"I am very confident that the World Water Forum in Bali next year will show Indonesia's leadership, especially how human civilization, in this case, culture in Indonesia, can be integrated with water conditions, and we need more cultural ideas related to water," UNESCO Director and Representative of the East Asia office Shahbaz Khan stated in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, Friday.
Khan conveyed this on the sidelines of the "Yangtze Culture Forum" themed "Flowing Rivers, Converging Future" as a seminar discussing cooperation to address river problems in various countries.
Indonesia has been appointed to host the 2024 WWF that is the largest international water forum in the world and scheduled to take place in Bali on May 18-24, 2024.
"The 2024 World Water Forum in Bali is very important because we only have six years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals' target, especially number six, that is clean water and adequate sanitation. I really appreciate the leadership of Indonesia, President Jokowi, and PUPR Minister Pak Basuki for their leadership regarding waters," Khan stated.
Khan admitted that he was also in Bali when the WWF committee held preparatory meetings.
"Indonesia is doing a great job in building water infrastructure, delivering clean water to rural communities while connecting water with local culture," Khan remarked.
Khan also stated that Subak, the irrigation system in Bali, as one of the world's cultural heritage is an example of an original Indonesian idea that other countries can emulate.
"Subak shows the Tri Hita Karana principle. The three are equilibrium or balance between humans, the environment, and also God. This principle is very special, so how do we create peace with the environment while bringing spirituality through water as well as environmentally friendly tourism," Khan stated.
Tri Hita Karana is derived from three words, Tri that means three, Hita that means happiness or prosperity, and Karana that means cause. The form of application of Tri Hita Karana is divided into three important elements as a form of ritual or relationship between humans, God, and nature.
"Hence, wherever I go, I always talk about the World Water Forum and because the event will be held in Indonesia, it becomes even more important because Indonesia has many innovative ideas. I also look forward to seeing how Indonesian leadership and local leaders will overcome water problems, such as flooding and groundwater-related subsidence, in the capital city of Jakarta," Khan remarked.
The WWF, held every three years, is a process that continues to develop since it was first held in 1997 in Marrakech to the ninth forum in Senegal.
In preparation for the 10th WWF in 2024, the Indonesian government has held the 1st Kick-off Meeting or Stakeholder Consultation Meeting (SCM) that was successfully held on February 15-16, 2023, at the Jakarta Convention Center. More than 1,400 participants from more than 58 countries attended this event.
Furthermore, the 2nd Stakeholder Consultation Meeting (SCM) was also held on October 12-13, 2023, in Bali with an inclusive process in thematic, regional, and political processes.
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Translator: Desca Lidya Natalia, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
