Armaidi Tanjung Delivers a Philatelic Lecture to Students of SMPN 12 Denpasar at Baliphex 17
Editor: Leni Marlina
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Denpasar, December 12, 2025 – Suaraanaknegerinews.com| Philately is one of the educational media capable of encouraging students to learn more deeply about the world through postage stamps. Beyond that, it also inspires students to write—transforming their stamp collections into narratives, reflections, and historical insights.
This was stated by Armaidi Tanjung, Advisor to the Regional Board of the Indonesian Philatelists Association (PD PFI) of West Sumatra Province, during a philatelic lecture delivered on Friday (12/12/2025). The lecture took place on the main stage of the National Philatelic Exhibition (Panfila) and the International Philatelic Friendship Competition (Baliphex) at the Bali Museum, Jalan Mayor Wisnu No. 1, Denpasar, Bali.
Prior to the lecture, Drs. I GST NGR Astawan, S.MT, Advisor to the Philatelic Scouting Program, presented an explanation of the Special Skills Badge (TKK) related to stamps and philately in scouting, emphasizing its role in cultivating discipline, curiosity, and cultural literacy among young learners.
Armaidi Tanjung explained that for students who are still pursuing their formal education, philately can serve as a meaningful and beneficial hobby. Each stamp carries visual images layered with diverse meanings. Stamps possess historical value, as they are often issued to commemorate significant events—whether carefully planned by governments or arising from unplanned natural phenomena. Major natural disasters, for example, are frequently memorialized through the issuance of commemorative stamps.
“Through collections of stamps and postcards once used as means of communication in earlier times, we are now able to trace the historical footprints of a city,” Armaidi Tanjung remarked. “Stamps depicting heads of state, national heroes, and landmark events function as accessible learning media for understanding history.”
He further explained that stamps portraying cultural expressions from various regions and countries offer philatelists—those devoted to philately—the opportunity to gain deeper knowledge of diverse cultures, both within Indonesia and across the world. As the author of Philately: From Hobby to Business, Armaidi emphasized that philatelists are required to cultivate patience, perseverance, accuracy, and meticulous attention to detail in building their collections.
Such collections, he noted, may later be exhibited at regional, national, and international philatelic exhibitions. Participation in these exhibitions brings recognition, expands social networks, and opens opportunities to attend philatelic events in other cities and countries. Armaidi also recalled his first visit to Denpasar in 1993, when he attended the Philatelic Exhibition and the Annual National Meeting (RTN) of the Indonesian Philatelists Association.
Ririn Septyana Santoso, a supervising teacher at SMPN 12 Denpasar, expressed her gratitude for the lecture, stating that the material delivered was highly beneficial for students. Until now, many of them had little to no familiarity with stamps or philately. “Hopefully, after listening to this explanation, some students will begin collecting stamps and eventually become philatelists,” said Ririn, who teaches mathematics.
Meanwhile, Gede Ngurah Suryahadinata, SST.Par., M.Par., Chairman of the Baliphex Organizing Committee and Head of PD PFI Bali Province, explained that inviting junior high school students to Baliphex 17 was a deliberate decision aimed at introducing stamps and philately at an early age. “I myself became familiar with philately while I was still a junior high school student,” he shared. “I have remained consistent in pursuing this hobby, which has allowed me to visit several countries, including India multiple times.”
Throughout the lecture, students actively participated in the discussion. Each student who correctly answered a question received a set of stamps or commemorative covers prepared by the exhibition committee.
Closing Reflection
Amid the relentless surge of the digital era, Baliphex 17 serves as a poignant reminder that a postage stamp is not merely a small object affixed to the corner of an envelope—it is a gateway to knowledge, history, and national identity. The philatelic lecture attended by students of SMPN 12 Denpasar that day did more than introduce a hobby; it planted a new way of reading the world—through miniature images that capture events, cultures, and achievements of nations.
If a seed of love for philately grows from this modest exhibition space, its impact may extend far beyond stamp albums. One inspired student may become the beginning of a generation more historically aware, stronger in identity, prouder of its nation, and more open to global cultures.
Who knows—from a single stamp preserved today may emerge future philatelists who not only revitalize Indonesia’s philatelic world but also contribute to national progress: a generation rooted in history and confident in stepping onto the international stage.
A small stamp, a great impact. From a small space, the future may begin.
(AT & LM–SAN)
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