Jakarta, 26 September 2025 — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar attended the Karya Raya 2025 grand finale, Indonesia’s largest children’s literacy festival. Wamen Irene emphasized the importance of providing children with wide-ranging opportunities to express themselves, as a foundation for creativity and the strengthening of the national creative economy ecosystem.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf - Wakil Menteri Ekonomi Kreatif, Irene Umar, memberi sambutan pada puncak acara Karya Raya 2025, Jakarta, Jumat (26/09/2025)
“Today we celebrate children’s works not just as writing or drawings, but as full expressions of love and imagination. Their voices deserve to be heard by the world. Children’s creativity is an unlimited resource, and it is the new engine of growth for Indonesia’s creative economy. Through a hexahelix approach, we can ensure this literacy ecosystem grows robustly with the support of all parties,” said Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar on Friday, 26 September 2025.
Karya Raya 2025 was held at Jakarta Library, Cikini (6–25 September 2025) and Teater Jakarta, Taman Ismail Marzuki (26–28 September 2025). This year, 1,870 children’s and youth book works were published and showcased, with 70 percent from Jakarta and 30 percent from other regions and abroad. This achievement marks a national milestone as the largest children’s literacy movement involving thousands of young writers.
Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Nasruddin Djoko Surjono, Head of the Jakarta Provincial Library and Archives, praised the festival. “Karya Raya is a graphic literacy movement that cultivates a culture of writing and reading while sharpening children’s imagination. This achievement is more than numbers—it represents the spirit of young people who keep creating. Today’s young Karya Raya writers are the future leaders of the nation who will shape Indonesia’s Golden Generation 2045,” he said.
Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
The event, initiated by the creative platform Bookabook, featured exhibitions, Karya Raya Talk Sessions, workshops, and an Awarding Fest to recognize the best young writers. Ernest Julius Wiyanto, Co-Founder of Karya Raya & Bookabook, explained that the program aims to empower youth to dream boldly and create actively.
“Through Karya Raya, we encourage children to explore creativity and discover their best potential, whether as writers, creators, or changemakers. We hope this experience not only produces works but also shapes visionary, confident young Indonesians ready to lead the nation toward a higher-quality future,” he added. He emphasized that the literacy movement should continue as a national initiative to strengthen Indonesia’s position as a regional hub for creativity.
Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Karya Raya 2025 serves as an important milestone to reinforce literacy as a foundation for national development, while also boosting the growth of Indonesia’s youth-based creative industries.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of Bureau of Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
