The effort to raise nationalism among young generations needs to be bold, because youth’s nationalism is weakened by globalization. The Vice-Rector of Researches and Social Services, Prof. Dr. Suratman., said that we could raise youth nationalism through introduction to national songs. National song has powers, patriotism, brotherhood and Pancasila values that are expected to raise nationalism among youth.
“Don’t let our young generation drowned in songs that are far from our national values,” he said in his opening speech at a seminar for Pancasila Values through National Songs, Tuesday (12/08) at Centre ofi Pancasila Studies (PSP) UGM.
The seminar was joined by choirs, art teachers, religion teachers, history teachers on playgroup, kindergarten, Elementary school, Middle School and High School levels. Besides teachers, the seminar was also joined by students, artists, academicians, and public. Dr. Femmy Eka Kartika Putri as Deputy Assistant for Early Child Education, Basic Education, and Public Education in the Human development and culture agency was there as a keynote speaker. The other speakers are Priyo Dwiarso and Wisnu Mintargo from Suara Gelora Bahana Patria Choir Club, and Dr. Heri Santoso from PSP UGM.
The seminar was one of PSP’s efforts to raise nationalism through national songs. National songs were proven a powerful weapon to get Indonesia out of colonialism.
Heri said that during the colonialism era, national songs could power up Indonesian’s soldiers to beat colonists. Therefore, through the songs we could raise nationalism among young generations so that they could create sovereign and independent country.