East Java Celebrates Batik Day with 'Batik Berlayar' River Event

RRI.CO.ID, Surabaya - A distinct atmosphere enveloped the 2026 National Batik Day celebration in Surabaya on Friday, October 2, 2026. Under the unique theme Batik Berlayar (Batik Sets Sail), held at the Prestasi Boat Dock Park, the East Java Provincial Administration blended the beauty of traditional textile heritage with the natural charm of the city’s river tourism destination.

“The spirit of Batik Berlayar is the spirit of bringing our cultural wealth to reach more people. We want East Javanese batik to be increasingly known, increasingly loved, and to have a wider market, so that artisans also feel the benefits,” said East Java Governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa..

Khofifah said East Javanese batik needs to be brought into broader spaces through a fusion of tradition, art, creativity, tourism, and the creative economy. She emphasized that batik is not merely a clothing product, but a cultural work that carries stories, philosophy, and skills passed down across generations.

“Batik has stories that can be presented in various ways. When combined with art, creativity, and tourism, the public can not only enjoy its beauty, but also learn about the making process, its philosophy, and the people who safeguard the tradition,” she said, as quoted by Antara.

The governor noted that East Java possesses a rich batik heritage spread across 38 regencies and cities, with motifs, colors, and philosophies that reflect each region’s cultural identity.

“Behind a piece of batik lies skill, meticulousness, and a source of livelihood for artisans’ families. The pride of wearing batik must be realized by appreciating their work, buying their products, and helping introduce them to a wider audience,” she said.

Khofifah stressed that batik preservation must be accompanied by strengthening the business ecosystem through quality improvement, design development, use of digital technology, brand building, and market expansion.

She also invited younger generations to engage in learning batik-making, developing designs, documenting artisans’ stories, and promoting batik via digital platforms.

According to her, batik centers can also be developed as educational tourism sites so that the public can learn about regional signature motifs while seeing and trying the production process firsthand.

“When people come to a batik center, watch the process, learn to make batik, and then buy the products, what grows is not only appreciation for culture, but also the community’s economy,” she said.

Khofifah called on the administration, artisans, designers, educational institutions, tourism players, the business sector, communities, and the public to collaborate in safeguarding the sustainability of East Javanese batik. ***