On Saturday 8 April and on Saturday 22 April, 20 young leaders from Indonesia and the Netherlands gathered in Jakarta and Amsterdam to kick off the 2017 FSF seminar on Global Citizenship which will be held in July in Yogyakarta. Annually, the Frans Seda Foundation organizes a multi day seminar for inspiring young people from Indonesia and the Netherlands. The seminar consists of a six-day program filled with inspiring sessions, constructive dialogues and social activities. The aim of the seminar is to enhance dialogue between Indonesian and Dutch participants while building bridges between the two countries in academia, the public and private sector.

The three previous Seminars in Sint-Michielsgestel in 2014, in Bogor in 2015 and in Den Haag in 2016 have been occasions where young leaders of two different cultures met. Both in academic and emotional way the participants from different social and cultural backgrounds had the opportunity to discuss the challenges and problems of the future. These challenges and problems are quite the same all over the world, but we have to take into account that there are definitely differences in the day to day struggle for life. Not in all spots in the world the survival of the fittest is the same. We have to understand and to respect that minor problems here can be major problems elsewhere and vica versa.

This year we have again brought together a group of ten Indonesian and ten Dutch talented young women and men. They have a very interesting mixed background in society. The theme of this year, “Global Citizenship”, will give enough reason for discussion fueled by the different education and background of the participants. The paradox between the global village – without borders – and the wish of people to be a part of it, and a strive of the same people for a regional identification, is worth to be studied, analysed and discussed.

The introduction meetings in Jakarta and Amsterdam were used as brainstorm sesssions for the participants to come up with 5 topics which they want to discuss during the seminar in Yogyakarta. We look back at two succesfull and inspiring meetings and are looking forward to see how all these talented individuals will work together as a group to create sustainable projects between Indonesia & the Netherlands related to Global Citizenship.

 

The 2017 Frans Seda Foundation Seminar on Global Citizenship will take place in Yogyakarta from the 23rd till the 29th of July.