Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Fadli Zon, S.S., M.Sc., delivered a cultural speech at the “Puncak Dies Natalis Ke-85 Fakultas Ilmu Pengetahuan Budaya (FIB) Universitas Indonesia (UI)” (Peak of the 85th Dies Natalis of the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) of Universitas Indonesia), which took place on Thursday, December 5, at the Auditorium of Building IX FIB, UI Campus, Depok. At the anniversary commemoration, which carried the theme “Kearifan Lokal dalam Dunia Maritim Nusantara” (Local Wisdom in the Maritime World of the Archipelago), he explained the role of culture as soft power in facing global competition.
“Indonesia is rich in cultural heritage and has a strong cultural identity. If utilized properly, these two things can be a great opportunity and responsibility in facing global competition. For that, the role of Indonesian culture is regulated in the 1945 Constitution, Article 32 paragraph 1, namely the state advances Indonesian national culture amidst world civilization by guaranteeing freedom and developing its cultural values,” said Minister Fadli Zon.
According to him, the potential for soft power can be developed through the application of noble values, such as mutual cooperation, tolerance between religious communities, respect for nature and the environment, and preservation of cultural diversity. Currently, several Indonesian cultural products are known to the world, including wayang, keris, batik, Indonesian cuisine, films, and music. The Ministry of Culture also introduced Indonesian prehistoric objects to the world, such as the Homo Erectus fossil in Sangiran, ancient paintings in Leang-Leang Cave, and ancient tools in Flores as an effort to strengthen soft power.
He said, “We hope that the Ministry of Culture and UI will synergize in preserving Indonesian culture and introducing it to the world. In this case, universities play an important role as centers for humanities and cultural studies that can be a foundation amidst global complexity. Various efforts can be implemented through culture-based education, culture-based innovation, creative economy, and cultural diplomacy at the international level.”
UI’s efforts to preserve Indonesian culture are manifested in various arts programs held on campus. UI Rector, Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU, said that the maritime theme in the 85th Dies Natalis of FIB UI is in line with the government’s priority program in realizing the world’s maritime axis. Maritime culture helps national development through efforts to integrate local wisdom, develop multidisciplinary research, empower maritime communities, and strengthen collaboration between universities and industry.
“FIB UI, which was established in 1940, has witnessed and played an important role in the development of cultural sciences and humanities in Indonesia. Through the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, the academic community can contribute to enriching the understanding of the maritime world and integrating it into national development. This contribution is realized by developing research and scientific works that are not only of high quality, but also have a broad impact on UI, Indonesia, and the world,” said Prof. Heri.
The research developed has been able to make FIB UI the best in Indonesia based on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR) 2024. FIB UI is ranked first in Indonesia in the fields of Linguistics, Modern Languages, Performing Arts, and History. In the Southeast Asia region, UI is ranked sixth for Arts and Humanities. Meanwhile, in the Scimago Institutions Ranking 2024, FIB UI was named the best faculty in Indonesia and ranked fifth in Southeast Asia in the field of Arts and Humanities.
Dean of FIB UI, Dr. Bondan Kanumoyoso, S.S., M.Hum., also conveyed a series of FIB UI’s achievements throughout 2024, including the Fakultas dengan Peserta Terbanyak pada Program Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Flagship DIKTI Kampus Mengajar (Faculty with the Most Participants in the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Flagship DIKTI Kampus Mengajar Program); Fakultas dengan Penyelenggara Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC) Berkredit Terbaik pada Program MBKM Mandiri MOOC (Faculty with the Best Credited Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC) Organizer in the MBKM Mandiri MOOC Program); Fakultas Penyelenggara dengan Jumlah Terbanyak dalam Program MOOC Pre-University (Faculty Organizer with the Most Number in the Pre-University MOOC Program); and Peringkat Ketiga Fakultas dengan Peserta Terbanyak pada Program Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) (Third Place Faculty with the Most Participants in the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) Program).
The series of the Peak of the 85th Dies Natalis of FIB UI was closed with the launch of Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat BHAKTI (BHAKTI Community Service Journal) by the Center for Community and Cultural Research of FIB UI; awarding of awards to academicians and winners of the 2024 FIB UI Dies Natalis competition; as well as Malay dance performances by students and Ketoprak performances by the FIB UI Board of Professors. The series of the 85th FIB UI Dies Natalis which began on October 15, 2024, has been filled with seminars, cultural performances, and research and community service training. Through the preservation of culture and innovation amidst global competition, FIB UI continues to strive to be a pioneer in culture-based education, research, and community service.
