event series continued on 6 June 2026 at Balekambang Urban Village through a collaboration with the Kampung Condet Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis) and local residents, titled ‘Ngobrol Pade-Pade di Kelurahan Balekambang’. This activity featured training in digital content creation, social media management, and discussions on using digital media as a tool for promoting local culture and tourism. Through this activity, the community was invited to play an active role in maintaining the existence of Betawi culture in the digital era. As the highlight, Sorak Betawi Condet held a Betawi Culture Workshop on 20 June 2026, presenting various interactive classes, including a Betawi Mix & Match Fashion Class, Gambang Kromong Class, Betawi Dance Class, and Emping Making Class. This workshop provided participants with the opportunity to get to know Betawi culture more closely through direct, educational, and enjoyable experiences. The peak celebration took place on 21 June 2026 with a Betawi Culture Festival featuring various cultural performances and community activities. The festival was enlivened by Palang Pintu performances, Lenong theatre, Gambang Kromong music, Betawi dance, and an MSME bazaar showcasing various typical Betawi products. This activity became a collaborative space for cultural practitioners, MSME players, the younger generation, and the community to celebrate the richness of Betawi culture together. On the same occasion, Sorak Betawi Condet also held a Press Conference as a form of programme reporting and accountability to partners and the media. The event also included the handover of programme results to relevant parties and the presentation of awards to various parties who had contributed to supporting the implementation of the Sorak Betawi Condet 2026 series. ‘Through Sorak Betawi Condet, we want to show that preserving Betawi culture can be done through various approaches that are close to the community and the younger generation,’ said Nailah Inayah Humaira, Chairperson of Sorak Betawi Condet. These approaches range from digital education and creative training to cultural festivals; the entire series of activities was designed to build awareness that Betawi culture is an identity that must be continuously preserved and passed on. She hopes the collaboration forged between students, the community, cultural groups, local government, and various stakeholders can be a concrete step in maintaining the sustainability of Betawi culture in the future. The Chairperson of Pokdarwis Kampung Condet, Dicky Arfansuri, S.Pd., also expressed his appreciation for the collaboration established in this programme. He greatly appreciated the initiative taken by LSPR students through Sorak Betawi Condet. This programme proves that cultural preservation can be done in a creative way that is relevant to the times. ‘We hope the spirit of loving and preserving Betawi culture can continue to grow among the younger generation so that this cultural heritage remains alive and thrives in society,’ he said. Through the series of activities that have been carried out, Sorak Betawi Condet hopes to become a sustainable collaborative platform for introducing, safeguarding, and preserving Betawi culture through an approach that is adaptive to technological developments and the current needs of society.