YOGYAKARTA - The World Conference on Culture, Education and Science - WISDOM 2010 event at Universitas Gadjah Mada officially began with opening ceremony & key message delivered by UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng. at Grha Sabha Pramana. Attending the event and delivering opening speech was Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of National Education, Prof. Dr. Djoko Santoso, representing the Minister of National Education, and Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Drs. Wardiyatmo MSc., accompanied by the Rector/Representatives of partner universities of WISDOM 2010 and Director and Representative of UNESCO office, Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Prof. Hubert Gijzen, Ph.D.
Prof. Sudjarwadi conveyed, WISDOM implementation had been delayed due to Merapi eruptions. He also appreciated the delegation's participation. "Some day, we (participants) will meet to discuss strategic and interesting issues on culture, education and science to achieve a better future," he said.
Sudjarwadi assessed, the people of the world with various currents problems require a global solution that can be accomplished through various local wisdom combined with the scientific findings and innovation to be able to live harmoniously with nature. "Especially for Merapi, UGM has learned new knowledge and will continue to learn together to seek a better life for people around the slopes of Merapi," he said.
He added, dealing with period after Merapi eruption, the most important thing to be done now is to encourage people to live more harmoniously with the mountain that is known as the most active volcano in the world. "Mount Merapi will give a lesson to everyone on setting the relations between natural resources and human in social, economic, cultural, political and environmental context," he said.
Meanwhile, during this series of events, Jean-Michel Cousteau, creative world conservation figure, conveyed key address dealing with the important role of local wisdom in environmental conservation efforts, mainly marine. He explained that the sea will be a source of livelihood for all mankind in the future. Moreover, 70% of the Earth consists of oceans.
Cousteau expressed his concerns over the loss of marine ecosystems due to the large scale of development. He pointed out a pile of garbage in the northern Pacific Ocean that caused the death of many species of fish. However, this area is a meeting place of hot and cold currents, the place of fish to gather from different directions. "There are various wastes from 32 countries. They make plenty of fish die," he said.
He said that education to the young generation is needed in the future about development sustainability to preserve the marine ecosystem. This can be done in school. "It starts from ecosystem education on rivers, lakes and sea," said the man born in France in 1938.
Cousteau made video presentation showing activities of fishermen who were hunting sharks and whales, which were then thrown back to the water alive after their fins have been cut. He also mentioned the forest deforestation rate in Indonesia. According to Cousteau, this can be overcome if the welfare of people who live in the forest area can be improved, so they no longer exploit the forest to meet their needs.
On the same occasion, Hubert Gijzen expressed his appreciation on the implementation of WISDOM as the first world conference that raises the issue of local wisdom. The similar activity should be conducted in the future, because it takes plenty of dialogue among the international community to maintain a harmonious balance between human relationship and human relationship with nature.