Teenagers pictures Jakarta's varied historical sites
Teenagers pictures Jakarta's varied historical sites
Leo Wahyudi S, Contributor, Jakarta
Just like other teenagers, Sekar Laras, 11, has always tried to
find excuses when it comes to history subjects or visiting
museums.
"I don't like history. Besides, the museums here are all dull
and unattractive because of the poor maintenance," she groaned.
The comment from the student from Lab School in Rawamangun,
East Jakarta, reflected the feelings of other students, not only
in Jakarta but probably across the whole country.
That was the main motivation behind Serrano Sianturi, Tony
Rudyansyah and Franki Raden establishing the Sacred Bridge
Foundation, which along with the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Children
International Summer Village (CISV) and the Ministry of Tourism,
staged the Hugging the City program on Oct. 13.
"How could those children grow up without knowing, or even
forgetting the roots of their own culture," Sianturi said.
The program -- staged for the second time -- involved 50
teenagers. They eagerly flocked to Sunda Kelapa harbor, the
Bahari Museum, the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) storehouses
and the 17th century VOC shipyard (now cafe Galangan). All the
sites are located in North Jakarta.
The teenagers not only took pictures during their visits. A
30-minute discussion -- overseen by noted photographers Oscar
Motuloh, Anton Moedanton and Lister Hartono -- followed
afterwards to encourage the students to exhibit their works at
The Japan Foundation on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, South Jakarta, from
Nov. 5 to Nov. 8.
On Nov. 9, the teenagers will deliver their speeches at the
United Nations Building on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta.
They are expected to convey their opinions on development in the
city.
"I feel really happy to join the program as I can meet many
new friends," said Priyanka, who held a mini-pocket camera.
The eight-year-old student of Madania elementary school in
Parung, Bogor, admitted she knew nothing of the places she
visited that day.
Ariel, a third-year-student from Kanisius Junior High School
in Menteng, Central Jakarta, said: "Coming to the cultural sites
gives something different to me though I know the history of
these sites."
He hoped he would learn more of Jakarta after the visit.
"Shame on me if I fail to describe my own city to foreigners
if they ask," he said, adding that most of the time he holidayed
abroad with his family.
Sianturi, who hoped the students learned something valuable
from the program, admitted he would tolerate the fact they were
more interested in the photography session. Some of them even
thought the program was a photography course.
"I really hope the teenagers have a completely different image
of Jakarta than the one they are used to of a city full of
threat," he said.
"These sites are worth seeing, particularly by our teenagers,
whose lifestyle is so metropolitan," he said.