Five students from the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, namely Maidira Marsa Rabbani, Laras Ati, Dinda Luthfiani Nurul Ulya, Manika Rosalia Lysander, and Raja Steve Sudjatmiko Panggabean, joined representatives from the Vocational School, the Faculty of Economics and Business, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, and the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, UGM, to participate in discussions and training on marine debris management in the event titled “Indonesia Marine Debris Social Issue Resident Participation Awareness Improvement Capacity Building Project.” In addition to the students, this one-week event (October 14-18, 2024) was also attended by leaders and lecturers from the Vocational School, heads and staff from the UGM Directorate of Community Service (DPKM), and one of the Faculty of Biology’s lecturers, Zuliyati Rohmah, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D. Eng., who is also a member of the KKN-PPM UGM taskforce and RCE Yogyakarta.
This event is part of a multipartite collaboration between the Vocational School, RCE Yogyakarta (under the Directorate of Community Service at UGM), RCE Tongyeong, and the Gyeongnam International Development Cooperation Center (GNIDCC) of Gyeongsang National University, South Korea. The project focuses on raising awareness and building the capacity of local communities in managing marine debris in Yogyakarta.
One of the programs carried out was training and capacity-building activities involving the communities of Karangwuni Village and Bugel Village, Kulonprogo, D.I. Yogyakarta. This project aims to raise community awareness and knowledge about the impact of marine debris and how to manage it effectively. The event also includes seminars, workshops, and community training as part of the efforts to strengthen commitment to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and better environmental management. This collaboration will not stop here but will continue with further training involving local residents and village leaders. The program will discuss concrete solutions to the marine debris problem in Yogyakarta and will involve more participants from various backgrounds.
This cooperation is also part of UGM’s commitment to supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of education, community empowerment, and the environment. This activity supports several SDGs, including SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 14: Life Below Water, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. By engaging collaboration between various institutions, both local and international, this project aims to create a significant impact on marine debris management.