Hosting the 7th Global Platform Disaster Risk Reduction, Indonesia Offered 4 Concepts of Sustainable Resiliency

JAKARTA, 29 MAY 2022 - Indonesia was honored to host the 7th Global Platform Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR Bali 2022), which was held on 23 - 28 May 2022 in Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center: one of the country’s best destinations for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism. This international scale event was successfully organized with health protocols tightly implemented and supported by world-class accommodation and state-of-the-art facilities. Furthermore, Indonesia is also thriving in demonstrating how local wisdom has been one of the key successes of the country’s resilience.

Image by : BNPB & Media Center/GP2022/ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A

Opened by President Joko Widodo

The 7th GPDRR Bali 2022 began with the Indonesian President Joko Widodo sounding the kul kul accompanied by the UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed and representation of delegates at the opening ceremony. There is a certain philosophy behind the sounding of kul kul in the 7th GPDRR opening ceremony, as the instrument itself is a communication tool made of wood or bamboo, used as an emergency signal for the community in the villages of Bali.

The President then continued by introducing the four concepts of sustainable resiliency in order to increase readiness to face future disasters. The first concept mainly revolves around investment and funding, which includes guaranteeing access to funding and transfer of technology. In explaining this concept, he advised countries to put more investment into science, technology, and innovation.

The second concept is to develop and enhance the culture and institutions to anticipate disaster while the third concept is to build infrastructure resilient to disasters and climate change. On the third concept, the president  emphasized on green infrastructure, such as mangrove forests and green open spaces, as the top priority. Lastly, the fourth concept offered is to implement global agreements at the national and local levels, such as the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, upon decreasing risks from disasters and climate changes.

Image by : BNPB & Media Center/GP2022/ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A

Various Supporting Events

There were many exhibits that supported the series of events in the 7th GPDRR Bali 2022. One of them was Indonesia's House of Resilience (RRI): a part of the Indonesian government communication strategy which was held in the Art Building Bali Collection, Nusa Dua, Bali, on 25 May 2022.

There was also an exhibition held exclusively to showcase local products from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) namely The Spirit of Indonesia, which was held on 25-28 May 2022 at the Bali Collection area in Nusa Dua. This exhibition was divided into four zones based on the attractions they were offering.

●     Zone 1 - The Rising Phoenix : A small museum illustrating some of the great disasters that ever took place in Indonesia.

●     Zone 2 - Memento of Indonesia : Featuring eco-friendly and green products as well as other highlight products of Indonesian SMEs like Kintamani coffee beans, traditional clothings, and many others.

●     Zone 3 - Taste of Indonesia : A variety of indulgence in cuisines and desserts, from local heritage as well as standardized manufactured goods.

●     Zone 4 Local Rhythm : Celebrating cultural and musical performance as well as entertainment, which offers the chance to personally see Indonesia’s vast cultural performances.

One of the local creative economy products that had successfully captivated the attention of many delegates and guests was the endek fabric. Originating from Bali, endek is a woven fabric with signature patterns and colors that have become an iconic identity to Bali’s history, culture, and creative economy. Furthermore, it is produced by the local handcrafters with natural colorings and ingredients, which makes it not only eco-friendly, but also supports sustainable tourism. At the end of the GPDRR series of events, endek was given as an exclusive souvenir for all delegates and guests in the form of face masks and handbags.

All guests and delegates were also invited to visit some of the popular tourist destinations in Bali such as Penglipuran Tourist Village, Kintamani, Besakih Temple , Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Kertha Gosa, and Uluwatu to introduce the local wisdoms and how the culture and tradition strengthen the resilience of the local community in dealing with disasters. Recently, due to the improved condition of COVID-19, the government granted relaxation on travel regulations in Bali and now the tourism industry in the region is starting to flourish again.

Image by : BNPB & Media Center/GP2022/ANTARA FOTO/Aprillio Akbar

Closing Ceremony

At the closing ceremony on 28 May 2022, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Mami Mizutori, delivered a concluding statement by saying that this event deliberately avoided the term 'natural disaster' as its campaign. This is because UNDRR believes that the real danger comes from the lack of management in facing the disaster.

"The good news is that because it is human decisions that make disasters dangerous, it is also human decisions that can reverse this condition by reducing the harmful impact of disasters when they befall us," said Mizutori.

He then continued his statement by expressing his appreciation for Indonesia, which respects diversity in any way, including providing opportunities for those with physical limitations to join the forum. This is due to the increasing number of participants with disabilities, which doubled from the previous meeting.

“I am very proud that this Global Platform truly reflects the whole people approach of the Sendai Framework, and of course we have people from all over the world,” he added.

The Chairman of National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB), Lieutenant General of the Indonesian National Army Suharyanto, also delivered a speech at the closing ceremony regarding 7 Recommendations of the Bali Agenda for Sustainable Resilience. The first is the transformation of the governance mechanism for Disaster Risk Reduction; the second recommendation is the systematic changes in financing and investment in Disaster Risk Reduction; the third is honoring the Glasgow Climate Pact as part of the climate change emergency response; the fourth is implementing Disaster Risk Reduction for vulnerable communities through a participatory approach and investment in the youth; the fifth is developing an early warning system which can protect every layer of the community in the next five years, especially from a multi-danger risk; the sixth is transformative learning to pursue an adaptive and responsive disaster risk management systems through multi-stakeholder collaboration; and the last is comprehensive and systematic reporting of all targets of the Sendai framework to clearly understand the challenges and constraints.

With that statement, the 7th Global Platform Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR Bali 2022), which was held on 23 - 28 May 2022, was officially closed. The next 8th GPDRR will be held in Switzerland.

Enjoying Extended Holiday

Those who have visited Bali for GPDRR might also be interested in extending their holiday!  There are two options that can be explored: finding leisure within the Island of the Gods itself or departing to the neighboring destinations to discover many other possibilities. Should it be the second option, West Nusa Tenggara (Mandalika, The Gili Islands, Kenawa Islands) and East Nusa Tenggara (The Pink Beach, Padar Island) would be some of the best destinations that can be savored. Visit this article for more travel inspiration, especially if you’re planning to visit Bali and extend your holiday after.

If you’re planning to visit Indonesia in the near future, we need to kindly remind you to stay updated with the latest international travel regulations and comply with all the health protocols. Be a responsible traveler and keep practicing healthy habits such as wearing a mask in public places, washing hands frequently, and implementing social distancing. Follow our social media channels in Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok for updated information regarding travel and creative economy in Indonesia.

Image source header banner by : BNPB & Media Center/GP2022/ANTARA FOTO/Nyoman Hendra Wibowo