West Sumatra Promotes Literacy to Guard Minangkabau Culture and Nature
- 10 Sep 2026 09:48 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Poin Utama
- The West Sumatra Provincial Administration is promoting literacy as a key means of preserving Minangkabau cultural identity and environmental sustainability.
- The West Sumatra Literacy Festival 2026 carries the theme “The Role of Literacy in Protecting Nature and Preserving Culture.”
RRI.CO.ID, West Sumatra - The West Sumatra Provincial Administration has reaffirmed its commitment to positioning literacy as the primary bastion for preserving Minangkabau cultural identity and environmental sustainability. West Sumatra Governor, Mahyeldi Ansharullah, conveyed that the tradition of recording and passing down local knowledge is crucial to ensuring that historical traces and community environmental concern endure across generations.
The West Sumatra Literacy Festival 2026 is expected to serve as a space to revisit the relationship between knowledge, culture, and community life. Organized by the West Sumatra Provincial Archives and Library Agency, the festival carries the theme The Role of Literacy in Protecting Nature and Preserving Culture.
“How do we know that the Minang people had a culture long before the Common Era? From literacy. Through literacy, we can trace the Minang legacy. Thus, literacy is extremely important,” said Mahyeldi on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
According to him, the Minangkabau community has a strong tradition of understanding and transmitting knowledge. Therefore, enhancing literacy among the public is closely linked to efforts to safeguard culture.
“If we want to preserve culture, there must be an increase in literacy within society. Literacy also plays a role in our efforts to protect nature,” he said, as quoted by infopublik.id.
On the same occasion, West Sumatra Provincial Literacy Ambassador, Harneli Mahyeldi, said that literacy development in society must continue to adapt to changing times. She noted that contemporary literacy skills also encompass the ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate information received.
“We recognize that literacy is not merely a program, but has grown into a habit and part of the community’s culture,” said Harneli.
She also emphasized the importance of digital literacy outreach to the public. In her view, the ability to filter information is becoming increasingly vital amid the expanding use of digital technology.
Meanwhile, Head of the West Sumatra Provincial Archives and Library Agency, Jumaidi, conveyed that the festival is one effort to strengthen the literacy ecosystem in West Sumatra through various activities. He added that data from GoodStats and the Central Statistics Bureau (BPS) in 2025 recorded West Sumatra as the province with the highest library visitation rate in Indonesia, an achievement that serves as motivation to further improve service quality.
“Libraries are not only spaces for reading and discussion, but also public spaces that foster care and provide beneficial services to the community,” said Jumaidi.
Over three days, from September 8–10, 2026, the West Sumatra Literacy Festival 2026 will host a range of activities at the West Sumatra Provincial Archives and Library Service Agency, Jalan Diponegoro No. 4, Belakang Tangsi, Padang City.
Storytelling performances, poetry musicalization, book launches and discussions, talk shows, literacy comedy, and poetry writing competitions will fill the festival program, which is open to the public.
These activities are expected to provide a space for the community to engage with various forms of literacy while broadening knowledge about culture and the environment. From these spaces, the spirit of reading, understanding, and preserving West Sumatra’s heritage is hoped to continue growing within society. ***
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