Scholas Occurrentes Expands Its Mission in Indonesia with Innovative Educational and Artistic project: The “Hati of Indonesia”
Jakarta, August 2024 – Scholas Occurrentes, an International Educational Movement launched globally in 2013 by Pope Francis, continues to expand its mission of transforming young people’s lives through innovative educational methodologies that incorporate technology, sports, and the arts. Rooted in the vision to “create the Culture of Encounter, bringing young people together in an education that generates Meaning,” Scholas has become a significant force for inclusion, unity, and social commitment across five continents, reaching over half a million schools and universities worldwide.
A Commitment to Indonesia’s Youth and Culture
In alignment with its mission, Scholas Occurrentes has recently deepened its engagement in Indonesia, a country rich in cultural diversity and committed to fostering the Culture of Encounter. “The origin of Scholas is intercultural and interreligious, always promoting the culture of encounter through an educational method, an educational proposal,” said José María del Corral, Global President of Scholas Occurrentes. “We believe that our method, already actively present in 70 countries worldwide, can be part of Pope Francis’s legacy to Indonesia, while also learning from its rich culture, people, and schools.”
The Hati Polyhedron Project: A Symbol of Unity in Diversity
Building on the success of creating the world’s longest collective artwork in Cascais, Portugal, in 2023, Scholas is now embarking on a new artistic challenge in Indonesia. The Hati Polyhedron Project aims to create a sculpture that symbolizes the heart of Indonesia, reflecting the country’s rich cultural diversity. Each face of the polyhedron tells the stories of its participants, combining education, art, and technology to symbolize how each individual contributes to a more vibrant and meaningful global community.
This work symbolizes how each individual contributes to a more dynamic and meaningful global community. The artwork, representing Indonesia’s national motto, “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (Unity in Diversity), involves a total of 1,500 participants. This includes individuals from the educational program in Jakarta, participants from workshops in Bali, Lombok, and Labuan Bajo, and inmates from three prison facilities, including those for young inmates, women, and men.
The sculpture incorporates personal items from its contributors, creating a sacred space that holds memories and signifies a shared community.
Incorporating Sustainable Materials for a Global Message
The Polyhedron Project utilizes three types of materials—natural elements, fabric elements, and recycled elements—to align with the environmental messages of Pope Francis’s encyclicals, Laudato Si’ and Laudato Deum. These materials were carefully chosen to reflect a commitment to caring for our common home and addressing climate challenges. Just as Pope Francis made the final brushstroke on the mural in Cascais, he will add a personal object to this polyhedron, furthering the connection between art, technology, and community.
This Monday, September 2, there will be an exclusive event, where the media will be able to see the polyhedron in person, prior to Pope Francis’ meeting with the Scholas Occurrentes community on September 4.
