To strengthen patriotism and nationalism among young Indonesians in Qatar, the Indonesian embassy conducted the second edition of the 'Civic Course' from September 10 to 15.
The event brought together over 40 Indonesian teenagers residing in Qatar.
They actively participated in a series of discussions and intensive activities aimed at deepening their understanding of crucial topics, including State’s ideology of Pancasila, Indonesia’s natural landscapes, religiosity, role of young Indonesians on the global stage, among a host of other subjects.
The inaugural day of discussions kicked off with the theme, 'Nationalism and Indonesian Youth,' facilitated by Dr Anto Mohsin, a faculty member at Northwestern University in Qatar. He discussed the historical roles of youth and how young Indonesians can actively contribute to addressing future challenges.
Putri Handayani, an employee and an accomplished mountain climber, facilitated a discussion on the extensive natural landscapes of Indonesia. In addition to addressing the challenges of environmental stewardship in Indonesia, participants also actively presented and exchanged their viewpoints.
The event concluded with a closing address by the Indonesian ambassador to Qatar, Ridwan Hassan. This was followed by a special guest lecture delivered online by Dr Darmansjah Djumala, member of Expert Council of Indonesia’s National Agency for Fostering Pancasila Ideology and former ambassador to Austria.
Dr Djumala emphasised the pivotal role of Pancasila as the driving force as well as a bridge between nationalism and internationalism (humanity). He, among others stressed the importance of Indonesian young diaspora to have the spirit of nationalism. However, the Indonesian youth also should have capacity to respect the nationalism of other nations.
“Our nationalism is not built by underestimating other nations,” said Dr Djumala added.
