YOGYAKARTA – As many as 1071 elementary school students from 13 Primary Schools throughout Yogyakarta succeeded to break MURI record for drawing 1000 maps of Indonesia which took place at Koesnadi Hardjasoemantri Cultural Center, Saturday (2/4). The activity initiated by Student Association of Geographical Information Science and Regional Development (ARDGISS), Faculty of Geography UGM aims to generate interest and improve the knowledge of students about the boundary of the Republic of Indonesia.
Dean of Faculty of Geography, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. Dr. Suratman, M.Sc., told reporters that the event of drawing 1000 maps for students aims to promote interest of students in the science of geography, particularly mapping. "It is aimed to make students have an insight about region, space, resources and all of these must be built early on," Suratman said.
He added, map is not only able to inform about boundaries, but also population, social economy and it broadens national insight. The current map technology is not only through pictures on the wall, but already in digital form via satellite information technology. "It indicates that the existence of a map is more necessary," he said.
Committee chairman, Rifky Genty, said 1071 students from 13 elementary schools in Yogyakarta were involved. The best 10 maps were selected. "Ten maps winning the contest will be stored in the UGM Museum of Map, while the maps which have been made by the students will be returned to each participant as a memento," said Rifky.
The students were facilitated with lined drawing paper. Furthermore, each participant produced image map creation with the example of map pictures that had been prepared by the committee. "The winners were assessed from neatness and level of information conveyed in their maps," he said.
Governor of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X in a speech read by the Head of Social Affairs Board, Drs. Sulistyo, SH, CN, M.Si., said that he welcomed the event of drawing 1000 maps, because it will indirectly introduce the children to the archipelago. "By knowing the country from an early age, the children will learn to love the homeland. By loving the homeland, then a sense of nationalism will also grow," he said.
Sri Sultan also expected this activity would not just focus on the record-breaking, but the more important is the investment of knowledge to the next generations. "In their hands, the fate of Indonesia is laid," he concluded.