Universitas Indonesia celebrated their anniversary by holding a scientific speech spoken by The Professor of Faculty of Economic Universitas Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Sri Edi Swasono. The speech which brought “Explore the Indonesian Values” theme were attended by hundreds of the civitas of Universitas Indonesia. This 2015 anniversary was opened by greeting by the Rector of Universitas Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Ir. Muhammad Anis, M.Met. In his speech, he expressed his hope that UI will continue to give its contribution for the development of Indonesia.
Sri Edi Swasono’s title of speech was “Independence proclamation is a cultural proclamation: togetherness, familial principles, identity and existence ”. In his speech, he said that “Independence proclamation” is a cultural statement that contains cultural principles with sovereign awareness and being independence from colonialist. However, he thinks that now our nation is on culturally ignorant state and does not draw the line of “cultural strategic” immediately as the obligation of an independence nation.
“We are absent by not drawing a line of cultural strategic to handling an independence. We are culture careless by accepting liberalism and capitalism. We are lapsed by chasing to have more, instead of to be more. We let the national development just to chase economic added value,” said him.
Furthermore, he stated that the national development should not be valued by GDP growth only. Development should prioritizes the sovereignty of people, instead of neoliberalism and capitalism. He explained things that happened when a nation lost its national sovereignty.
“We are not sovereign on food, seeds, medicines, industrial engineering, export-import, energy, technology, defense, earth management, water, natural resources, even on legitimation,” he added.
Nevertheless, he underlined that it does not mean that Indonesia is anti foreign, yet Indonesia cannot let even more refuse the fact that foreign economic dominate the national economic. Globalization still has to be faced while realizing that it does not mean that we give our sovereignity to global powers.
“As a nation who is fighting to secede its self from colonization to be independence, the unity become core values of Indonesia along with togetherness and familial principles. There is no independence without unity,” he said.
After the scientific speech, the 2015 UI anniversary continued with rice cone cutting ceremony by the Rector of UI. The UI Anniversary celebration got more festive by the performance of Mahawaditra UI, Vocademia, and Liga Tari UI. (AY/Humas UI)
