To commemorate Galungan and Kuningan Day, New Energy Nexus hosted ‘Megalungan Iklim,’ an event designed to celebrate the triumph of good (dharma) over the bad (adharma) in the context of climate and environment.
Denpasar, October 12, 2024 – In celebration of Galungan and Kuningan, New Energy Nexus (NEX) Indonesia invites youth, climate innovation startup founders, local communities, industry experts, and Balinese artists to collaborate in supporting climate innovation and green economy ecosystems through the Megalungan Iklim event.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
The event carries the theme of Galungan as a celebration of the Balinese belief in the victory of dharma (goodness) against adharma (unkindness). Megalungan Iklim aims to provide a forum for cross-sector collaboration in driving solutions and supporting the growth of climate-oriented innovations and businesses.
Held at Taman Baca Kesiman, Diyanto Imam, Program Director of New Energy Nexus Indonesia, emphasized the important role of youth, informal spaces, art, discussion, and innovation in building a green economy towards Net Zero Emission Bali.
“Innovation and climate solutions are deeply rooted in Balinese tradition. Here, we’re not introducing anything new, but inviting youth to remember the essence of life that prioritizes harmony with nature, including in economic activities. Through Megalungan Iklim and our past two years of initiatives with the Matangi Bali Initiative and Koalisi Bali Emisi Nol Bersih, we hope to inspire youth to engage in implementing low-carbon technologies and sustainable business models, especially in the tourism sector, supported by strong concepts, innovative technologies, and sustainable funding.” Diyanto Imam stated.
In a discussion titled “Facing Climate Crisis in Bali: Climate Entrepreneurship and the Role of Community,” Ni Nyoman Rida Bimastini (Ima), Co-founder & CMO of MagiFarm, a Bali-based social enterprise focused on sustainable food waste management, shared her experience building a startup that addresses waste issues while reducing carbon emissions. As a grant receiver through the Matangi Bali Initiative, Ima highlighted how climate entrepreneurship can provide real solutions to Bali’s environmental challenges and strengthen local innovation.
“Supporting local social innovation and businesses means supporting community growth and prosperity. Alongside Soma, Co-founder of MagiFarm, we are committed to making a positive impact on the community a top priority. Our vision is to see Bali clean again, free from organic waste ending up in landfills. To achieve this vision, funding and financial runaway is certainly one of the key factors. However, while many industries are trying to grow in ways that may be detrimental to the environment, we believe the opposite-that our business can continue to grow because we put the sustainability of nature as a top priority,” Ima said.
Moderated by Anak Agung Gde Ngurah Termana, Community Development Specialist WRI Indonesia, Muhammad Haiqal Rizaldi, Green Infrastructure Project Financing Specialist WRI Indonesia, explained emissions and their impact on the environment and daily life. In addition, Luh Putu Anggita Baruna Putri, Community Manager of Sungai Watch, emphasized the crucial role of community involvement in supporting the initiatives and movements carried out by Sungai Watch.
The Megalungan Iklim event was brought to life with a variety of activities deeply rooted in Balinese traditions, such as creating penjor and gebogan, preparing satay lilit, practicing the kecak dance, and performances by traditional art groups like Ngelawang and Bondres Rare Kual. The infamous Balinese band, Nosstress, closed the event with a powerful performance, blending music and monologues to deliver messages of Balinese sustainability to the youth. Their songs encouraged the audience to embrace and redefine ‘enough’ in our daily lives, and take small, meaningful actions to support the environment, making climate conversations more approachable and inclusive beyond the typical conference setting.
Dinda and Nila, two young people joining Megalungan Iklim shared their excitement about the event. Dinda, a local Balinese, expressed her joy: “The event was so much fun! Even though I’m Balinese, I don’t usually take part in making the penjor during Galungan—my dad usually handles that. This time, I really got to feel the spirit of the Galungan celebration, and I learned a lot of new things.”
Nila added, “The discussion sessions were really engaging, covering topics we hadn’t been exposed to before, like social organizations. We’re now excited to apply what we learned, especially the food waste processing techniques using maggots that MagiFarm introduced. It opened our eyes to new possibilities, and we’re eager to connect with them and learn more.”
Megalungan Iklim also showcased five startups that recently graduated from the Matangi Bali product prototype development program: Smart Energy Lab. These startups, including Ambawarna, Kishara, Decoco Luminaire, Ecous, and Kelana Terra, presented their innovations to the Balinese community, offering solutions ranging from coconut waste-based products to eco-friendly applications aimed at promoting sustainable tourism.
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