4 August 2018, may have been the most valuable moment for Dinda Nur Safira, a 2017 FKG UGM student, as she successfully achieved the title of Putri Solo 2018. After going through the judging stages, Fathullah Abdul Aziz and Dinda Nur Safira were selected as the Winners of PPS 2018. She expressed her joy in participating in this competition because she met new people, shared knowledge and experiences with friends from various regions, and evolved into a better person in various aspects. The sash presentation was done by the Mayor of Solo, FX. Hadi Rudyatmo, at the Surakarta City Hall courtyard. He advised the winners of Putra-Putri Solo 2018 that Putra Putri Solo plays an important role that greatly impacts the progress of the city by introducing the region as well as tourism in Solo to the wider public, enhancing Solo's reputation, and setting an example for young generations to strive for excellence in their respective fields of interest. The winners are also required to have a broad knowledge of the Bengawan area so that they can understand their role as tourism ambassadors and representatives of Solo.
The Putra Putri Solo (PPS) election is an annual agenda to choose the best sons and daughters of Solo. This aims to accelerate the development of Solo, especially in promoting culture and tourism to the wider community. The theme of PSS 2018 was "The National Thread." According to the Mayor of Solo, this theme signifies that Solo is part of the Republic of Indonesia (the national thread) and must be preserved by conserving arts, culture, and customs in Solo. This year, PPS 2018 selected 20 finalists to compete in the grand final night or selection night after passing previous selection stages. The selection stages included tests in Javanese language proficiency, English language proficiency, General Knowledge, Psychology, and Public Speaking skills.
After officially becoming Putri Solo 2018, Dinda will participate in Mas Mbak Jateng as the representative of Solo, which will take place on 13-15 November 2018. This event is held under the responsibility of the Central Java Youth, Sports, and Tourism Agency. In this competition, Dinda made it to the top 6 and received the Runner-Up II Mbak Jateng 2018 title. This is something to be proud of because UGM can send one of its students to make a real contribution to the region, especially Solo. This also proves that UGM students not only have academic intelligence but also possess excellent soft skills. With Dinda's selection, it is hoped that it will inspire other students to excel in any field (FKG UGM/Detta).
