The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 11 emphasizes building inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. One of its key targets is the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, including the protection and safeguarding of world heritage assets, both cultural and natural.
As part of efforts to preserve cultural heritage, 99 lecturers from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Negeri Semarang (FISIP UNNES) participated in a batik-making training program held at Kauman Batik Village, Surakarta, on Saturday, 30 January 2026.
Gunawan Setyawan, owner of Gunawan Batik, explained that the batik training is an educational program focused on developing technical batik-making skills—such as waxing (canting), dyeing, and wax removal (lorod)—while also introducing the philosophical values of batik culture. The program aims to support cultural preservation and strengthen the local MSME economy.
The Dean of FISIP UNNES, Arif Purnomo, stated that in addition to preserving cultural heritage, the batik training also serves as a relaxation and therapeutic medium for FISIP lecturers, who are routinely engaged in intensive academic activities on campus.
One of the participating lecturers, Rudi Salam, shared that the training began with instructional sessions covering the history of batik, an introduction to batik motifs (coastal and royal styles), canting techniques, the use of batik wax, coloring processes, and pelorodan, the process of removing wax from the fabric.
Meanwhile, Nining Wahyuningsih, Chair of the Training Committee, highlighted additional benefits of the program. Beyond fostering entrepreneurial skills among lecturers and contributing to the revitalization of traditional arts, the batik training also functions as a means of stress reduction. “Engaging in batik-making can stimulate positive emotions and increase happiness hormones,” she explained.
Through this activity, FISIP UNNES reaffirms its commitment to supporting the achievement of SDGs Goal 11, particularly in safeguarding cultural heritage while promoting community empowerment and sustainable well-being.
