UGM students conducting Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) in Banggai Islands, Central Sulawesi, have actively supported the local government’s efforts to enhance local potential through various work programs.
One such program is the Sea Sea Cultural Festival, organized by the students in collaboration with the local community and with the support of the Banggai Islands Regency Government at the end of the students’ service period.
The festival’s objective was to introduce, preserve, and instill pride in the values of the Sea Sea tribe’s way of life, ensuring that these cultural treasures remain unshaken by time.
Additionally, it was to boost tourism, serving as a platform to promote tourism in the Banggai Islands Regency to domestic and international audiences.
The Acting Regent of the Banggai Islands, Ihsan Basir, officially inaugurated the festival on Thursday (10/8). He welcomed the initiative as a positive endeavor to preserve local heritage, ancestral wisdom, and the development of tourist destinations in the Banggai Islands.
“We extend our gratitude to the UGM students who, over the years, have significantly assisted the local government in developing Banggai Islands, particularly in the field of tourism in the Ombuli and Lukpanenteng Villages and their surroundings,” explained Ihsan Basir.
Sea Sea Festival is an annual event held first by the UGM student community service team dispatched to Banggai Islands in 2018. Since then, the festival has been adopted by the Banggai Islands Government and was included in the regency’s Tourism Development Master Plan. The festival’s name is derived from the local tribe in the area, known as the Sea Sea tribe.
In its 2023 edition, the festival carried the theme “The Legacy of Wonderful Banggai Islands.” It featured a range of activities, including tourism training, exhibitions of traditional crafts and foods, photography exhibitions, competitions showcasing local wisdom, and local dance performances.
“The Sea Sea Festival is a significant opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the community, local government, and UGM students. This collaboration helps to further develop tourism, culture, and local customs in Banggai Islands,” added the regent in his speech.
He urged the community to safeguard and manage the existing tourism assets jointly. He also expressed his hope that through UGM’s Community Service Program, the community would better recognize the substantial potential for improving their well-being through tourism development.
Through Community Service Program, UGM students have collaborated with the community to address Banggai Islands issues. This way, the local community can benefit from the flagship programs that have been implemented.
The student contributions to the regency’s development align with the central theme of the Banggai Islands unit this year: “Optimizing Voluntourism for International Exposure and the Development of Sustainable Village Tourism in Banggai Islands” and UGM’s commitment to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The presence of UGM’s Community Service Program has transformed ordinary things into tourism gems, like Lake Paisu Pok, which must now be protected and managed to provide benefits to the community,” said the field supervisor of the Banggai Islands unit, Dr. Hendrie Adji Kusworo.
Author: UGM Directorate of Community Service
Editor: Gloria