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.