Gunungpati, Semarang – English Students Association (ESA) of the Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), has successfully held its annual national English Competition, titled ESA WEEK 2026. Carrying the theme “Empowering the Future Through Technology,” the event took place at B6 and B11 Buildings of the Faculty of Languages and Arts, UNNES, on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
ESA WEEK 2026 served as a platform for young people across Indonesia ranging from junior high and senior high school students to university students to explore and develop their interests and talents. High enthusiasm marked the competition, with a total of 260 participants taking part in the online preliminary round. Following a competitive selection process, 122 finalists from across Indonesia qualified to compete in the final round, competing in five main categories: Storytelling Contest, Speech Contest, Poem Reading, News Anchor, and English Essay Competition. Recognizing the importance of English proficiency in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 and globalization, ESA WEEK 2026 was created to improve participants’ English language skills and strengthen student collaboration. The event ended with an awards ceremony in the afternoon to present trophies and certificates of appreciation to the winners across all competition categories.
As part of the ESA WEEK 2026 closing celebrations, a student committee from the English Education and English Literature programs at UNNES successfully performed a musical theater production titled “The Romantic” of the Faculty of Languages and Arts, UNNES. Running from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the performance served as the main entertainment event and attracted around 200 audience from both within and outside the university. The student committee from the English Education and English Literature study programs had spent around seven months preparing for the production. Their hard work paid off through the audience’s enthusiastic response as the performance captivated spectators with a blend of English acting, vocals, harmonious musical arrangements, and choreography.
On this occasion, Yuliati, S.Pd., M.Pd., M.Ed., Ph.D., Coordinator of the Undergraduate English Education Study Program at UNNES, expressed her appreciation for the successful event. “ESA Week 2026 was successfully conducted by ESA, FBS, UNNES. It is a meaningful platform for our students to showcase their talents, strengthen their confidence, and foster connections through collaboration and healthy competition. As the Coordinator of the English Education ccStudy Programme, I am delighted to see this event bringing university and school communities together, demonstrating how English can inspire creativity, nurture leadership, and create lasting friendships and networkings,” she highlighted.
Additionally, Dr. Rahayu Puji Haryanti, M.Hum., Coordinator of the Undergraduate English Literature Study Program at UNNES, also expressed her appreciation for ESA WEEK as a platform for creativity, sportsmanship, and connections among students at the national level. “ESA week is more than a competition, it is a celebration of young voices, creativity, friendship, and sportsmanship. I am proud to see our students building bridges between the university and schools across Indonesia, inspiring the next generation through the power of language,” she shared warmly.
The Advisor of ESA UNNES, Ruly Indra Darmawan, S.S., M.Hum., also shared his appreciation for the students’ creativity, teamwork, and energy across both the competitions and the musical theater show. “I am proud to see our students express their creativity, teamwork, and passion through such an amazing event. May ESA Week continue to inspire students to grow, collaborate, and create unforgettable memories together!” he remarked.
The ESA WEEK 2026 committee explained that the event’s technical preparations and overall concept had been developed around seven months to welcome participants from various regions across Indonesia. Through this event, the committee hopes that ESA WEEK will continue to serve as a motivating competitive platform, encouraging school and university students to confidently express themselves and showcase their English language abilities.
Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The implementation of ESA WEEK 2026 aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by providing opportunities for participants to develop their English language skills and critical thinking abilities. Furthermore, the collaboration among educational institutions, students, and the wider community through this event also supports SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, contributing to the development of a more inclusive educational ecosystem in Indonesia.
