WEST SULAWESI – PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk, through its subsidiaries in the Celebes 1 Area, organised the Celebes Education Festival 2026 under the theme “Great Works, Sulawesi’s Creativity.” The event served as a platform to recognise the achievements of students, teachers, and communities supported by the company.
Deputy Speaker I of the West Sulawesi Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Dr Hj. ST. Suraidah Suhardi, SE., M.Si., praised the festival, highlighting its relevance to the evolving needs of education.
“I highly appreciate the wide range of activities that promote digital literacy, student creativity, women’s empowerment, MSME development, and environmental education. These are essential foundations for preparing a generation of West Sulawesi that is not only knowledgeable but also resilient, innovative, and socially responsible,” she said.
According to Suraidah, education today extends beyond academic achievement. It also involves developing the ability to adapt, think creatively, leverage technology, care for the environment, and create solutions that benefit society.
She also encouraged students to continue learning and confidently embrace future challenges.
“Let us make the Celebes Education Festival 2026 a momentum to foster a renewed spirit, strengthen collaboration, and work together to build a more advanced, educated, and competitive West Sulawesi,” she added.
Meanwhile, Rendy H. Prabowo, representing the management of PT Letawa, explained that this year’s festival marked the second edition of the event, which was designed to celebrate the achievements of students, teachers, and the education community across the company’s oil palm plantation operational areas.
“This year, we adopted the theme ‘Great Works, Sulawesi’s Creativity’ by showcasing the works and innovations of students, teachers, and communities surrounding our plantation operations through MSMEs supported by the company,” he said.
Rendy added that Astra Agro Lestari’s operations in Sulawesi currently support 145 partner schools and 14 company-managed schools.
The festival also served as an integrated platform for the company’s four pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): education, health, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
Through the education pillar, the company organised student exhibitions and teacher development programs. Under the health pillar, it conducted women’s empowerment training for community health volunteers, members of Perempuan Astra, and local Family Welfare Movement (PKK) organisations.
The economic pillar featured a festival showcasing products from company-assisted MSMEs, while the environmental pillar included a campaign promoting the utilisation of oil palm waste by engaging 1,000 students in creating keychains from recycled materials.
Representing the Governor of West Sulawesi, Rachmad Mustofa, Assistant II of the West Sulawesi Provincial Government, described the festival as an important milestone in strengthening collaboration between the government and the private sector to advance education.
“The government cannot improve the quality of education and regional development alone. Collaboration is essential, and support from the business sector through community empowerment programs plays a significant role in preparing future generations,” he said.
Rachmad also emphasised that strengthening the four key development pillars through integrated efforts would generate broader and more sustainable benefits for society.
“Education, MSMEs, environmental sustainability, and women’s empowerment are interconnected pillars. Collaborations like this provide an excellent opportunity to accelerate regional development,” he added.
Similar appreciation was expressed by the Pasangkayu Regency Government. Muh Zain Machmoed, Regional Secretary of Pasangkayu Regency, thanked PT Astra Agro Lestari for its continued commitment to improving educational quality while supporting local economic development through MSME empowerment.
According to Zain, the festival’s second consecutive year demonstrates that regional development should focus not only on education but also on strengthening community livelihoods through local entrepreneurship.
“This festival brings together students and company-assisted MSMEs. It reflects that development is not solely about education but also about creating opportunities to strengthen the local economy,” he said.
He expressed hope that the festival would continue to deliver broad benefits to the community, inspire educational advancement, and contribute to regional economic growth by supporting the development of local MSMEs.
Through the Celebes Education Festival 2026, Astra Agro Lestari and its stakeholders aim to cultivate a culture of learning, creativity, and collaboration in building a more advanced, knowledgeable, and competitive generation for West Sulawesi.
Source: Makassar.tribunnews.com
