The Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia (FIB UI), together with Balai Pustaka, is organizing a public lecture entitled “Tracing the Footsteps of Sitti Nurbaya: Sitti Nurbaya, Portraits of Women in the Construction of Time.” The event took place on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Auditorium of Building X FIB UI. This event is part of a series of celebrations for the 86th anniversary of FIB UI.
The event featured three speakers, namely Melani Budianta, Ph.D. (retired professor at FIB UI), Rania Maheswari Yamin, S. Hum. (writer and influencer), and Safar Nurhan (writer). The session was moderated by Masning Salamah, S.Hum, who is also the Best Advocacy Puteri Kebudayaan Indonesia 2024. Through this discussion, participants were invited to explore the meaning and relevance of Marah Roesli’s legendary work Sitti Nurbaya in examining the position and struggles of women over time.
In addition to the public lecture, the event was also enlivened by a special collaborative drama performance between the Lingkar Kata Group and Bambang Sumarsono (Independent Theater Actor). This performance served as a reflection on the social and cultural values embedded in the story of Sitti Nurbaya, as well as how these messages can be reinterpreted in the context of modern society.
As part of this celebration, Balai Pustaka also re-released the classic novel Sitti Nurbaya in its 55th edition (2025), which was sold in limited quantities at the event booth for Rp100,000. The release of this latest edition was an important moment in reviving the spirit of literacy and appreciation for Indonesian literature.
Through this activity, FIB UI hopes to encourage critical awareness among students regarding the role of women in Indonesian history and culture. As it approaches its 86th anniversary, FIB UI hopes this event will serve as a platform for students to understand that literary works are not only a reflection of their time but also a source of inspiration in building an inclusive and sustainable cultural perspective. (RMRW)
