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Principal Secretary of the Indonesian National Library (Perpusnas) Joko Santoso hit a gong to open the Writer Festival 2024 in Jepara on Thursday October 17th 2024. (Photo : Perpusnas) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The choice of Jepara as the location for holding the National Library Writers Festival (PWF) this year cannot be separated from the close connection with R.A. Kartini, a figure of women's emancipation who was born in this city. As stated by the Principal Secretary of the Indonesian National Library (Perpusnas) Joko Santoso in his speech, Kartini understands literacy as a force that drives social change.

"Writing for Kartini is a form of peaceful intellectual resistance, Kartini voices her ideas about education, women's emancipation and freedom of thought," he said at the opening of PWF 2024 at Pendopo Kartini, Jepara, Thursday (17/10/2024).

Joko explained that writing for change means using writing as a tool to influence, inspire and move others towards social, cultural or individual change.

“Writing has the power to shape opinion, raise awareness and encourage action,” he added.

He hopes that this festival will become a forum for young writers, including local writers in Jepara, to contribute to developing Indonesian literacy.

"By presenting various speakers who have written their best works, this festival also supports the National Library's mission to build a more knowledgeable society," he explained.

In between the series of events, National Library Main Secretary Joko Santoso symbolically handed over the assistance of a mobile library motorbike to Plt. Head of the Jepara Regency Archives and Library Service Hadi Sarwoko. It is hoped that this assistance can increase Jepara people's access to reading materials and encourage increased interest in reading in various regions, especially in hard-to-reach areas in Jepara.

This event was initiated by Perpusnas Press as a meeting place between writers, readers, literacy activists and the writing ecosystem to create meaningful works.
Meanwhile, the Acting Regent of Jepara, Edy Supriyanta, expressed his gratitude for Jepara being chosen as the host for PWF 2024.

“We, as hosts, are grateful to have been given the trust to hold an event of this magnitude. Because Jepara is a small city at the tip of Central Java. "Now, Jepara has started to develop," he said when opening this festival.

Furthermore, Edy revealed that literacy challenges in Jepara still need improvement. Based on data from the Community Literacy Development Index (IPLM), Jepara is at 54.2 or in the medium category.

"Meanwhile, the level of people's reading hobby is also in the medium category, namely 72.5, so it still needs improvement," he explained.

Edy Supriyanta also promoted Jepara's mainstay tourist destination, Karimunjawa, which is only 2.5 hours by boat from Jepara.

"We are waiting for your arrival in Karimunjawa. The place is beautiful, the hotel is good, and the tickets are quite cheap," he concluded.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Friday October 18th 2024, PWF 2024, which runs until October 21, features various interesting activities, including Writing Talks, Book Launches and Reviews, Writing Workshops, Short Film Screenings, Poetry Musicalizations, Dramatic Readings, as well as Field Trips and writing residencies to Karimunjawa.

Head of the Legal, Organizational, Cooperation and Public Relations Bureau of the National Library, Sri Marganingsih, highlighted that the activity target is 750 active participants and 1,000 visitors,

"It is hoped that this PWF can motivate more people to engage in and love the world of writing and literacy," he hoped.

Through collaboration with various media, Sri also projects that this event will reach more than 100,000 people who will be exposed to PWF information, both through the social media of National Library, Jepara Regency Government, Community Reading Park Forum (TBM), and other media partners.

Literacy activist Maman Suherman as the speaker of the talk show on the first day stated that PWF actually celebrates life skills, inviting all elements in society to continue to increase the love of reading culture.

“The program at PWF invites these things. "Don't just read and write, but how to be empowered and empower each other," he said.

PWF has become an annual activity that continues to grow since it was first held in 2021 in Jakarta. In 2022 it will still take place in Jakarta and in 2023 this festival will move to the city of Bandung. With a different theme every year, in 2024, Jepara was chosen as the host, presenting a theme that is in line with the literary legacy of R.A. Kartini//VOI