Digital BABA

I am at far left, with some friends at a local village.

One think that only family knows is about a smile. I will let you know it. Thirty years ago I was born in Central Java, the place of rice and temples. My family said when I was a baby, I was so cute. I always gave a sweet smile to people around me. What they said about me actually encouraged me to sit in front of a mirror in many times. Especially when I was in a junior high school. I always brought a mirror in my bag. I wanted to control my smile. Moreover, there was one pretty girl in my school that I wanted to give a sweet impression with my smile. But you know….I never give a sweet impression to her since I was not confident with my smile. More mirrors in front of my face…my confident was more degraded. Now…I never want to bring a mirror anymore in my bag. Otherwise….

Now, I want to let you guess a secret thing in my life. My room mates they often feel confuse with me. They never see me reading books or papers. They only see me playing a small game such solitaire in my everyday. However when we have some discussions, I am still able to explain social theory, democracy, or some current issues. One of them said, “I never see you read you a book or paper but why…”. Their curiosity actually is also same with some other friends, even my brother. Actually I read books and articles and I have a very wonderful place to read. It is a place where my soul can feel an ease. Hence every paper I read will be planted to my mind easily. My room mates can not see the place even they are with me. May be they know the place, but they are not aware it, Do want to know what place is it? I am sorry I can not let you know.

Oh ya…I can play guitar and compose a song. I have composed several songs. All is about peace. However I think, I will need a singer for singing my songs for peace. May be we can do a peace campaign together

—
BABA Personal Statement:
I finished my undergraduate program in social sciences which my graduating paper is about peace and conflict studies. During my undergraduate study from 1997-2002 I involved in leading student movements to engage a democratic system in my country. In the university organization I was the secretary general of student union in 2000. Before finishing my study, I had been recruited as a researcher staff at Center for Peace and Security Studies Gadjah Mada University in 2001. This opportunity has developed my commitment, knowledge, and skill in building peace. My experiences in student movement and peace studies had developed my commitment to envision a better world particularly Asia. By considering my commitment I decided to work as a lecturer staff at Airlangga University. This university is one of biggest universities in Indonesia hence it is a very strategic academic institution to help me to realize my vision. I work as a lecturer staff. Particularly I am concern on the issue of peace development which I practice it through teaching a Conflict Management course at my university, giving training for government staff, and influencing state’s policy in human security through articles in national newspaper and journal. I got a full scholarship for Asian students from Nippon Foundation to take MA in International Peace Studies at United Nations Mandated University for Peace in 2007. This scholarship has developed more my commitment and strategy in building peace in Asia. Now I need to work together with the other young leaders in Asia for building a better Asia.

BABA Leadership Statement:

Asia is a big region that faces many issues in building a regional peace such as poverty, natural disasters, regional security, environmental damage, and so forth. Some political ideology differences among the current leaders in Asia some how hampers in reaching a common good for Asian people. At the same time the Asian people have been suffering from insecure life that only can be solved by a regional cooperation. This political fact should be changed by the young future leaders in Asia.
As one of young people who have a strategic social position in my country, I have a vision for building a sustainable peace Asia from my country. First of all, I should share a value for enhancing a regional cooperation. In my social relation, I always consider the peace values such as dialogue, pluralism, harmony, and justice. Based on the peace values I can connect socially and politically with many identity groups. I belief that this peace values have become the common values of the young Asian leaders hence there is a wide gate of new cooperation in order to answer the issues of regional peace. The future Asian leaders need to plan a social regional movement for creating a common good in this region. This social movement can be started from sharing many issues in peace and security and building trust among the young Asian leaders. The movement will create a common good that can alter Asia to begin a new concept of regional peace.