August 28, 2024 – Maluku Province, with more than 1,340 islands and 93 percent of its territory covered by ocean, faces significant development challenges, especially when faced with various social and environmental issues related to climate change. To address these challenges, MADANI Berkelanjutan is inviting young people from Maluku to take an active role through a Development School held on August 23-24, 2024, in Ambon City. Through this Development School, MADANI Berkelanjutan hopes that young people from Maluku will understand the concept of sustainable development and the impacts of the climate crisis, thereby enabling them to actively participate in development.

Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of MADANI Berkelanjutan, emphasized the importance of young people's role in maintaining a balance between development and environmental conservation. "The climate crisis has a significant impact on archipelagic countries like Indonesia, especially Maluku Province, which has many small islands. Sea level rise is significantly impacting the lives, culture, and lifestyles of the Maluku people, who generally live along the coastline. If current, exploitative development patterns are not changed, the impacts will worsen in the coming years. Therefore, young people have a crucial role to play in ensuring that development does not damage the environment and that climate justice is achieved," said Nadia.

Resni Soviyana, Green Development Program Lead at MADANI Berkelanjutan, explained that MADANI Berkelanjutan focuses on strengthening inter-stakeholder initiatives to address the climate crisis. "With this Development School, we hope to build collaboration between young people, the government, and other stakeholders. The Development School can be a platform for young people in Maluku to become more critical and develop a spirit of concern for environmental preservation and protection, and to become agents of change," explained Resni Soviyana.

Resni also hoped that the Development School participants would remain committed and enthusiastic about continuing their participation in the entire series of Development Schools held throughout the year, both online and offline, with speakers from various sectors, including academics, practitioners, and government representatives.

The event, attended by 17 participants from several regions in Maluku Province, was opened by Dr. Anton A. Lailossa, S.T., M.Si., Head of the Maluku Province Regional Development Planning Agency, who delivered a keynote speech on sustainable development and public participation in sustainable development in Maluku Province.

Other speakers in attendance included Prof. Dr. Ir. Agustinus Kastanya, M.S., Professor of Forest Resource Planning and Economics at Pattimura University, and Costavina (Vonny) Litamahuputty, senior journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Arikamedia.

Sustainable development in Maluku Province is crucial for the support of young people, who are the next generation in Maluku. This role is also included in the Regional Government's long-term planning, where young people are positioned as one of the main development targets. However, support from all parties is needed because implementing development in Maluku, which is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, is a long-term endeavor that requires continuity. "The role of young people must be continuously enhanced and strengthened in every development process to foster a sense of awareness of the importance of environmental issues. Each of us has a responsibility to maintain environmental sustainability, as it is the right to life for future generations, which we are currently borrowing," concluded Resni.

Media Contact:

Luluk Uliyah, Media & Engagement Coordinator, MADANI Berkelanjutan, email: luluk@arsip.madaniberkelanjutan.id