In commemoration of a historic day in the journey of the Indonesian nation, Universitas Indonesia (UI) through the Poetry Reading Society of Indonesia (PRSI) and the Poetry Reading and Writing Society of Indonesia (PRWSI) organized a poetry concert to commemorate the Youth Pledge (Sumpah Pemuda) day entitled “Youth Pledge in Work and Art: Poetry Reading by Professors and Alumni” at the Makara Art Center (MAC) UI stage, on Saturday (29/10). PRSI and PRWSI are a community of poetry readers and writers consisting of professors, lecturers both active and retired, and UI alumni.
In her opening remarks, President of PRSI and PRWSI, Prof. Dr. Ir. Riri Fitri Sari, M.M., M.Sc., said, “Through this activity, we will see how Stovia played an important role in the birth of the Youth Pledge, which was the forerunner of Universitas Indonesia and how our nation’s history will be in the future. Last night, President Jokowi has opened the metaverse for the National Capital City (IKN) on Youth Pledge Day. On the other hand, we also need to continue to fight for the nation’s culture and ensure that in the future the sense of nationalism remains in the heart of every Indonesian young generation.” A total of 30 poetry readers performed their own or other poets’ works. They consisted of ten professors from various faculties, two deans, students, and UI alumni.
They consisted of ten professors from various faculties, two deans, students, and UI alumni. The poetry readings were divided into five topics, namely Pemudaku Pahlwanku, Satu Bangsa, Mana Sumpahmu, Berdiam Sepi, and Kidung untuk Pemuda. In addition to celebrating the historic day, this activity is also in line with the five programs of the National Movement for Mental Revolution (GNMR), namely the United Indonesia Movement. “Commemorating one of the important milestones in the long history of our nation’s struggle, which is the occurrence of the Youth Pledge, of course, cannot be separated from the long contemplation that we both do. We should remember this long struggle and then take the lessons so that we can look forward to what we have to do so that this long struggle does not go in vain,” said University Secretary of UI Dr. Agustin Kusumayati, M.Sc., Ph.D., in her opening remarks.
To mark the beginning of the event, Dr. Agustin closed her remarks and then performed a poem entitled “Gelombang Gelap” by K.H. Mustofa Bisri. She said that this poem was chosen in accordance with the turmoil of her feelings when remembering the Youth Pledge which became a milestone for the Indonesian nation. She said that this poem was chosen in accordance with the turmoil of his feelings when remembering the Youth Pledge which became a milestone for the Indonesian people. Before the poetry readers performed, the activity began with a cultural oration with a theme of Poetry Literacy Building the Country delivered by cultural figure Mohamad Sobary.
In his speech, M. Sobary discussed the issue of reading reality carried out by a poet named Octavio Paz who was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1990. Octavio expressed his sadness in facing the world because, according to him, science and technology are mute, blind and deaf who do not have one element in their lives to share.
“Greed has no limit, economics cannot limit greed which only increases greed. Literature does not talk about human character, but literature is teaching human beings to speak the language of humanity. That is a very deep meaning and if ten years from now I am invited back to an event like this, I already know the answer that it is appropriate why literature is crowned as the little prophet of this era,” said Sobary. The event was enlivened with various other performances, such as poetry musicalization; Dancing Engineers, which is an offering from alumni of Faculty of Engineering (FT) UI, with using ILUNI UI batik scarves, happening art, Batik Depok fashion show presented by Ratna Batik Depok.
Outside the performance space was also enlivened with entrepreneurial booths and photo exhibitions of Indonesian cultural arts. The 3-hour Poetry Concert was a collaboration between the Poetry Reading Society of Indonesia (PRSI) and Makara Art Center led by Dr. Ngatawi Al-Zastrow, S.Ag., M.Si., the Public Relations Bureau and Public Information Disclosure (KIP) UI, and Directorate of Graduate Career Development and Alumni Relations (DPKHA) UI, as well as collaborating with strategic partner Idekami Kreatif Komunika led by Ricky H. Sutjipto. This Youth Pledge Day commemoration activity was also supported by Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Indonesia (Kemendikbudristek RI), Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture of Indonesia (Kemenko PMK RI). Sponsors who also supported this event were Bank Central Asia (BCA), Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), Martha Tilaar Group, Kompas Gramedia, PT Forisa Nusapersada, Paragon Corp, Indocement Heidelberg, Kalbe Nutrition, PT Mahakam Beta Farma, and Triputra Investindo Arya.
