Serang, wapresri.go.id – Digital technology has fundamentally changed various aspects of life, including the creative economy sector. Amid this technological age, the creative economy and the digital economy are intertwined with each other even though they are two different sectors.

The creative economy cannot exist without innovation through digital means. Creative content is produced, distributed, and consumed through various digital platforms. All of these are challenges as well as opportunities that can be utilized by the entire Indonesian nation, including the santri (students in Islamic schools), to realize mutual prosperity.

“I hope the students can seize all the opportunities available in the digital creative industry sector, especially those that can advance the Islamic economy and finance in Indonesia,” said Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin while attending the 2022 National Santri Day Commemoration, at the Islamic Boarding School An-Nawawi Tanara, Serang Regency, Banten Province, Friday (10/28/2022).

In the event which was held to coincide with the Youth Pledge Day in 2022, the Vice President further explained 3 (three) creative economic potentials to the students, both online and offline.

“First, the UN [United Nations] report states that it is very possible to develop creative industries in every country, but it is not optimal in many developing countries,” said the Vice President when he started his explanation.

Secondly, the Vice President continued, the creative industry had a promising sector during severe economic challenges due to the pandemic, climate change, geopolitical crisis, price increases, and so on.

“Creative industry is proven to be able to support the achievement of sustainable development. When countries implement restrictions due to Covid-19, exports of global creative services survive best compared to other services, which have decreased by up to 20%,” he said.

Third, the Vice President showed the results of his research, that the creative sector was difficult to replace by artificial intelligence because creativity was shaped by various factors, such as social, cultural, environmental, and various values.

“So far, digital technology has become instrumental that strengthening human creativity,” said the Vice President.

To seize this opportunity, the Vice President emphasized the importance of students being equipped with knowledge and expertise in the field of digital technology so that they could carry out da’wah and the economy digitally. Therefore, the Vice President appreciated the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Parekraf) for initiating this santripreneur movement.

“Keep going on! This movement will bring big changes in the santri environment and for the nation and state,” said the Vice President.

The Vice President hoped that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy would continue to encourage the birth of digital fighters/mujahids through the process of transferring knowledge about the digital creative economy, intellectual property rights, financing, and other matters regarding creative products to teachers and students in Islamic boarding schools.

“I also ask the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy to observe and conduct an analysis of future trends in the digital creative economy, especially when the pandemic ends. This data and analysis will guide the government in formulating policies in the creative economy sector,” added the Vice President.

Ending his remarks, the Vice President invited students to create digital students for the Awakening of Indonesia.

“I am very happy to be able to see for myself how students move to take part in the development and awakening of the nation,” he concluded.

Previously, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno noted five challenges faced in the digital economy, namely cyber security, tight competition, human resource development, availability of internet access, and regulations. However, he believed that students could become producers of information and literacy as well as movers of quality content and products. They would have an Islamic spirit and promote Islam that is rahmatan lil ‘alamin to ensure that future generations of young people have good morals.

As for the Indonesian Digitalpreneur Santri, Sandiaga further said that this program was carried out in the form of training activities and capacity building for students and the millennial generation in facing the challenges of the digital industry, which in 2022 had been implemented in 50 Islamic boarding schools in the Tasikmalaya-West Java region, Tanah Datar. -West Sumatra, Banjar Baru-South Kalimantan, Bondowoso-East Java, and Sidoarjo-East Java involving 250 students.

“In terms of quantity, we have qualified human resources. Imagine, if only 1 percent of the 5 million students produce content that is creative and useful for the people, it means that there will be an additional 50 thousand new content creators in Indonesia,” said Sandiaga.

Attending this event were, among others, the Acting Governor of Banten Al Muktabar, the Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency Boy Rafli Amar, the Leader of the An-Nawawi Tanara Islamic Boarding School, the Board of the Indonesian Dewa Dewi Foundation, and representatives of students from various Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Vice President was accompanied by the Head of the Vice Presidential Secretariat Ahmad Erani Yustika, Special Staff for the Vice President for Communication and Information Masduki Baidlowi, Special Staff for the Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Regional Autonomy Muhammad Imam Aziz, and the Vice President’s Expert Team Farhat Brachma. (DMA/LHS, BPMI-Setwapres)