The TPBIS program was conducted from November 13–17, 2023, in Jakarta, and involved eight participants from six Colombo Plan countries: Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Ten participants representing Indonesian provinces, districts, and cities also took part in the program.
Chief secretary of the National Library, Ofy Sofiana, said here on Friday that participants from various countries explored strategies and TPBIS programs through visits and exploration during the events.
"This is also clear evidence of the transformational power of libraries in improving community welfare," she said.
For five days, the participants pursued travel, learning, and discovery related to the TPBIS project spearheaded by the National Library and also visited the Mutiara Rawa Binong Library, East Jakarta.
"At the Mutiara Rawa Binong Library, the participants not only got practical examples, but also inspiration that TPBIS has been successfully implemented," she informed.
Even though the activity has ended, she expressed her hopes that the participants will not go home empty-handed, but will take new knowledge and a commitment to encourage social inclusion through the library system in their respective countries.
She said that the National Library, together with its partners, will ensure that the knowledge and experience will become a source of inspiration for new initiatives in the countries and regions of origin of the participants.
"The results of this activity are not the end, but rather the starting point for further collaboration," she added.
Sofiana said she is optimistic that the results of the activity would stimulate positive change in society, adding that for this reason, she is looking forward to future programs that will continue and expand the impact of TPBIS.
She invited all parties to jointly optimize libraries as a catalyst for social change.
"Let us work together to optimize the power of libraries as a catalyst for social change, paving the way for a society that is more inclusive, well-informed, and resilient," she said.
For the activity, the National Library collaborated with the Ministry of State Secretariat (Kemensetneg) and the Directorate of Social Culture and International Organizations for Developing Countries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu).
To achieve the 2030 sustainable development agenda, Indonesia is making efforts to contribute to global development, including through the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Program, which seeks to strengthen international development cooperation. This is a part of soft diplomacy to improve Indonesia's positive image.
To strengthen its commitment to implementing the SSTC Program, the Indonesian government is collaborating with several international organizations, including the Colombo Plan.
The Colombo Plan is a regional organization that is applying the concept of collective inter-governmental efforts to strengthen the economic and social development of its member countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The main focus of Colombo Plan activities is human resource development.
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Translator: Lintang B, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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