Attended By 17.319 Academic Members, UNP Basongket Set A World Record Recognized By MURI

Padang–The headline reports that Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP) set a world record recognized by the Museum of Records Indonesia (MURI) for the largest participation in a traditional weaving event called Basongket. The event, held on December 14, 2023, gathered 17,319 academic members, including students, faculty, administrative staff, alumni, partners, and all verified academic constituents of UNP. The Customer Relation Manager of MURI, Lutvi Syah Pradana, acknowledged this achievement and emphasized that UNP Basongket event not only broke the Indonesian record but also secured a world record.

The initiator of the UNP Basongket, Prof. Dra. Asmar Yulastri, M.Pd, Ph.D., highlighted the significance of songket as an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia; this was recognized by the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2013. She emphasized the event’s role in preserving Indonesian culture, that is expressing gratitude for the support received and stressing the importance of preserving the art of songket.

UNP Rector, Prof. Ganefri, Ph.D., associated the Basongket event with UNP’s 69th anniversary, the Commemoration of the Day of Dharma Wanita Persatuan of the Republic of Indonesia, and the upcoming Mother’s Day on December 22. He appreciated the overwhelming support from the academic community and expressed gratitude to everyone involved for their contribution to the success of the event.

Furthermore, Fauzi Bahar, Dt. Nan Sati, Chairman of Lembaga Kerapatan Adat Alam Minangkabau (LKAAM or Minangkabau Traditional Deliberation Institution) Sumbar, highlighted the cultural significance of songket within Minangkabau traditions and commended the participants for their dedication to preserving this cultural heritage.

The event also honored Mufidah Jusuf Kalla as the Mother of Songket of West Sumatra, acknowledging the significant role of songket in both local and international cultural recognition and its economic importance. Mufidah Jusuf Kalla emphasized the event’s role in educating and empowering local micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) and instilling cultural appreciation among the younger generation, as well as in promoting songket as a culturally valuable commodity.

The Deputy Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Afriansyah Noor, M.Si, IPU, expressed appreciation for the remarkable event and conveyed pride in being part of it.

The event witnessed the presence of various dignitaries, including the mother of the Governor of West Sumatra, Harneli Bahar, Plt. Secretary of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Prof. Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie, Ph.D., the wife of the Minister of Home Affairs, Tri Suswati Tito Karnavian, and other distinguished guests.