Jakarta. East Kalimantan is ready to host the upcoming Y20 Indonesia third pre-summit, which will revolve around creating a sustainable and livable planet.

The youth forum will take place in Balikpapan city on May 21-22.

“The East Kalimantan provincial government welcomes the Y20 Indonesia 2022 pre-summit. Discussing the issue of a sustainable and livable planet [...] becomes our moral responsibility as one of the provinces with the largest tropical rainforests in the country,” East Kalimantan governor Isran Noor said in a press statement on Saturday.

It is not without a reason that Balikpapan has become the host city for the Y20 pre-summit. In 2021, Balikpapan took home the Asean environmentally sustainable city award. Balikpapan will also serve as the buffer city to the planned new state capital Nusantara.

In line with G20’s agenda, environmental issues will remain relevant to youths, as they are this planet's present and future inhabitants. 

"On the Y20 priority areas, we are going ahead with this legacy issue to come up with real actions to solve planetary problems by taking on two sub-themes, namely safeguarding natural capital; circular economy based on sustainable production and consumption,” Mujab, the head of program, logistics and delegate relations of Y20 Indonesia 2022.

The Y20 pre-summit in Balikpapan will see participation from delegates and experts from Japan, South Korea, and Asean countries. Representatives from foreign embassies in Indonesia will also attend the forum. 

Experts —including Herlina Hartanto of Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara and Kevin Lunzalu of Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network— will share their insight to help delegates understand how youths can play a role in solving planetary problems.

Aie Natasha, the Indonesian Youth Diplomacy East Kalimantan co-chair, said that the forum could allow Kalimantan youths to exchange ideas about a sustainable and livable planet.

"At the Town Hall Meeting, hundreds of Kalimantan youths will discuss and convey their ideas and aspirations related to the issue of a sustainable and livable planet. The official Indonesian delegates will take these aspirations to the main Y20 forum,” Aie said.

Y20 Indonesia hopes to include youths across the archipelago in the discussion. 

Four monthly pre-summits are to set the stage for the main event in July. 

The first pre-summit was in Palembang in March. Lombok hosted the second pre-summit back in April. They were followed by the upcoming conference in Balikpapan later this month. Manokwari will be the host city for the fourth pre-summit in June.

The 2022 Y20 Summit, which will highlight this youth forum, is scheduled for July, with Jakarta and Bandung as the host cities.