Semarang (5/24), the Library Science Study Program, Universitas Diponegoro held a Writing Workshop with the theme “Reading is Healthy, Writing is Great”. This event presented the Indonesian Reading Ambassador, Heri Hendrayana Haris known by his pen name Gol A Gong, as the main speaker.
The workshop, which was attended by Library Science students, aimed to increase reading interest and writing culture in the community. In his presentation, Gol A Gong conveyed the importance of reading and writing as part of a healthy lifestyle. Since childhood, Gol A Gong has been instilled in him to get used to reading. Even though he had an incident that made him lose one of his hands, it did not break his spirit to continue to reach his dreams in his way. It is thanks to the support of his parents that he can become what he is now, and it is all because he is used to reading.
“Books make my life empowering, thank God, what my neighbors and teachers feared that I would be a burden on society as a disabled person, that was not proven, because God helped me,” said Gol A Gong.
Furthermore, Gol A Gong also shared writing tips that are easy and fun. According to him, writing does not always have to be about serious matters, but it can also be about personal experiences, fiction stories, or even poetry.
“The most important thing is to dare to start and keep practicing. The more we write, the better our skills will be,” she added.
The participants’ enthusiasm was visible during the event. Many asked questions and discussed with Gol A Gong regarding the material that had been delivered. One of the participants, Nazril, admitted that he was inspired by Gol A Gong’s passion for promoting reading and writing culture, as evidenced by his story journey until he finally produced many works and was also awarded as the Indonesian Reading Ambassador.
The writing workshop “Reading is Healthy, Writing is Great” is expected to make a positive contribution to increasing interest in reading and writing culture in the community. This event is also proof of Undip’s commitment to supporting literacy and educating the nation.
Reporter: Virtu Ozo Fable Tchaikovsky
