Climate change is one of the important issues that should be everyone’s focus including young people. By taking advantage of social media to play an active role in communicating and demonstrating the importance of real action against climate change, a group of President University Communication Studies students batch 2017 and 2018 organized a climate action campaign titled “Mahabharata ing Internet” in Yogyakarta. The name was chosen as it is a reflection on the significance of Wayang’s role as agent of change for the Javanese throughout history.
Started with a school visit to Sang Timur Catholic Senior High School Yogyakarta (11/22), the President University students who are called themselves as Bharatars invites high school students to become agents of Bharatars through their social media. They were taught to design content or poster about how to deal with climate change to be posted on their social media.
Not only focusing on high school students, environmental communities such as the Kelompok Peduli Lingkungan ID, Dirgapala STTKD, KPL Greenhouse, and Komunitas Untuk Yogyakarta gathered to have a group discussion about this issue (11/24).
As the main event, talk show and workshop were held at the Grand Tjokro Hotel, Yogyakarta (11/26). The event was attended by various groups of students and environmental activists. One of the activists who was presented as the speaker, Ahmad Syagaf Madda (Leader of Greenpeace Youth Yogyakarta) said, “A lot of environmental damages have occurred in Indonesia, for example, the fire that just happened in Kalimantan forest. This kind of accident should make us start to act.”
The 2019 Dimas of Yogyakarta, Sandra Turmudi Wijaya who was there as the speaker also mentioned that social media is now a powerful tool to deliver people’s voices. She said, “People who care about the environment certainly have their own way to express their concern, one of which is using social media. It is no longer your mouth, your tiger, but your thumb is your tiger.”
The same thing was said by Mutiara Srikandi, President of Young on Top Yogyakarta. “Use storytelling tactic on social media that is concrete, unpredictable, and emotional. Create content to make positive energy spread,” explained Mutiara.
Naina Bunga O.M. Yowono, representative of the DIY Indonesia Green Youth Coalition also agreed with the other three speakers, “When people do not mind the plastic usage and keep damaging the environment, many people can also move through their fingers to make big changes.” Not only stopped there, but the participants were also taught how to make good social media content in order to maximize their campaign movements. Abhirama S.D. Perdana, S.Pd., M.Ed., MComn&MediaSt. and Mohammad Shihab, S.I.Kom, M.I.Kom. who are also a lecturer in Communication Studies President University shared their theories and experiences at the workshop. (NA/SL)