The Youth20 (Y20), under Indonesia’s G20 presidency, engaged the youth with the creative economy sector during a talk show at the 4th pre-summit, which concluded in Manokwari, West Papua, on Sunday (June 19, 2022).
During the talk show, it was revealed that many young people are currently employed in the creative economy sector, and some are involved in creative social enterprises.
According to Camelia Harahap, head of arts and creative industries at British Council Indonesia, creative social enterprises contribute to inclusion by providing good work for all.
"Social-creative activities produce more jobs for young people, women, and persons with disabilities than other sectors. Many social-creative efforts in Indonesia led by young people tend to focus on achieving the SDGs, particularly the 8th SDG, namely providing decent jobs," Camelia said during the talk show, according to a Y20 press release received on Monday.
Meanwhile, according to Dissa Ahdanisa, the founder of Fingertalk, there are 11 million people living with disabilities in Indonesia. Around 1.5 million underprivileged youth have limited access to formal education and job opportunities.
This prompted Dissa to work at Fingertalk, a cafe that employs deaf people. At the cafe, customers order food and drinks using sign language.
Another speaker, chief creative officer at Narasi TV, Jovial da Lopez, shared his experience as a content creator, a profession that is currently favored by young people.
Through the SkinnyIndonesian24 channel, Jovial and his brother, Andovi, have created a lot of content to introduce Indonesian culture to a global audience. Jovial said he had lived in several countries because his mother was a diplomat.
"If you are a content creator, make something that resonates for you. I have been exposed to promoting Indonesia everywhere I go since I was a child. This spirit seems to have lingered since we began this YouTube channel, but we are working to modernize it," Jovial explained.
Moreover, Pichit Virankabutra, deputy director of the Thailand Creative Economy Agency, noted that the creative economy's development comprises three pillars—creative talents, creative businesses, and creative areas.
Thailand has innovative business services linked with educational institutions for developing creative talent.
“As a result, this will directly connect students studying design with resources, capacity-building programs, and more,” Pichit explained.
Manokwari Message
The 4th Y20 Pre-Summit resulted in the issuance of the Manokwari Message, a document containing a moral message regarding youth diversity and inclusion.
A total of 24 moral messages are listed in the Manokwari Message. The points have been approximated into five sub-themes, namely inclusive education, creative economy, culture and tolerance, youth leadership and community engagement, as well as technology and digital access.
In inclusive education, for example, the Manokwari Message encourages equity in the education system for all. As per the document, it is also essential to ensure adequate infrastructure and facilities for persons with disabilities and those in disadvantaged areas.
Meanwhile, regarding the creative economy, the government, the private sector, and local communities (indigenous people) also need to work together to support young people's businesses, especially small and medium-sized businesses.
The Manokwari Message emphasizes the implementation of noble values and youth activities related to cultural preservation.
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Through the Manokwari Message, the Y20 is promoting youth awareness to increase the importance of participation and political literacy, as well as ensuring equal opportunities to develop the leadership potential of vulnerable groups through capacity building in formal and informal institutions.
The Manokwari document also requires the establishment of peer-to-peer voluntary teaching for basic digital literacy that can be accessed easily and affordably.
The Y20 is a forum for future young leaders from all G20 member countries to discuss, argue, and exchange ideas to reach a joint agreement regarding the agenda of the G20 Presidency.
The Y20 Summit result is the Y20 Communiqué. Since the first Y20 conference was held in 2010, the organizers have changed every year based on where the G20 Presidency takes place.
Themed “From Recovery to Resilience: Rebuilding the Youth Agenda Beyond COVID-19,” this year's Y20 Summit will be held in Jakarta and Bandung, Indonesia, in July 2022.
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