Pontianak Unveils 255th Anniversary Logo Highlighting Resilience and Community

PONTIANAK, Indonesia — The Pontianak city government on Monday (Oct. 5, 2026) unveiled the official logo marking the city’s 255th anniversary, with this year’s theme, “Tangguh Bersahabat” — or “Resilient and Friendly” — putting people at the heart of the city’s visual identity.

The logo was selected through a design competition, as in previous years, but this year participants were required to enter as teams. Sixteen teams took part in a process that included training, mentoring and a final presentation.

The winning design was created by Gusti Fakhri Aliansyah and Tomy Anggara.

Gusti said the team chose a human figure as the central icon to move away from the approach taken by many previous anniversary logos, which represented Pontianak through buildings and other physical landmarks.

The concept was also shaped by the various challenges and disasters faced by the community in recent years, he said.

The concept gave rise to the theme as well as the accompanying slogan, “Kite Jage Kite,” a local expression meaning roughly “We take care of one another.”

The slogan reflects Pontianak’s diverse population and the way communities from different backgrounds have lived alongside and supported one another.

“From the beginning until now, we have been shaped by our ability to adapt and strengthen one another,” Gusti said after the launch at Pontive Center.

He said adaptability was a key element of the logo’s symbolism, reflecting how Pontianak residents have learned to respond to both environmental conditions and the challenges of urban life.

He pointed to traditional adaptations such as stilt houses and gertak, raised wooden walkways used in areas affected by water, as well as the way residents have supported one another during periods of haze and other difficulties.

For Gusti, the resilience of Pontianak’s people is rooted not only in their ability to adapt but also in their collective strength.

“What I want to highlight through this logo is the spirit of collective strength. We are resilient because we stand together,” he said.

‘Resilient and Friendly’

Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono said the theme “Resilient and Friendly” was chosen in response to the environmental and social conditions the city has faced in recent years.

Pontianak is vulnerable to a range of environmental challenges, including prolonged drought, haze, flooding, extreme weather and problems affecting its raw water supply.

“We are resilient because we are facing various environmental challenges. The prolonged drought recently caused haze, while our raw water supply was also affected by seawater intrusion, increasing salinity levels,” Edi said.

“This spirit of resilience is what we need as the driving force for the people of Pontianak,” he added.

The word “friendly,” meanwhile, reflects the city’s diverse population, which includes communities from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“Pontianak is a heterogeneous city. That is why we want to build a city that is harmonious, tolerant, peaceful, welcoming and comfortable,” Edi said.

Focus on Local Talent

For this year’s anniversary logo competition, Edi specifically asked organizers to limit participation to Pontianak residents.

Unlike previous years, when the competition was open to participants nationwide, the new policy was intended to create greater opportunities for local talent.

Edi also praised the involvement of young people in designing the anniversary logo, saying competitions of this kind could help foster creativity and innovation among the city’s younger generation.

“Hopefully, those who reached the finals and those who were selected will become even more enthusiastic about being creative — not only in designing logos, but also in developing other forms of branding, even at the national and international levels,” he said.

He said he hoped more young people would contribute ideas to the city’s development.

At the same time, he stressed that modernization should remain grounded in Pontianak’s history and local wisdom and should not come at the expense of the city’s identity.

“At 255 years old, Pontianak is a mature city. The challenges we face are also significant. That is why we need resilience, togetherness, creativity and the participation of the entire community to keep moving Pontianak forward,” Edi said.

The visual guidelines for Pontianak’s 255th anniversary logo are available for download here.