Gemawan organized a workshop titled “Borneo Initiative: Reflecting on Indonesia’s Social Movements, Responding to Future Challenges”, held at Rumah Gesit Borneo, Pontianak. The event brought together civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) from Central, South, East, and West Kalimantan.
The workshop aimed to strengthen the civil society network across Borneo, respond to increasingly complex challenges, and formulate collaborative strategies for the future.
A Call for Collaboration Among Civil Society
In her opening remarks, Laili Khairnur, Director of Gemawan, emphasized that Indonesia’s social movements are currently in a state of uncertainty.
“Our social movement is facing a period of uncertainty. The more we observe, the more issues we realize need to be addressed. Indonesia is not in a good condition,”
said Laili on Thursday (19 September 2024).
She underscored the importance of collaboration among civil society organizations to build an enabling ecosystem for social transformation.
“We believe that one of the main forces that can contribute to improving Indonesia’s trajectory is civil society. That includes NGOs, CBOs, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, local unions, as well as academics, media, and artists. These groups will form the social force shaping Indonesia’s future,” she added.
Building a Shared Vision for Change
Throughout the workshop, participants reflected on the challenges facing civil society and explored ways to develop stronger collaborative strategies.
“We cannot work in isolation — we need to build strong networks among us to respond to the challenges ahead,”
stressed Laili.
Hermawansyah, who facilitated the session, echoed this sentiment:
“There will always be new issues emerging every day. That’s why we can’t move separately. The challenge is how we align our frequency and respond together.”
He added that collaboration among diverse actors is essential for understanding the broader context of social and political dynamics:
“We need to see the situation comprehensively — to understand who collaborates with whom, where alliances and advocacy opportunities lie, and how to navigate them strategically.”
Hopes from the Borneo Initiative
Asrul, a participant from Central Kalimantan, expressed hope that the workshop would serve as both reflection and motivation for CBOs and CSOs to continue voicing critical issues.
“I hope this initiative can be replicated across Kalimantan — to strengthen the motivation and spirit of civil society organizations in raising vital issues such as climate, land conflict, and other social-environmental challenges, and to ensure these reach political elites,”
he concluded.
Writer: Ersa Dwiyana, Gemawan.