Jakarta, 7 February 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency Irene Umar agreed that language and literacy serve as the primary foundation for expressing ideas. In this way, language and literacy can foster the creation of creative works amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar was a speaker at the Narabahasa Celebration (Senara) 2026 held at Omah Martimbang, Jakarta, on Saturday (7/2/2026).
“Language is the foundation of human-to-human relationships, human-to-self relationships, and today, human-to-machine interactions. The better we communicate—whether instructing AI or interacting with people—the closer the results will align with our intended goals,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar during her presentation at the Narabahasa Celebration (Senara) 2026 at Omah Martimbang, Jakarta, on Saturday, 7 February 2026.
“I fully agree with the Narabahasa tagline, ‘Master Language, Master the World,’ because language is our primary tool to express what is in our minds and hearts for mutual understanding,” added Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar.
Narabahasa itself is a language-focused initiative committed to strengthening the language and literacy ecosystem in Indonesia. In celebration of its 6th anniversary, Narabahasa held Senara 2026 as a collaborative meeting space for communities, creators, and publishers to celebrate and develop works rooted in language and literacy.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar also views written works as the starting point for intellectual property that can be further developed for broader markets. According to her, language-based products have significant potential to be adapted into various media that are more accessible to the public, thereby expanding both their reach and economic value within the creative economy ecosystem.
“Many books, such as the works of Ika Natassa and Marchella FP, originate from written texts, which are then developed into scripts and adapted into films. The foundation remains language and storytelling, but they are repackaged so they can be understood and enjoyed by a wider audience,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar.
In line with this discussion, writer Nenden Lilis Aisyah also highlighted the importance of maintaining the originality of works amid the ease of content production brought by technological advances. In the era of AI, a creator’s unique perspective and personal experiences are considered key differentiators in producing authentic and valuable works.
“With the widespread presence of digital technology today, originality and personalization have become extremely important. In writing, one of the strongest sources is personal experience. From that emerges distinction and uniqueness, because experiences that are deeply felt give rise to more personal language, making the work truly original,” explained Nenden.
Meanwhile, Narabahasa CEO Ivan Lanin emphasized that Narabahasa was established not only to improve language skills but also to elevate the dignity of the Indonesian language as an equal and empowered language in both public and professional spaces.
Photo: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“The goals of Narabahasa are expressed through three main missions: to elevate the prestige of the Indonesian language, enhance the public’s language skills, and promote happiness. Many Indonesians have good ideas but struggle to express them fully. When language skills improve, confidence grows, which in turn affects both the quality of communication and overall happiness,” said Ivan.
Senara 2026 took place in an inclusive and collaborative atmosphere through a variety of activities, ranging from community and publisher bazaars, talk sessions, community discussions, entertainment, to workshops on story writing and bookbinding. The event targeted students, educators, community activists, content creators, and the general public as part of efforts to expand the impact of language and literacy on the national ecosystem, including the development of the creative economy industry.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
