Bandung, July 2025 – Bandung Kota Cerita: The Literally Literacy Workshop was organized by Komunitas Nyarita and Lingkar Sastra Utara as a response to the Mayor of Bandung’s initiative, Bandung Kota Cerita (Bandung City of Stories). The event was attended by several prominent figures including H. Iman Lestariyono, S.Si., S.H. (Chairman of Commission IV of the Bandung City Regional House of Representatives), Dewi “Kenny” Kaniasari, S.Sos., M.A. (Head of the Bandung City Archives and Library Agency), and Asmarahadi (Acting Head of the Youth Development Division, Bandung City Youth and Sports Agency).
Yanty Wirza, M.Pd., M.A., Ph.D., Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Cooperation at the Faculty of Language and Literature Education (FPBS), Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), delivered a seminar titled “Contemporary Literacy: Interacting with Text and Information” during the workshop held on July 20, 2025, by Komunitas Nyarita and Lingkar Sastra Utara with the support of the Bandung City Youth and Sports Agency.
The event opened with a call for collaboration and commitment from Commission IV and the Bandung Archives and Library Office to engage communities and academics in enhancing Bandung’s literacy activities. As part of the Bandung Kota Cerita program, Dewi “Kenny” Kaniasari invited universities, academics, and community groups across Bandung to enrich the city’s storytelling culture through its citizens’ narratives.
In her seminar “Contemporary Literacy: Interacting with Text and Information,” Dr. Yanty emphasized the importance of digital literacy in today’s fast-paced and connected technological era. She outlined effective strategies to critically assess digital information, helping the younger generation in the age of the internet and social media to better navigate misinformation and hoaxes. She also discussed how to ethically utilize generative AI within academic contexts, ensuring academic integrity is upheld.
“In this era of digital literacy, we need to enhance - not replace - critical thinking when using advanced digital tools such as AI,” she concluded.
This initiative aligns strongly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the area of Quality Education (Goal 4). It opens collaborative opportunities among academics, universities, and local communities in Bandung, working alongside government stakeholders to nurture a vibrant ecosystem of language and literature in the city.
Komunitas Nyarita was founded by Kirana Anjani Ariella (alumna of the English Language Education Study Program, FPBS UPI) and Rakean Radya Al Barra (alumnus of Institut Teknologi Bandung), with a vision to create a beginner-friendly writing ecosystem in Bandung. Nyarita hopes that Bandung’s youth will increase their literacy activities and contribute to enriching the city’s stories and narratives.
Lingkar Sastra Utara was initially established to support alumni from the English Language Education and English Language and Literature Study Programs at FPBS UPI in the fields of literature and writing. The group publishes members’ works in self-published zines and regularly hosts literary discussions, both oral and written.
Source: Committee Documentation