RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Culture will showcase thousands of letters addressed to Raden Ajeng Kartini at the R.A. Kartini Museum in Jepara as part of Kartini Day commemorations.

Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, said the exhibition is a form of appreciation for the strong public participation in the heroes letter-writing competition held at the end of 2025.

“We collected more than 34,000 letters from junior high, high school, and university students across Indonesia. Of these, more than 7,000 were specifically addressed to R.A. Kartini,” he said after attending the 2026 SINEMA Screenplay Competition Awards in South Jakarta on Monday, April 20, 2026.

Minister Fadli emphasized that the exhibition is not only a platform for appreciation but also an educational tool to strengthen young people’s understanding of Kartini’s values, particularly her struggle for women’s emancipation.

He added that Kartini’s spirit must continue to be expressed through cultural and creative activities to ensure its relevance in modern times.

Kartini’s letters, compiled in the book Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang (Out of Darkness Comes Light), contain correspondence with her friends in the Netherlands, including Rosa Manuela Abendanon-Mandri and Stella Zeehandelaar.

These writings highlight women’s emancipation, education, and social criticism of Javanese traditions and colonialism, inspiring the women’s movement in Indonesia.

In 2025, the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI), successfully registered Kartini’s letters in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

This recognition underscores Indonesia’s intellectual heritage and contributions to global civilization. “Kartini’s letters provide inspiration, especially to women who, at that time, still faced limitations in accessing education,” Minister Fadli said.

He noted that women in the United States also faced restrictions in education and political rights before gaining the right to vote in 1920. That milestone later inspired the establishment of the Indonesian Women’s Congress on December 22, 1928, which sought to unite efforts to advance women’s rights in Indonesia.

Minister Fadli hopes that Kartini’s collective memory will serve as a foundation for building a better world. “Designating Kartini’s letters as part of the Memory of the World program will significantly impact the future progress of Indonesian women,” he said.

UNESCO’s recognition elevates Kartini’s legacy and continues to inspire Indonesian women today. The Ministry of Culture and ANRI also launched the exhibition Kartini’s World at the National Archives building, designed as a space for reflection on Kartini’s ideas in the context of contemporary equality. (Misni Parjiati/Lasti Martina)