The Indonesian Literature Study Program at the Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), reaffirms its commitment to organizing the Indonesian Folklore Festival as an annual event. More than just a cultural and artistic showcase, the festival serves as part of a continuous effort to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage while supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This event has been held for two consecutive years. In 2024, the festival took place on an open-air stage, in collaboration with the FBS UNNES Laboratory Team as the organizing partner. In 2025, the festival is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2025, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM (WIB), at the Prof. Soegijono Laboratory Field, Faculty of Sports Science (FIK), Universitas Negeri Semarang.
The 2025 festival features broader collaboration by involving the UNNES Conservation Team, the Cultural Information Center Student Activity Unit (UKM PIB), and the Alas Kandri Community, a local cultural group dedicated to preserving traditional values. Initiated by the UNNES Conservation Team, this year’s festival also partners with several elementary schools in Semarang to host traditional children’s games competitions, such as plintengan, gobak sodor, and egrang. This initiative serves as an educational space for younger generations to experience national culture through games rich in community values.
The festival highlights the rich folklore of the archipelago, including dramatic performances based on folktales, introductions to traditional games, and regional arts showcases. It serves as a platform for collaboration among students, lecturers, cultural communities, schoolchildren, and the wider public. The Folklore Festival is expected to strengthen cultural identity and foster collective awareness of the importance of sustaining local traditions.
Suseno, Head of the Indonesian Literature Study Program, emphasized that the festival is not only an academic and artistic agenda, but also a tangible contribution from UNNES toward achieving SDG Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
“Through this festival, we encourage young people to recognize, appreciate, and preserve the richness of regional cultures. This aligns with UNNES’s commitment as a conservation university and our active contribution to sustainable development. Moreover, documentation on the Instagram account @festivalflokloreindonesia will help broaden the festival’s outreach,” said Suseno.
The Indonesian Folklore Festival also supports the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar–Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program, now evolving into the Kampus Berdampak policy, by providing students with opportunities to engage in culture-based projects that respond to both local and global challenges.
