Bandung, July 19, 2025 - Held at Taman Budaya Jawa Barat, the Visual Mapping Festival “101 Dongeng Sunda Wa Kepoh” was successfully conducted as a cultural space for inclusive and educational expression. This festival is part of a real effort to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of quality education (SDG 4), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and cultural preservation within sustainable cities (SDG 11).
The festival opened festively with a traditional welcoming dance by Katumbiri, symbolizing the spirit of local culture thriving within urban communities. In a spirit of collaboration, the festival featured storytellers from various elements of society: public officials, lecturers, teachers, university students, elementary to high school students, and senior citizen groups. Each storyteller performed Sundanese folktales in their unique style, reflecting the richness of oral heritage that remains relevant across generations.
Ahmad Fuadin, S.Pd., M.Pd., the festival coordinator, stated in his opening speech:
“This festival is not merely a spectacle, but also a guidance - to strengthen our identity as a nation, through noble heritage passed down from generation to generation.”
The Vice Mayor of Bandung, Dr. H. Erwin Affandi, S.E., M.Pd., who officially opened the event, emphasized that this activity aligns with cultural-based development policies.
“This is not just a festival, but a cultural movement. The Bandung City Government fully supports initiatives like this, which strengthen local identity and build inclusive cultural spaces,” he asserted.
Swedi Hananta, S.S., M.Hum., representative of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Office Region IX of West Java, also underlined the importance of preserving intangible culture:
“BPK is a technical implementing unit under the Ministry of Culture tasked with maintaining and safeguarding Indonesia’s cultural wealth, including regional folktales that are now revived through creative spaces like this festival,” he said.
The festival served as a best practice in bringing cultural education closer to people of all ages and abilities. Through folktales, young generations are encouraged to love tradition and develop cultural literacy from an early age, while vulnerable groups are given active participation as equal members of society.
With its visual mapping approach and local narratives, the 101 Dongeng Sunda Wa Kepoh Festival not only entertained but also strengthened values of diversity, inclusion, and cultural resilience toward a sustainable society.
(Ahmad Fuadin)