Celebrating Language Month with Literacy Events

In my country, October is celebrated as Literature Month. So, throughout October, the number of literacy-related events is significantly higher than in other months. Bazaars, festivals, and seminars on arts, literacy, and culture are ramped up. To close out this Literature Month, I attended an event called SEMAAN PUISI DAN HAUL ASTRAWAN 2025, organized by the Semaan Puisi Ada Kopi community at the Makara Art Center building, University of Indonesia. ---  --- The event ran from 3 p.m. until finished. The hours were flexible and divided into two sections: afternoon for literary discussions and evening for art performances and cultural orations by several of the listed performers. I arrived about half an hour after the event started, filled out the registration form, then entered the hall and found a seat. ---     --- Here, one of the speakers was discussing the languages ​​of the archipelago and the meaning of Pancasila in everyday application and its relationship to language. The audience for this session was mostly students and several lecturers from the University of Indonesia. The discussion and Q&A session between the presenter and the audience were very lively, and I listened intently from the back seat (well, the enthusiasm for this session was truly extraordinary). During the coffee break, I pulled over and sat by the lake, gazing at the iconic campus building. The cloudy yet serene sky and the fragrant cup of coffee all formed a warm and intimate atmosphere. This was further enhanced by the conversation with friends, both old and new. This afternoon by the lake was a sweet way to close out October. ---    --- For the evening session, the performers took turns taking the stage. The performers in this literary celebration were older writers. They were long-standing figures in the literary world and part of literary history, such as Taufiq Ismail. Other writers and cultural figures in attendance included Acep Zamzam Noor, Jalam D. Rahman, who later delivered a cultural speech, and Jose Rizal Manua, whose work in theater is no joke. And many more. ---      --- What I was looking forward to was a poetry reading by Peri Sandi Huizche, who is renowned for her renditions of Rendra's poems, such as "SAJAK SEBATANG LISONG" and "PESAN PENCOPET KEPADA PACARNYA." That night, Peri was one of the performers reciting her own poetry. This was my first time meeting her at an event. Her steps were firm yet polite, and she seemed shy. As night began to fall, I headed home, as it was still about a 40-minute drive home. Thanks for reading this colorful conclusion to my October. See you in November. ---