PRIME NEWS POST
The INDONESIAN — A bold and monumental initiative has once again emerged from Indonesia. A proposal to designate the Batak language as an International Language will soon be officially submitted to the United Nations (UN) by an Initiator Team consisting of Batak community leaders and members of the Batak diaspora from various sectors and backgrounds.
The proposal has garnered strong support from numerous parties. Chairman of the National Executive Board of the Penerus Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia (PKRI), Totop Troitua, ST., MH, views this initiative as part of Indonesia’s cultural sovereignty movement on the global stage.
“Batak is not merely a language; it is the soul, identity, and dignity of a deeply rooted local civilization. Supporting this proposal means supporting global cultural diversity and heritage,” Totop Troitua said in his official statement.
As one of the oldest ethno-linguistic traditions in Indonesia, the Batak language possesses its own writing system (Aksara Batak), diverse dialects, and a rich oral literature containing noble values found in umpasa (poetic verses), umpama (proverbs), customary poetry, and traditional calendrical knowledge.
Today, the language extends far beyond North Sumatra, thriving among Batak diaspora communities in Europe, the Americas, Australia, and even in polar regions.
The proposal requests that the Batak language particularly the Toba dialect as its primary representative be recognized as an international language by the UN and UNESCO.
The objective is not merely to elevate ethnic pride but also to promote indigenous languages as bridges of unity among nations and symbols of intercultural tolerance.
“To this day, not a single traditional or ethnic language has ever been formally recognized as an international language,” he added.
The strategic steps outlined in the proposal include submitting a formal request to international bodies, launching a global campaign through digital platforms, developing cross-cultural curricula, and establishing cooperation with international educational and cultural institutions.
Such recognition is expected to offer wide-ranging benefits: globally (enhancing tolerance and cross-cultural understanding), culturally (strengthening local identity), educationally (developing cultural-based curricula), and diplomatically (promoting cultural diplomacy on an international scale).
“It is time for the world to give space to languages born from the roots of tradition, not only from economic or political dominance,” said another member of the Initiator Team.
People across Indonesia—especially Batak communities around the world—are encouraged to unite in support of this initiative as part of a global movement to preserve linguistic and cultural heritage.
The Batak language is the voice of a civilization. Now is the moment for that voice to be heard by the world. “Let us stand together to bring the Batak language to international recognition,” the team urged.(*)
Editor: Prime News Post Journalist
Sources: Compiled from various reports
Photos: Google Documents / Special File
