UNDIP – (Semarang, 23/7) Recognizing the importance of student talent development and efforts to enhance practical skills in the arts, Diponegoro University (UNDIP) actively participates in implementing these goals as a member of the Indonesian Student Art Development Board (Badan Pembina Seni Mahasiswa Indonesia / BPSMI) of Central Java. BPSMI Central Java appointed UNDIP to host the Provincial Student Art Week (Pekan Seni Mahasiswa Daerah / PEKSIMIDA) of Central Java, which took place over two days on July 23–24, 2024, specifically for two competition categories: Social Campaign Media Design and Short Story Writing.
The PEKSIMIDA event was inaugurated with a series of ceremonies held at the Conference Hall on the 5th floor of the ICT Building, UNDIP Tembalang campus. The UNDIP Rector and his team attended the event; the Chairman of BPSMI, represented by Dr. Iswoyo, S.Pt., M.P., Secretary of BPSMI Central Java; the Chairman of Formawa Central Java, Dr. Kusni Ingsih, M.M.; BPSMI advisors and staff; and 34 student delegates from various public and private universities, along with their mentors.
Thirty-four students participated in the short story writing competition, and 27 students joined the social campaign media design competition. Winners from these competitions will represent Central Java and advance to the National Student Art Week (Pekan Seni Mahasiswa Nasional / PEKSIMINAS) 2024, organized by the National Achievement Center (Pusat Prestasi Nasional / Puspresnas) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
In his speech, UNDIP Rector Prof. Dr. Suharnomo, S.E., M.Si emphasized the nation’s need for creative youth, highlighting that students’ skills in competing and campaigning would lead to the creation of excellent works with positive content in the public domain.
“I express my appreciation to the students participating in both competitions. By producing exceptional content, they are adding positive value to our nation,” he continued.
“We need creative young people who will produce positive content. Whether they win or not, they are still champions for this nation because they spread goodness with positive and cool contributions. Once again, good luck to all the students, and may everyone emerge as winners,” the UNDIP Rector concluded.
In his report, Prof. Dr.nat.tech. Siswo Sumardiono, S.T., M.T., Director of Academics, Student Affairs, and Alumni at UNDIP, mentioned that PEKSIMIDA hosted by UNDIP featured two competition categories: Social Campaign Media Design and Short Story Writing, out of a total of 15 categories held from June to July 2024.
The winners of these 15 competition categories are hoped to advance to PEKSIMINAS 2024 at Universitas Negeri Jakarta. The short story writing competition was held at the Computer Engineering Lecture Building of the Faculty of Engineering, UNDIP (Network & Computer Security Lab and Software & Mobile Devices Lab). Meanwhile, the Social Campaign Media Design competition took place at the LP2MP Meeting Room on the 3rd floor of the ICT Building, UNDIP.
“We hope that the two-day PEKSIMIDA event at UNDIP will produce extraordinary talents who can represent Central Java at PEKSIMINAS to be held at Universitas Negeri Jakarta,” Prof. Siswo said.
Representing the Chairman of BPSMI, Iswoyo expressed his gratitude to UNDIP for hosting two competition categories leading up to PEKSIMINAS on September 2–7 at UNJ.
“We hope that the series of PEKSIMIDA events will truly produce the best representatives for Central Java. Hopefully, at the 17th PEKSIMINAS, we can retain the overall champion title in Jakarta, as Central Java did at the 16th PEKSIMINAS in 2022 by winning a Gold Medal in the Creative Dance category performed by UNDIP students,” he added.
The 15 categories contested at PEKSIMIDA Central Java include Photography, Vocal Group, Short Story Writing, Poster, Comics, Painting, Pop Singing, Creative Dance, Playwriting, Poetry Writing, Seriosa, Dangdut, Keroncong, Monologue, and Poetry Reading.
The PEKSIMIDA event aims to enhance and develop student achievements and creativity and to weave the future through artistic talent, enriching the nation’s culture based on Unity in Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika). Through the arts, students can develop their personalities and have high integrity towards the preservation and development of national culture. (DHW-Public Relations)
