A triumphant celebration marked the conclusion of the 2024 OLGENAS International Geolympiad, held from Jan. 15 to 19, 2024, as the UGM Faculty of Geography orchestrated Indonesia’s inaugural international geography olympiad.
In its 19th edition, OLGENAS delved into the overarching theme, “Sensing the Earth: Spatial Approach to Achieve Low Carbon Future,” echoing the global call for sustainable environmental practices.
OLGENAS Committee member Rezafani shared the event’s multifaceted competitions, challenging participants to apply their geographical knowledge to real-world scenarios. Notably, the Outdoor Learning activity uniquely melded geographical knowledge with on-site exploration, yielding innovative proposals for urban planning and geographical collaborations.
The competition landscape within OLGENAS was diverse, comprising written assessments, multimedia challenges, and hands-on laboratory experiments.
Participants were not solely tested on their knowledge; the multimedia segment required insightful analyses of geographical phenomena, while the laboratory tests demanded adeptness in utilizing scientific tools to explore geographic phenomena.
Here’s a glimpse into the champions of this year’s OLGENAS:
In the junior high school category, SMP Islam Al Azhar 8 Bekasi (Team B) clinched the Best Written Test, SMP Labschool Kebayoran (Team N) excelled in the Best Multimedia category, and SMPN 4 Pakem (Team B) triumphed in the Best Outdoor Learning and Best LCTG categories.
Additionally, there were three gold medals for the top three rankings. The third gold medalist was SMP Labschool Cirendeu (Team A), the second gold medal was obtained by SMP Labschool Kebayoran (Team M), and the first gold medal, which also became the Absolute Winner of the 2024 OLGENAS International Geolympiad at the junior high school level, was SMPN 4 Pakem (Team B).
For the senior high school category, MAN IC Pasuruan (Team C) seized victory in the Best Written Test and Best Multimedia categories, while SMA Kesatuan Bangsa (Team A) triumphed in the Best Outdoor Learning and Best Laboratory Test categories.
Similarly, at the senior high school level, there were also five gold medals for the top five rankings. The third gold medalist was MAN IC Pasuruan (Team C), the second gold medal was won by SMA Kesatuan Bnagsa (Team A), and the first gold medal, also becoming the Absolute Winner of the 2024 OLGENAS International Geolympiad at the senior high school/equivalent level, was MAN IC Pasuruan) (Team C).
In addition to the olympiad, a medley of engaging activities catered to educators and the public alike. Geoforum, guided by Trash Hero Yogyakarta, fostered discussions on waste management’s role in combating climate change, informing that organic/inorganic waste can significantly contribute to climate change.
The second activity was Geonovation with MENH Studio, which empowered participants to transform plastic waste, such as plastic bags, into innovative creations. It was followed by Laboratory Tours, which offered hands-on laboratory experiences, and OLGENAS Field Course (OFC), which provided educational tours across multiple locations.
Another activity was Geotalk taking the theme “Future Investment: Carbon Trading as a Viable Avenue to Reduce Carbon Emissions,” featuring esteemed speakers such as Professor Pramaditya Wicaksono, the youngest professor at UGM, alongside industry experts Subarno from Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and Carbon Specialist at Daemeter Consulting and Zaky Naufal, a Brand Partnership and Offset Solutions Lead at Fairatmos, shedding light on carbon trading’s potential in sculpting a low-carbon future.
Author: Ika
Photo: OLGENAS Team