Arcadiadaily – A Call from the heart echoed during the II BRICS Traditional Values Forum in Brazil on September 16, 2025, when Sastri Yunizarti Bakry, National Coordinator of the BRICS Writers Association Indonesia, delivered her remarks virtually. Her speech went beyond diplomacy, offering a reminder that Indonesia’s strength lies in unity built from diversity. With its 17,000 islands, 1,300 ethnic groups, and 700 languages, she introduced Indonesia not as a statistic but as a living example of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika “Unity in Diversity.”
At the core of her address was integrity, which she described as the light that allows societies to endure even in difficult times. A Call from Sastri’s experience as a civil servant, where she chose honesty over corruption, illustrated how integrity shapes both individual character and national resilience. She also recalled writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer, who endured great sacrifice for truth. Without integrity, she stressed, trust cannot exist, and without trust, no cooperation national or international can last.
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She then turned to justice, reminding her audience that prosperity without fairness creates new divisions. Quoting President Prabowo, she emphasized that lifting millions from poverty is meaningful only if no one is left behind. Economic growth, she argued, must advance together with education, literacy, and culture, because progress divorced from humanity is incomplete.
Perhaps the most inspiring part of her speech was the focus on culture. A Call from Sastri’s vision highlighted the International Minangkabau Literacy Festival. Which has grown from 12 to 24 countries, proving literature’s power to transcend borders. She proposed a World Poetry for Peace forum under BRICS. A cultural initiative that could serve as moral diplomacy in an era of division.
Closing with poetry, Sastri urged BRICS to stand not merely as an economic alliance but as a moral lighthouse. Her heartfelt words called on nations to build not just with power, but with conscience reminding the world that the truest strength is found in integrity, justice, and compassion.
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This article references information from KBANews, a news platform covering cultural, literary, and social developments in Indonesia, including notable speeches and events with global relevance.
Writer By: Sarah Azhari | Editor By: Randa Saragi
