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Webinar, "The Indonesian Writing Movement": Creative in the Era of the Pandemic, which was held online, Friday, (9/24/2021) - 

The ratio of books to population in Indonesia according to a study conducted by the National Library is 1: 90. This means that 90 people attend one book. UNESCO itself has set the ideal standard of one person reading three books. This disparity can continue to gape if the problem is limited to reading culture.

Literacy activists, including writers and regional reading ambassadors, are asked to have the courage to work through writing so that the gap in the ratio of books is slowly resolved. Many parties are too preoccupied with reading culture. Continue to campaign in that phase. In fact, civilization must move forward. When you are used to reading, then start learning to write.

“Friends of literacy activists, local writers and regional reading ambassadors are actually the driving force of writing literacy considering that there are not many best-selling writers in Indonesia. So, there needs to be regeneration," said Indonesian Reading Ambassador Gol A Gong at the Indonesian Reading Ambassador Webinar, "The Indonesian Writing Movement": Creative in the Era of the Pandemic, which was held online, Friday, (9/24/2021).

Gol A Gong also highlighted the lack of action taken by regional reading ambassadors who produced very few written works because not many had writing skills. So, don't take the writing culture lightly.

The author and founder of the Benny Institute, Benny Arnas, said the same thing. When the regional reading ambassadors are campaigning, apart from having knowledge and motivation from many books, they must at least be accompanied by the ability to write. "The writing movement is a jumping movement," added Beni.

Instead, Beni sees the Covid-19 pandemic as a luxurious condition that is coveted for book lovers and writing activists. The pandemic is the perfect time to lay down. This activity is desired by many readers/writers.

Meanwhile, CEO of Epigraph Book Publishers Daniel Mahendra added that the issue of writing is also crucial. Daniel met many potential book readers but didn't know how to start. No way of communicating with publishers.

The condition of the imbalance between the ratio of books to the population has attracted the attention of the National Library. All breakthroughs/innovations in collaboration with the Indonesian Reading Ambassador are prepared by National Library so that the writing literacy of the community can develop.

“Strengthening the literacy ecosystem is not enough with reading capital. By cooperating with the Reading Ambassador as a role model, the National Library of Indonesia hopes that the collaboration of the writing culture strengthening program carried out with the reading ambassador and literacy activists will inspire the public," added the Head of the Center for Library Analysis and Reading Culture Development of the National Library of Indonesia, Adin Bondar.

The issue of the low book-to-population ratio is included in the discussion in the 2020-2024 Short Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN). In the action plan, strengthening literacy culture can be done by developing a reading culture, strengthening the book system, and literacy content, as well as increasing access to libraries based on social inclusion.

The National Library of Indonesia promises to continue to collaborate and fight so that literacy issues are resolved properly. All parties have agreed that a good literacy culture will lead Indonesia to become a superior nation in 2045, right at the age of a century of independence//VOI-NK