British Council aims at the leaders of tomorrow<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Believing that its relationship with Indonesia lies in the hands
\nof future generations, the British Council places emphasis on
\nworking with young adults.<\/p>\n
\"In Indonesia, the percentage of young people, the most
\nsignificant and vibrant part of the population, is huge and we
\nthink that our relation with Indonesia should be in the future
\nand not in the past,\" said British Council director Mike Hardy.<\/p>\n
Although it still runs its long-established programs, the
\norganization has partly shifted its \"language\" from conventional
\napproaches like providing grants to such activities as youth
\ncamps, film screenings and music festivals.<\/p>\n
Through \"Connecting Futures\", the British Council Jakarta
\nendeavors to establish mutual understanding, learning and respect
\nbetween young people from different cultural backgrounds.<\/p>\n
The global program aims to engage young adults
\nand teenagers, aged from 15 to 25, in a range of activities
\nculminating in global discussions and collaborative works on
\neverything from democracy to the arts.<\/p>\n
Its global exchange program that started in 2003, for example,
\nlinked youths from Kediri, East Java, to those from UK's
\nBlackburn, while its fourth program this year connected 80 young
\npeople from Bandung, West Java, and Bristol.<\/p>\n
Among the council's most popular programs have been its
\ncollaboration with the Jakarta International Film Festival 2004,
\nthe British Film Festival 2005, an arts and design exhibition and
\na British Pop Music concert.<\/p>\n
Although it has closed down its centers in other Indonesian
\ncities due to security reasons, the institution make its services
\navailable through its website www.britishcouncil.or.id and
\nwww.britzone.or.id.<\/p>\n
Several of its other programs deal with issues of faith and
\npolitics that are of domestic and global relevance.<\/p>\n
\"A better mutual understanding is needed among the British and
\nIndonesians, especially in times when terrorism is closely
\nconnected with religious beliefs,\" Hardy said.<\/p>\n
\"Common Ground\", a successful collaboration between young
\nBritish and Indonesian photographers on the lives of Muslim in
\nboth countries \"generated considerable interest and stimulated
\ndiscussion of contemporary Islamic issues\", Hardy added.<\/p>\n
Aside from working through the cultural sector, the British
\norganization, fully funded by its government with US$4 million
\nyearly, still maintains development assistance programs similar
\nto any other official foreign institution in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We work together with the ADB on providing technical
\nassistance in health and education,\" he said. In the educational
\nfield, while most donors focus on basic education, it chooses to
\nspecialize in assisting secondary schools.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, through its Chevening Scholarship for master's
\nstudents -- which it provides annually for at least 40
\nshortlisted candidates -- the British Council aims to mentor
\nfuture leaders, high achievers, opinion formers and decision-
\nmakers.<\/p>\n
\"The number of full-year scholarships has been reduced but in
\na way this increases our opportunity to provide funding for
\nshort-time courses,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In line with its tsunami reconstruction support it also offers
\n52 scholarships for Acehnese and North Sumatran lecturers as well
\nas leadership training programs for local young NGO activists.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/british-council-aims-at-the-leaders-of-tomorrow-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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