Faculty of Humanities’ Partner Village Strengthens Digital Language and Cultural Literacy for the Youth of Baler Bale Gung, Jembrana

• Posted by: Admin
• Sabtu, 8 Agustus 2026
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Jembrana – The Faculty of Humanities (FIB), Udayana University (Unud), demonstrated its commitment to implementing the Three Pillars of Higher Education (Tridarma Perguruan Tinggi) through a Community Service (PKM) activity entitled "Strengthening Language and Cultural Literacy through the Utilization of Digital Cultural Products for the Community of Baler Bale Agung Urban Village, Jembrana Regency." This activity was held on Saturday (8/8/2026) at the Weaving Center (Sentra Tenun) of Baler Bale Agung Urban Village, Jembrana Regency. Chaired by Prof. Dr. I Made Netra, S.S., M.Hum., the event was attended by approximately 30 participants from the local youth organization (Yowana / sekaa teruna) of Baler Bale Agung, coordinated by Gede Prawira Bhujangga W. In addition to the team of lecturers and students from FIB Unud, the activity was also attended by the Head of Baler Bale Agung Urban Village, Ida Bagus Gede Ananda Kusuma, S.IP., M.AP., the Chairman of DPK Apindo of Jembrana Regency, I Gede Agus Sanjaya, S.E., S.H., M.M., CME., urban village officials, and local community figures.

The implementation of this activity holds strategic significance, considering that Baler Bale Agung Urban Village is a fostered village (desa binaan) of FIB Unud. With its status as a fostered village, various educational, research, and community service programs continue to be developed sustainably as a manifestation of the partnership between the university and the community in supporting the preservation of the Balinese language, literature, and culture. The Head of the PKM Team, Prof. Dr. I Made Netra, S.S., M.Hum., explained that the advancement of information technology should be utilized as a medium to strengthen the nation's cultural identity. According to him, digital transformation opens up enormous opportunities to document local cultural wealth so that it can be inherited by future generations. "The preservation of language and culture cannot solely rely on oral transmission; it must also be supported by high-quality digital documentation and publications. The younger generation plays a vital role as cultural content creators capable of introducing regional identity to both national and international audiences," stated Prof. Netra.

In his remarks, the Head of Baler Bale Agung Urban Village, Ida Bagus Gede Ananda Kusuma, S.IP., M.AP., expressed his appreciation for the consistency of FIB Unud in assisting the Baler Bale Agung community through various academic and empowerment activities. "We express our gratitude to FIB Unud for continuing to designate Baler Bale Agung as a fostered village. Programs like this provide tangible benefits for the community, especially the younger generation, enabling them to utilize digital technology to preserve and introduce local cultural wealth to a broader audience," he said.

The series of activities began with a presentation on strengthening language literacy by Dr. Ni Ketut Sri Rahayuni, S.S., M.Hum. In her presentation, she explained that language literacy is not only related to reading and writing skills but also the ability to understand, use, and preserve the language as a core part of the community's cultural identity. Regional languages, according to her, are cultural heritages that must be continuously nurtured to keep them alive amidst rapid technological developments and the currents of globalization. Furthermore, material on strengthening cultural literacy was delivered by Dr. Drs. I Wayan Suardiana, M.Hum. He emphasized that cultural literacy is the ability to understand values, traditions, customs, arts, and local wisdom as the foundation of the nation's character. The utilization of digital media is considered one of the effective strategies to introduce local culture to the younger generation without losing its authentic values. Besides the material presentations, participants were also introduced to various forms of digital cultural products, techniques for finding credible sources of cultural information, digital ethics, copyright protection for cultural works, and cultural promotion strategies across various digital platforms.

The activity then proceeded with a workshop session that provided participants with the opportunity to directly practice creating digital cultural content. Accompanied by the team of lecturers and students, participants learned to draft short video concepts, digital posters, social media content, and podcast outlines highlighting the local cultural potential of Baler Bale Agung Urban Village. This included community traditions, weaving crafts, the regional language, and various other forms of local wisdom. The training atmosphere was highly interactive. Participants actively discussed how to package cultural information to make it appealing to the younger generation while maintaining the accuracy of the information presented. This hands-on mentoring helped participants understand the digital content production process, from brainstorming ideas and scriptwriting to filming and publishing techniques via social media. The presence of the Chairman of DPK Apindo of Jembrana Regency further strengthened the synergy among the urban village government, higher education institutions, and entrepreneurs in maintaining local cultural sustainability. This collaboration is expected to spur the birth of various digital-based cultural preservation innovations that remain grounded in the customary values and traditions of the Balinese people.

Through this activity, participants are expected to gain a sharper understanding of the importance of language and cultural literacy while mastering basic skills in utilizing digital technology as a medium for documentation, education, and the promotion of local culture. The outputs of this activity include the enhancement of participants' knowledge and skills, the creation of digital cultural product prototypes, event documentation, publications in mass media and social media, the drafting of community service scientific articles, and the strengthening of cooperation between FIB Unud and the Baler Bale Agung Urban Village Government. As a fostered village of FIB Unud, Baler Bale Agung is expected to continue serving as a hub for developing various community empowerment programs based on language, literature, culture, and digital technology. The synergy established among the university, urban village government, customary village, and the community serves as crucial capital in preserving local cultural identity while building a society that is adaptable to the changing times without losing its true self.