Setioko – This Eid, the literary world in West Kalimantan welcomes an important moment with the event “Eid Literary Gathering for Literacy 2024”. The event took place at Kampung Caping, Gang H Salmah Jalan Imam Bonjol , Pontianak, and served as a gathering for writers from various parts of West Kalimantan to share ideas, works, and foster strong relationships.
In the midst of the meaningful Eid, writers from West Kalimantan gathered not only to celebrate togetherness but also to plan the future of literature in the region. One of the outcomes of this meeting is the idea to hold the “Pontianak Read and Writer Festival Week”, a literary festival that will serve as a platform to introduce and promote local literary works and will be held two or three years from now.
In an enthusiastic atmosphere, various topics were discussed during the “Eid Literary Gathering for Literacy 2024”. Discussions included the role of writers in enriching local culture, challenges faced by literature in West Kalimantan, and ways to promote reading and writing interests among the community.
One of the main highlights was the idea of holding the “Pontianak Read and Writer Festival Week”. This festival will be planned as a literary event involving various activities, such as literary discussions, poetry readings, theater performances, book exhibitions, and writing workshops, although it will take place two or three years from now due to the preparations that need to be made. It is hoped that this festival will become a platform for local writers to showcase their works and invite renowned writers from various regions.
Realizing the importance of increasing reading and writing interests in the community, “Eid Literary Gathering for Literacy 2024” also resulted in various literacy programs that will be implemented in the coming months. For example, the West Kalimantan Regional Library will organize various programs such as writing training, literary workshops, Sign Language training, English Language training, and so on.
The initiator of “Eid Literary Gathering for Literacy 2024”, Ahmad Sofian, said, “Eid Literary Gathering is one of the agendas that have been held since 2023, this is because the tradition of visiting each other’s homes during Eid among the younger generation is starting to fade, even though it is a hereditary tradition that must be preserved. For example, today we visit our aunt’s house in Jeruju, then the next day our aunt will visit our house. Even visiting among neighbors is starting to disappear.”
Support from local governments and various parties for literary initiatives is highly expected. With strong collaboration, “Pontianak Read and Writer Festival Week” and other literacy programs can be a significant first step in enriching and popularizing literature in West Kalimantan.
Ahmad Sofian, often called Bang Sofi, said, “Pontianak Read and Writer Festival Week is inspired by the Ubud Festival. However, for it to be more mature, it will take two or three years ahead, currently we are more focused on getting to know each other before the agenda is implemented.”
With a burning spirit, writers from West Kalimantan are committed to elevating the status of regional literature and making it an integral part of the cultural life of the community. “Eid Literary Gathering for Literacy 2024” is an important first step in the journey towards a brighter and more competitive literary future.
