Catholic Youth strengthen role of intellectuals in national development
Catholic intellectuals and scientists must be able to bridge science, ethics, and the public interest.
The Central Board (PP) of Pemuda Katolik is strengthening the role of Catholic intellectuals and scientists in national development through the 2026 National Conference of Catholic Youth Intellectuals and Academics in Jakarta, on 29–30 August 2026.
Chairman of PP Pemuda Katolik Stefanus Gusma said the role is being strengthened particularly through knowledge, research, technology, and policy ideas.
“Catholic intellectuals and scientists must be able to bridge science, ethics, and the public interest,” Gusma said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
Gusma explained that the conference blueprint places ethical responsibility towards nature as the foundation of academic involvement.
In this way, he said, Catholic intellectuals and scientists are encouraged to produce research that supports sustainable development, develop clean and renewable energy technology, assess the ecological impact of public and industrial policies, and dare to be a critical voice against development practices that damage the environment.
For this reason, he hopes the forum will produce ideas that can be translated into recommendations and real movements.
“Science must provide solutions for energy security, while at the same time ensuring social justice, environmental protection, and the interests of future generations,” he said.
Gusma also emphasised that the spirit of Laudato Si’ serves as a moral foundation in viewing energy development. Integral ecology reminds us that the environmental crisis cannot be separated from social, economic, cultural, and spiritual crises.
On the occasion, Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Deputy Head of BKPM Todotua Pasaribu stressed investment as an important instrument for achieving the national economic growth target.
“To achieve the 8 percent economic growth target, investment is one of the important instruments,” Todotua said.
The National Conference of Intellectuals and Academics was opened by Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat.
In his remarks, he emphasised the importance of ecological conversion and quoted the spirit of Laudato Si’ regarding the need for a change in human attitudes towards the environment.
“We need to encourage ecological conversion nationally so that concern for the environment becomes a collective movement,” Jumhur said.
Jumhur also affirmed that the government will strengthen law enforcement against parties that damage the environment or production activities that leave behind waste.
The conference activities were symbolically opened through the watering of plants by the attending figures. The symbol reinforced the conference’s message that economic acceleration, downstreaming, and energy security must go hand in hand with ecological responsibility.
The conference, which carried the theme Synergy of Community Participation in Accelerating Downstreaming and Energy Security Towards Golden Indonesia 2045, brought together government, academics, intellectuals, the business world, civil society, and Pemuda Katolik cadres to formulate intellectual contributions to the national energy agenda.
Chairman of the Steering Committee (SC) Bondan Wicaksono said the second Intellectuals Conference discussed energy issues comprehensively, ranging from energy management and ecological conversion, energy security and downstreaming, energy democratisation, to the development of a sustainable national energy ecosystem.