Bali Designates Balinese Language Month to Preserve Balinese Language

RRI.CO.ID, Denpasar - Bali Provincial Administration has launched the 8th annual Balinese Language Month in a strategic effort to bolster the preservation of Balinese language, script, and literature among the youth. The month-long event, running from February 1–28, 2026, was officially inaugurated by Bali Governor, Wayan Koster, in Denpasar on Sunday, February 1.

Governor Koster emphasized that Balinese Language Month is a flagship regional program designed to protect Bali's cultural roots amid the pressures of globalization. He asserted that the preservation of native language and script is the definitive key to maintaining the Balinese identity across generations.

“This initiative will safeguard our future generations and sustain the Balinese way of life through the ages, regardless of external interventions,” remarked Governor Wayan Koster on Sunday.

He noted that Bali remains one of the few regions consistently dedicating a specific monthly agenda to its native tongue. This commitment is institutionalized by Bali Governor Regulation No. 80/2018 regarding the Protection and Use of Balinese Language, Script, and Literature, which serves as the legal foundation for this sustainable program.

The Governor further stressed that Balinese heritage must not be eclipsed by modern advancements. On the contrary, he argued that technological progress should be leveraged to evolve and strengthen ancestral legacies.

The Acting Head of the Bali Cultural Agency, IB Wesnawa Punia, explained that this year’s theme, “Atma Kerthi Udiana Purnaning Jiwa,” translates to nurturing a complete soul through language and literature.

The series of activities includes a festival for writing Balinese script across various media, palm-leaf (lontar) seminars, Balinese language and literature competitions, and workshops. Furthermore, the event features script transformation exhibitions, literary performances, the conservation of privately owned lontar, and discussions involving practitioners, students, and creative communities.

The Bali Provincial Administration expressed itd hope that Balinese Language Month will transcend its ceremonial roots. The initiative aims to actively encourage the use of Balinese language and script within educational institutions, local communities, and creative media platforms.(Annaila Azzahra/Bambang MBKA)