UNAIR NEWS – Two lecturers from the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) have just received an award from the Surabaya City Government (Pemkot). The awards were presented during 728th Surabaya Anniversary commemoration ceremony to Prof. Dr. Purnawan Basundoro Basundoro, M. Hum. as Cultural Heritage Preservation Observer and Kukuh Yudha Karnanta, S.S., M.A., as Young Writer Educator.
As an activist in cultural heritage preservation, Prof. Purnawan interprets the award as a great appreciation from the Surabaya City Government for all his efforts. The dean of FIB UNAIR has been active for a long time in a team of Cultural Heritage Experts who provide input on the development of cultural heritage in Surabaya, has produced many works about the history of Surabaya, and has been referred in any discussion about cultural heritage.
“This award also indicates that my work so far is considered quite useful for Surabaya,” he explained.
Furthermore, the Banjarnegara-born lecturer said that he would continue to mobilize the public, communities, and historical observers to pay attention to cultural heritage buildings and historical heritage in Surabaya.
“This preservation must continue to be carried out by all elements of society so they will last, and I will be a part of that movement,” said the 50-year-old lecturer.
Meanwhile, Kukuh Yudha Karnanta, S.S., M.A., assessed that the award was obtained for his contribution as a mentor for young writers and Community Reading Park (TBM) officers together with the Surabaya Library and Archives Service (Dispusip). He explained that the TBM activity started in 2018 was aimed at improving the quality of community literacy, especially in the process of learning and doing works at home.
“The output of this TBM activity is in the form of books, learning management systems, and other works,” he added.
However, the best lecturer at FIB UNAIR in 2020 admitted that he never expected to get an award from the Surabaya City Government.
“For receiving the award, I feel burdened more in several ways, but it is also a motivation to continue literacy activities that can bring an impact in public,” he concluded. (*)
Author: Nikmatus Sholikhah
Editor: Feri Fenoria
