Five Ursuline Schools Unite for Education Festival, Colossal Musical
Five Ursuline schools across Jakarta and Banten are joining forces to celebrate 170 years of educational service in Indonesia with Festival Pendidikan 170 Tahun Ursulin Indonesia, scheduled for Sept. 10-11 at Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
The festival, themed "Tangguh dalam Cinta" (Resilient in Love), brings together St. Maria, St. Ursula Jakarta, St. Theresia, St. Vincentius and St. Ursula BSD schools in a collaborative celebration of the Ursuline educational mission that began when three sisters from Noordwijk, Netherlands, arrived in Batavia in 1856 and established their first residence around Pasar Baru on Jan. 18, 1859, which later became the St. Ursula Convent and Schools on Jalan Pos 2 Jakarta.
Grand Musical Drama Features Story of Indonesian Heroine
The centerpiece of the festival is a grand musical drama titled Mutiara dari Timur: Nyala Perjuangan Martha Christina Tiahahu (Pearl from the East: The Flame of Martha Christina Tiahahu's Struggle), featuring a combined cast of approximately 520 students from kindergarten through high school. The production tells the story of Martha Christina Tiahahu, a 17-year-old resistance fighter from Nusalaut Island, Maluku, who joined the Pattimura-led resistance against Dutch colonial forces in 1817. She participated in several battles, including one where Dutch commander Richement was killed and Duurstede Fortress was burned down. After her capture in December 1817, Tiahahu was being transported to Java as a slave laborer when she fell ill and refused food or medicine, dying at sea in the Banda Sea on Jan. 2, 1818, just two days before her 18th birthday. She was declared a National Heroine of Indonesia on May 20, 1969.
Ursuline Educational Legacy
The festival's theme draws from the Serviam (I serve) spirit established by Saint Angela Merici, who founded the Ursuline order in Brescia, Italy, on Nov. 25, 1535, with 28 companions, creating the first religious institute for women dedicated exclusively to girls' education in the Roman Catholic Church. Canonized as a saint by Pope Pius VII on May 24, 1807, Saint Angela Merici is venerated as a patron saint of educators and teachers, a legacy that continues through approximately 3,600 Ursuline nuns operating in over 30 countries worldwide today.
Sister Moekti Gondosasmito, OSU, second chairperson of the Satya Bhakti Foundation, emphasized that the 170-year milestone represents a significant journey and serves as both an expression of gratitude for the Ursulines' presence in Indonesia and an opportunity to share that gratitude with those in need.
Connecting Past and Present Through Theater
Festival committee chair Anton Sumardi noted the event offers a rare opportunity for the five Ursuline schools to collaborate and showcase their shared identity. He explained that Martha Christina Tiahahu's story was chosen for its connection between Saint Angela Merici's mission to educate young women and the courage of Martha, who fought for her nation as a teenager.
Musical drama director Rama Soeprapto stated that bringing Tiahahu's heroism to life on stage allows children to not only know her name but to feel the weight of her struggle and the depth of her courage, highlighting a tale of heroism from eastern Indonesia that is rarely told.
Festival Activities and Scholarship Support
Beyond the musical production at Istora Senayan, a venue originally built for the 1962 Asian Games with a capacity of approximately 7,200 seats following 2018 renovations, the festival will feature an education fair showcasing national and international universities, educational competitions, parenting seminars, extracurricular showcases and a bazaar with MSME products and culinary offerings.
Admission to the Education Festival is free, while tickets for the grand musical drama Mutiara dari Timur can be purchased via Loket.com. All proceeds from the event will support the Ursuline Scholarship Foundation (USF), which has awarded 8,095 scholarships across more than 25 cities in Indonesia and Timor-Leste as of the 2025/2026 academic year. In the current academic year alone, the USF assisted 709 out of 919 applicants, highlighting demand that far exceeds current assistance capacity.
