Indonesian Literature Department at Unhas Commemorates Language Month

MAKASSAR — The Department of Indonesian Literature (Sasindo) at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Hasanuddin (Unhas), held an International Seminar to commemorate Language Month 2024. The event took place at Prof. Mattulada Hall, FIB Unhas, on Monday, October 28, 2024, and was attended by academics and students from both domestic and international institutions.

Head of the Indonesian Literature Department, Munira Hasyim, stated that Language Month is an annual agenda at Sasindo Unhas, featuring academic activities such as international seminars and national dialogue forums.

“This initiative aims to elevate the status of the Indonesian language internationally and foster a deep love for the language so that it can thrive within its own country and resonate globally,” she explained.

Unhas Rector, Prof. Jamaluddin Jompa, emphasized that recognition of the Indonesian language in global competition is increasingly relevant, especially considering the historical significance of the Youth Pledge as a milestone of nationalism through language. “Language plays a vital role in strengthening national unity,” he said.

The seminar also presented data on the global distribution of Indonesian language speakers: 269 million in Indonesia, 5.2 million in Southeast Asia, 2.4 million across Asia Pacific and Africa, and 2 million in the Americas and Europe.

Unhas is committed to promoting the Indonesian language internationally through several strategies, including enhancing foreign language proficiency—particularly English—among faculty and students. Additionally, the university continues to encourage academic publications in Indonesian to advance the national language as a tool for diplomacy and cultural exchange in global forums.

Currently, the Indonesian Literature Department at Unhas hosts 13 international students studying the Indonesian language. The Unhas Language Center also actively provides Indonesian language instruction for foreign faculty and students, supporting the internationalization of the language.