Two students of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have been selected to participate in the Indonesian Youth Sail, or Kapal Pemuda Nusantara (KPN) 2016. They are Keenan Mukti Sinatriya Shangga Nagari (Tourism Department) and Merlangen Enfani Harismina (Architecture Department), both having been selected along with Muhammad Ikhlasul Amal from Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.
The event is organised by the Youth and Sports Ministry for the young people to learn maritime affairs. It carries friendship and culture mission to promote maritime potential. Both will also join the Sail Selat Karimata event in West Kalimantan on 15 October that will also be attended by President Joko Widodo.
“As many as 102 youths from provinces in Indonesia will join the KPN and Sail Selat Karimata,” said Keenan on Tuesday (13/9) at Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM.
Keenan said the selection for KPN 2016 was hard with all participants having to do interviews and final selection from 26 March-16 April 2016. They were tested on maritime affairs, entrepreneurship, leadership, cultural performance, and physical endurance on the ship. As many as 30 finalist were selected and the best 3 finalists were entitled to participate in the national event.
“Obviously, I was very excited and proud to be selected and represented the province in the national level,” said Keenan.
All participants will be trained in Cibubur for a few days before sailing from Jakarta on 8 October 2016 and joined the Sail Selat Karimata.
“In the summit of Sail Selat Karimata, we would be assigned to welcome the President and international dignitaries who are invited to this event,” he said.
Merlangen added that they would also do social and cultural activities during the Sail Selat Karimata. Both students hoped to be able to do the job well to promote arts and culture and other potential of Yogyakarta to other delegates as well as to get experience on Indonesian maritime affairs and potential.