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Youth raise awareness of bullying through art
Beating pots and pans, students repeated the lines, "Stop
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Beating pots and pans, students repeated the lines, "Stop. Don't hurt your friends. No bullying again. Let's start to make it end."
The students were from the alternative School of Universe in Parung, Bogor. They make music out of junk and call themselves "The Rombeng" (rags).
The Rombeng were just one of 10 performances by Greater Jakarta high school bands at the University of Indonesia's Wisma function hall in Depok on Saturday.
Along with the performances, a photography and poster exhibition as well as poetry readings by high school students enlivened Saturday's event.
Imam Kurnia, a teacher from the School of Universe, said some students from The Rombeng were victims of bullying.
Around 150 high school students participated in the event, called the Young Hearts Youth Art and Media Project.
The project was organized by the NGO Plan International, which advocates for children's rights, and SEJIWA International, an anti-bullying organization.
Students submitted a total of 71 posters, 13 poems, 10 photographs and 18 songs, which were created to raise awareness of bullying.
"We aim to encourage youth to voice their own opinions on bullying through art and music, whichever suits them best," said SEJIWA Foundation chairwoman Diena Haryana.
Art and music stimulate the right side of the brain, Diena said, which is the center for creativity, empathy, love and respect. This can reduce the act of violence and bullying, she added.
Paulan Aji, a communications specialist for Plan International Indonesia, said, "Through this event, children participate in thinking of the best solutions to stop bullying among them."
According to a survey conducted by SEJIWA and Plan International Indonesia in May this year, more than 65 percent of 1,500 junior and senior high school students in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya said they had witnessed physical, verbal and psychological abuse by schoolmates, teachers and neighborhood thugs.
The Young Hearts project, which started in June, was held in Yogyakarta earlier this month and in Surabaya last month.
Fifi, the mother a student from Didaktik high school in Depok, said not all students and parents understood what bullying was.
"Through this event, school students are not only aware of the issue, but are also doing something real to stop it.
"This event is also a great way for my daughter to improve her talent and develop her self-confidence," Fifi added, while rushing to take a photo her daughter, who was presenting her poster on the stage.
Althea Ratu Paramita from state high school SMA 68 won first prize in the photography exhibition. Her photo, Laughing is better than crying, depicted two students lying on the grass with their hands entwined to form a heart.
M. Reza Aulia Irfanov also from SMA 68 won the poster category. His poster depicted a skull and crossbones being punched with the text saying, "Bullying can cause physical and mental health problems, and even death".
The students, along with the other winners for poetry and music, were named anti-bullying student ambassadors for Jakarta.
The city winners from across Indonesia will represent Indonesia at the Anti-Violence International Festival event in Bangkok in January next year. Five other countries -- Thailand, Vietnam, India, the Philippines and Bangladesh -- will compete at the international event.
