National Library Hosts Debate Competition to Foster Children's Critical Thinking

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The National Library of Indonesia hosted the 2026 CIA Festival Debate Competition. The preliminary and semifinal rounds took place at the Nusantara Cultural Collection Service on the 24th floor of the National Library in Jakarta on Monday, 28 September 2026.

Deputy for Library Material Development and Information Services at the National Library, Suharyanto, stated that critical thinking and public speaking skills are essential for every child. According to him, debate competitions provide an effective platform for children to hone these abilities.

“These skills can be practiced through debating, which serves as a space for children to read, analyze, construct arguments, and learn to respect differing viewpoints,” Suharyanto stated.

The event is a collaboration between the National Library and Cahaya Inspirasi Anak Magazine, held as part of the Library Visiting Day series. Suharyanto expressed his appreciation to all participants who had the courage to compete and join the debate competition.

“The children's courage to step forward, voice their opinions, and argue in public is a crucial part of the learning process and literacy development,” he added.

Under the theme “Sumatra: From Children for Children,” the event also acts as a platform for children to voice their ideas. Suharyanto emphasized that Indonesian children's voices deserve to be heard and brought to life through ideas they construct themselves.

President Director of Cahaya Inspira Adiwangsa (CIA), Martono Redjeki Widjaja, noted that the CIA Festival Debate Competition has been running for three years. The National Library has been one of the key partners welcoming the initiative from the very beginning.

In 2026, a total of 32 schools participated in the CIA Festival Debate Competition. The final round of the 2026 CIA Fest Debate is scheduled to be part of the broader CIA Festival taking place from 2 to 4 October 2026, at Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta.