Since its first edition in 1983, the Post has consistently delivered independent news coverage and analysis of Indonesia, a journey that continues to this day as the English-language daily enters its fifth decade of reporting, and promoting and safeguarding transparency, accountability and democratic values in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

From Aug. 6 to 19, “Portraits of a Nation: Indonesia’s Journey of Change and Resilience” spotlighted curated photos published in the Post over the past 40 years, from revelers at Pekan Raya Jakarta to frontline pictures from demonstrations and disaster-stricken areas.

The main exhibition, curated by Rony Zakaria, aimed to connect the audience with the Post’s photojournalists’ views of events as they unfolded, allowing them to consider ideas about the past and draw lessons for the future as Indonesia moves forward to the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

Maggie Tiojakin, president and chief revenue officer of the Post, said the anniversary events were hosted primarily to celebrate and express the Post’s gratitude to its loyal readers and partners who have supported the English-language daily over the last 40 years.

“More than that, we also wanted to show our strong commitment to remain bold and independent as a media organization, which is crucial in guarding the idea and practice of democracy in a developing nation such as ours,” she said.

The main event, the exhibition, served to remind the public of the struggles the nation has gone through to build a cohesive narrative that supports political stability, diversity, equality, transparency and accountability on the basis of a working democracy.

Lively discussions

As part of the events surrounding the exhibition, the Democracy Dialogue on Aug. 7 spotlighted the state of democracy in Southeast Asia, covering issues such as economic development and the role of a free press in sustaining a region where hundreds of millions make their voices heard every day.

Opening with a keynote speech by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, the forum invited a number of key figures from the region, including Rappler cofounder and Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa as well as President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta.

Meanwhile, the Media Matters series of discussions was designed to stimulate meaningful dialogue on critical issues affecting Indonesia’s media industry through eight distinct 90-minute panel discussions.

From Aug. 8 to 11, industry experts, thought leaders and stakeholders tackled the changing media landscape, along with threats and opportunities presented by technological developments. The topics raised included “Fake News and Disinformation: How to Battle these Threats to Democracy Ahead of the 2024 Election”, “The Role of Women in Journalism and Media Leadership”, and “The Evolution of Photojournalism in Shaping Public Opinion and Generating Public Discourse”.

On Aug. 11, exhibition attendees also had the chance to get a glimpse into the life of a photojournalist for the Post in a session titled Artist Talk: Behind the Lens.

PJ Leo, the Post’s former senior photographer with 29 years of experience, shared his insights from the frontlines of capturing critical moments in history, and how photojournalism has adapted and thrived in the face of technological advancements, social media and the shifting media landscape.

Meanwhile, the Book Talk session on Aug. 15 invited senior fellow and cofounder of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jusuf Wanandi, who discussed the dynamic landscape of democracy and political changes in Indonesia from the New Order under then-president Soeharto to the President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo era.

Moving movies

For the cinephiles, the Post collaborated with Kineforum for the Film Screening sessions from Aug. 11 to 13, inviting the audience to journey through the Indonesian silver screen’s portrayal of journalism throughout the ages through an outdoor cinema at the Post building.

From Friday to Sunday, the Post screened four movies in the evening, starting with Gie, a 2005 biopic directed by Riri Riza starring Nicholas Saputra as the Chinese-Indonesian activist Soe Hok Gie.

Based on the real life activist’s compiled diary Catatan Seorang Demonstran (Notes of a Demonstrator), the movie portrays the nature-loving student’s formative years in university as he navigates the political intrigue of Indonesia’s turbulent 1960s.

Saturday evening brought a double feature of Secangkir Kopi Pahit (A Cup of Bitter Coffee) followed by Kejarlah Daku… Kau Kutangkap (Chase Me and I’ll Catch You), two classics from the 1980s that show slices of life for Indonesian journalists, albeit with two very different approaches and subjects.

Directed by Teguh Karya, the 1985 Secangkir Kopi Pahit tells the story of Togar (Alex Komang), a student from North Sumatra arriving in Jakarta expecting to make it big in the capital. After landing a job as a reporter, his lack of journalistic talent causes more problems in his life.

Meanwhile, Kejarlah Daku… Kau Kutangkap from 1986 is a romantic comedy that brings together bank employee Mona (Lidya Kandouw) and reporter Ramadhan (Deddy Mizwar), whose paths cross unexpectedly when a picture of Mona taken by Ramadhan without permission ends up in the papers.

Closing the week on Sunday was A Copy of My Mind by Joko Anwar, which contrasts an urban love story between salon worker Sari (Tara Basro) and Alex (Chicco Jerikho), a pirated DVD subtitle maker, with a tempestuous presidential election in Indonesia, where the seedy underbelly of political crime ensnares the duo inadvertently.

Prior to the screening of A Copy of My Mind, four of the Post’s former film critics convened for an impromptu reunion and discussion of the film criticism scene in Indonesia, as well as some of their own transitions into the film industry.

Film criticism is an integral part of the media, and the Post is no exception. After all, filmmaker Joko Anwar himself got his start in the industry after a stint as a film critic for the Post.

Joko was joined by Magdalene.co cofounder and managing editor Hera Diani, actor and author Rizal Iwan as well as fellow filmmaker and actor Paul Agusta, who each gave their perspectives on Indonesian film criticism along with explanations of their own roots.

Engaging workshops

In line with the Post’s commitment toward fostering future changemakers, the Media Literacy Bootcamp from Aug. 14 to 18 provided a series of eight media literacy workshops that equipped participants with essential media-consumption and -creation skills for the digital age.

Aimed at aspiring reporters and senior high school and college students, the workshops were designed to ignite interest in media and journalism as potential career paths, stimulate critical thinking and foster creativity - essential 21st-century skills.

The workshops included topics such as “Citizen Journalism & Mobile Reporting”, “Podcasting for Impact: Amplifying Youth Voices” and “Social Media for Change: Harnessing the Power of Online Platforms”.

Following the celebrations, Maggie said she was very pleased with how the events turned out, noting that she was humbled by the enthusiasm and participation shown by the Post’s readers, partners and the general public.

“I am also humbled by the continued support from the public toward media organizations in general, in the face of fake news and potential threats to democracy, the media's role has become more important and, suffice to say, crucial in delivering accountable and accurate information,” she concluded.

The Post would also like to express its gratitude to its sponsors and other parties that supported the event, including APRIL Group, Bank Mandiri, BlueBird, Citilink, EPSON Indonesia, Kimaya Slipi Jakarta by Harris, LG Electronics Indonesia, Oakwood Premier Cozmo Jakarta, PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, Kompas.id, Kineforum, flik, come&see, miles, kolektif and PannaFoto Institute.

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