Batanghari, East Lampung — On Monday, 15 September 2025, the Nuban Institute’s basecamp in Batanghari became a quiet yet intense gathering space. There were no banners or formal speeches. Instead, voices rose one by one, carrying poems shaped by reflection, concern, and lived experience. Twenty-five participants—cultural figures, lecturers, students, and community leaders—came together to listen as much as to speak.

The collective poetry reading was conceived as a cultural response to contemporary social and political realities. Rather than direct confrontation, the participants chose poetry as a medium of critique—one that allows dissent to be expressed with nuance, imagination, and ethical restraint. Through metaphor and imagery, the poems addressed public policies, social injustice, and the unease felt by many citizens today.

Each poem was read individually, giving space for every voice to resonate fully. The atmosphere was attentive and contemplative. Silence between readings was as meaningful as the words themselves, turning the event into a shared moment of reflection rather than performance.

According to Dr. Ahmad Muzakki, M.Pd, Chair of the Nuban Institute, the event reflects the institute’s commitment to sustaining a tradition of thoughtful and responsible criticism. “Poetry creates distance from anger, but brings us closer to honesty,” he said. “It allows criticism to remain firm without becoming destructive, and expressive without losing its moral grounding.”

He emphasized that cultural forums like this are increasingly important in a public climate dominated by polarization and noise. Bringing together academics, artists, students, and community leaders in a single circle, he added, helps preserve critical thinking while nurturing social sensitivity.

Through this poetry reading, the Nuban Institute reaffirmed its role as an intellectual community rooted in culture. In the modest setting of its Batanghari basecamp, poetry once again proved its power—not as an escape from reality, but as a meaningful way to question it, challenge it, and humanize it.