The Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, in collaboration with Green Moluccas, hosted the Maluku Festival with the theme "Arika Kalesang Bumi" (Let's Protect the Earth) on Monday, February 20, 2023, in Ambon, Maluku. This Maluku Festival encouraged everyone to protect and preserve the earth. It also served as a token of appreciation for the earth and support for Indonesia's commitment to climate change mitigation and adaptation, involving various stakeholders.
"The importance of contributions from various elements of society in protecting the environment is key to overcoming the increasingly alarming global climate crisis. Therefore, this Maluku Festival is a momentum to build multi-stakeholder collaboration in addressing the climate crisis for a better future. And now is the time for us to work together to protect and preserve the environment from the increasingly real threat of the climate crisis," said Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, in her remarks at the "Arika Kalesang Bumi" Maluku Festival.
"Through this Maluku Festival, we want to demonstrate that all parties can work together, shoulder to shoulder, to address the climate crisis. This is certainly crucial, especially as Maluku itself is an archipelago where the majority of the population lives in coastal areas, which are highly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis," added Nadia Hadad.
The Head of the Maluku Province Environmental Service, Roy Siauta, who delivered the Welcome Speech by the Governor of Maluku, Murad Ismail at the Maluku Festival event, said that the Maluku Festival organized by the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation and Green Moluccas was also part of the mission of Maluku Province, namely to realize a Maluku that is managed honestly, cleanly, and serves as well as guaranteed prosperity and sovereignty over the archipelago.
"The Maluku Provincial Government greatly appreciates the Maluku Festival, as it is expected to raise public awareness of environmental sustainability. Furthermore, successful environmental management is not solely determined by local government support but also by the role of the community, such as civil society initiatives like those initiated by the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation," Roy Siauta concluded.
Imanuel Tomasila, Head of the Campaign and Advocacy Division of Green Moluccas, said, "This good collaboration also marks the moment of National Waste Awareness Day which is commemorated on February 21, and is a sign of the same concern from the west and east of Indonesia to protect the earth and its habitat for the sustainability of future generations of our children and grandchildren."
The Maluku Festival “Arika Kalesang Bumi” has a series of events that began with the planting of mangroves in Negeri Lama Lorong Nanlohy, Ambon, which was carried out by the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, Green Moluccas and representatives from the Negeri Lama Government, Babinkamtibmas Negeri Lama and Green Moluccas Volunteers.
Then the sharing session was guided by Stella Matitaputty, with resource persons R. Moh. Ismail (Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries), Novita Gaspersz (Environment and Waste Service of Maluku Province), Prof. Agus Kastanja (Pattimura University Academic), Mika Ganobal (#SaveAru), Nicho Tulalessy (Ukulele Musician), Vonny Khouw/ Litamahuputty (Senior Journalist, Editor-in-Chief of arikamedia.co), Olyv Jasso (The Mulung Community), and Resni Soviyana (Sustainable Madani Foundation).
In addition, the event was enlivened by various art performances presented by local Maluku artists such as traditional art performances presented by dancers from Sanggar Boiratan, environmental poetry performances by Rudy Fofit and Rio Efruan, musical performances by Ukulele Kids and other local Ambon musicians. The dance performed by Sanggar Boiratan was called "Arika". Meanwhile, Ukulele Kids under the care of Nicho Tulalessy also performed the song entitled "Arika Kalesang Bumi" composed by Nicho Tulalessy and specially created for this Maluku Festival.
