what is batik day

Batik Day (Hari Batik Nasional) is an Indonesian cultural day celebrated on October 2nd every year to celebrate batik, the traditional cloth of Indonesia. The day marks the anniversary of when UNESCO recognized batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2009. Batik is a traditional Indonesian cloth that has roots in the countrys historical artwork. In celebration of their culture, Indonesians dress head-to-toe in batik for the holiday. The day is celebrated across a number of platforms all over the world, particularly in Indonesian organizations ranging from universities, church groups, and communities all around the world. The Indonesian government strongly encourages Indonesian people, especially government officials, employees of state-owned enterprises, and students, to wear batik annually on the holiday and on Fridays to commemorate the day. Wearing batik every Friday has also been encouraged in private companies. UNESCO Jakarta and its partner Citi Foundation hosted a virtual celebration of batik called "Batik: Karsa Adhikari" on National Batik Day in 2021 to explore the cultural roots of batik and discuss how to make the industry more sustainable.