Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Ceremonial Groundbreaking for the Papua Youth Creative Hub, 2 October 2021, in Abepura District, Jayapura City, Papua Province

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good morning,

May peace be upon us all.

Distinguished Speaker of the House of Representatives Dr. Puan Maharani,

Distinguished Ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet,

Distinguished Ministers who are now along with me, Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, and Minister of Investments/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BPKM) Bahlil Lahadalia, who is also from Papua.

Distinguished Chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), Speaker of Papua Regional House of Representatives, Mayor of Jayapura, all ranks of the Regional Leaders Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) throughout Papua province.

Distinguished all youths in Papua whom I am so proud of, also joining us here, Billy Mambarasar, one of Presidential Special Staffer, and all entrepreneurs.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today is a follow-up event to our meeting in September 2019 at the Presidential palace where I met Papuan youths who expressed their opinions and wishes. They are including Richard Mahuse from Merauke who graduated from Cornell University. Is there Yosua Gombo? He studied robotics in Washington. It is okay, if he is not here. Is there Paskal Safari? He studied computer science in California, and other talented Papuan youths who are studying in Indonesia and abroad.

Those are talented Papuan youths, both who have graduated including Billy Mambrasar [Presidential Special Staffer] and who are still studying at the best universities in Indonesia and abroad. They are supported by LPDP (Educational Fund Management Institution) scholarships and scholarship from the Special Autonomy Fund. The Government wants to give all talented youths great opportunity. After I met the Inspirative Papuan Youth Community (Komunitas Papua Muda Inspiratif), it was agreed to build the Papua Youth Creative Hub at this place. Based on the report from the ground, insights from Chief of the BIN, today we will conduct ceremonial groundbreaking at this place.

I believe that there are still unexplored and undeveloped potentials. This is a task for us all. Papua province and West Papua province have a number of talented people in the fields of science, arts and culture, and sports. Once again, this is a big task for us all to provide proper, well organized talent management.

As I have said earlier that there are not only hundreds but thousands of people who have joined the Inspirative Papuan Youth Community. It is a great achievement. Therefore, it is our hope that the Papua Youth Creative Hub will become a main driver, a center for the development of Papua’s talent, a center for Papuan youth’s creativity in strengthening innovation ecosystem in the province.

Based on the report, the hub will also focus on entrepreneurship, the improvement of millennial farmers, the development of digital ecosystem, researches, and innovations. I notice that the hub will become the future of Indonesia, the future of Papua. The Papua Youth Creative Hub is expected to be finished in the end of 2022. After all board managements are completed, it will immediately be utilized to improve the quality of human resources in our beloved Papua.

The Papua Youth Creative Hub will be equipped with coworking space, digital technology learning room, music room, innovation room, dormitories, and sport facilities. This is an integrated hub that is expected to be a fundamental element of the future of Papua and Indonesia. It also can be a center to develop startup companies in the great Papua.

That concludes my speech on this auspicious occasion. By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, in the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, I officially mark the groundbreaking for the Papua Youth Creative Hub in Jayapura city.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. (AP/LW)