UNS — February 17th is a special moment for Solo people. The date is commemorated as Solo City Anniversary marking Keraton Mataram’s displacement from Kartasura to Sala Village in 1745 by Paku Buwono (PB) II. This year, the city is 276 years old. An alumnus of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Elizabeth Sudira has contributed to promoting the town through her songs, Rindu Solo and Semerdu Lokananta.
The alumnus of the Diploma Program (D3) in Public Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UNS shared her university life with the uns.ac.id team on Tuesday (16/2/2021). Nicknamed Eliz, she has started her career as a radio announcer and singer when enrolled in UNS in 2009. Eliz shared that during her study, she had no time for extracurricular due to her jobs. “But I really enjoyed my college time,” she said.
During her study, she won Putri Solo 2 in 2010, and the following year, she was appointed as Duta Bahasa Jawa Tengah (Central Java Language Ambassador). For her achievements, she represented Central Java to compete at the national level, and for the first time, Central Java’s representatives, Eliz and Hanifan Fuadi, student of English Language and Literature UNS, won first place in National Language Ambassador.
After graduated from UNS, Eliz started her career as a master of ceremony in the formal events and festivals in Solo, which she still performs to this day. She is dubbed as President’s Master of Ceremony (MC) because she often took the role in events around Solo attended by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
She also participated in an Indonesian tour with the Indonesian Creative Economic Agency (Badan Ekonomi Kreatif Indonesia – Bekraf), which now merged into the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economic of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenparekraf RI). In 2019, she was selected as the mascot of Solo International Performing Arts (SIPA), which she admitted was a fascinating experience for her. She was chosen after creating her first song, Rindu Solo (Missing Solo) that closely represents the city.
“Moreover, I am Putri Solo, who never left the city. I went to university in Solo, and I wrote the songs people love,” she said.
Not long after, her first creation was followed by the next song, Semerdu Lokananta (As Sweet as Lokananta) created to celebrate Studio Lokananta’s anniversary. Eliz’s works reflected her love for Solo, and she thinks that her city is the best city she ever lived in. “I want to share a sense of pride and love to this city through my songs. With all treasures, magics, and beauty in the city, including Lokananta,” she explained.
In Solo’s 276th anniversary, she hopes that the young generation, especially UNS students, can be braver, tougher, has a higher willingness to fight, always striving, and always work on their strength for a positive cause. She added that she hopes students can implement what they learn to benefit others, their city, and even the nation.
Eliz concluding the interview with her live motto: I want and I can. She believes that these words will enable young people to achieve a bright future. “When you face difficulties, for any opportunities for your, always say I want, I can, because these magic words will bring you to start and learn, then to do something, do not only silent, but you need to do something, you need to do much,” she concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti