Two students from Universitas Jambi (Unja) have made their mark at the Duta Bahasa Provinsi Jambi 2025 competition, showcasing their talent and dedication to language preservation. Vanesya Tri Utami, a student in the Indonesian Language and Literature Education program, earned the title of Pemenang Terbaik III Putri (Third Best Winner Female), while M. Fadhil Raga Ananda from the Physics Education program secured Pemenang Terbaik IV Putra (Fourth Best Winner Male).
The event, organized by Balai Bahasa Provinsi Jambi, took place from January 27 to May 2, 2025, culminating in an awards night held at Hotel Aston Jambi. A total of 129 participants from various regencies and cities in Jambi Province took part in the online selection process, with the offline selection narrowing down the top competitors from 60 to 20 at Aula Masinding, Balai Bahasa Provinsi Jambi.
Prof. Hendra Sofyan, M.Si., the Deputy Dean for Student Affairs and Alumni at FKIP, expressed his support for the Duta Bahasa initiative and praised the achievements of Unja's students. "Language is the heart of communication. Students must be able to use language correctly so that messages can be conveyed and understood easily. A good communicator reflects intelligence," he stated. He further encouraged all students, especially those in FKIP, to enhance their language skills in Indonesian, regional languages, and foreign languages.
Vanesya attributed her success to thorough preparation, stating that she focused on deepening her knowledge of language and literature, improving her public speaking abilities, and practicing essay writing and interviews. "The Trigatra Bangun Bahasa concept is very important: prioritize the Indonesian language, preserve regional languages, and master foreign languages," she emphasized. Vanesya also plans to develop educational content on social media to promote the proper use of language.
Similarly, Fadhil expressed gratitude for his achievement. "I am very grateful and proud to have won Pemenang Terbaik IV Putra. This is a very valuable experience and motivates me to continue learning, developing, and contributing positively to society," he said. He hopes to remain active in language and literature activities and to promote both Indonesian and regional languages through various digital platforms.
As Duta Bahasa Provinsi Jambi 2025, Vanesya and Fadhil are set to serve for one year, engaging in educational content development on social media and participating in various language-related activities. Their achievements are expected to inspire other students to contribute to the preservation and development of language in Indonesia.
In a parallel event, Mochamad Dava Hibrawardana, a student from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), earned the title of Juara Favorit (Favorite Winner) at the Duta Bahasa Jawa Timur 2025 event. The award ceremony took place on May 5, 2025, at Balai Bahasa Provinsi Jawa Timur, where Dava competed against 120 participants from East Java.
Dava's motivation to participate stemmed from his desire to contribute to the preservation of the Indonesian language. "My wish to implement the Trigatra Bangun Bahasa in society also drove me to contribute through the Duta Bahasa event," he explained. His journey included several stages, such as initial registration, document selection, essay writing training, interviews, and focus group discussions.
At the event, Dava introduced his advocacy program called Lelana Bahasa, which focuses on the digitalization of linguistic and cultural aspects of East Java. This initiative responds to the challenges posed by globalization and rapid technological advancement, which have led to a significant increase in internet users in Indonesia. Dava noted that this situation could promote the dominance of foreign languages in daily communication, gradually sidelining the use of Indonesian and regional languages.
"The interactive website Lelana Bahasa aims to preserve the richness of the Javanese language and the culture originating from East Java," he said. The website features various tools designed to facilitate users in learning and understanding Javanese language and culture, including a vocabulary dictionary with three different levels, a collection of folk tales from various regions in East Java, and comprehensive information on various aspects of East Javanese culture.
Dava believes that Lelana Bahasa is a significant step toward minimizing the negative impact of foreign language dominance. The site offers content such as a Javanese dictionary, information on Javanese script, and various folk tales and cultural insights from East Java. He is confident that this platform can serve as an adaptive means of preserving local languages and cultures in the digital age, allowing younger generations and the broader community to stay connected with their cultural heritage through an accessible and engaging platform.
Both Vanesya and Fadhil's accomplishments, along with Dava's innovative Lelana Bahasa initiative, highlight the importance of language preservation and the role of youth in promoting cultural heritage. Their efforts serve as a reminder of the value of effective communication and the need to embrace and protect linguistic diversity in Indonesia.
