Ministry of Villages Organises Gen Z Village Ambassador Festival
Jakarta — The Ministry of Villages and Disadvantaged Regions Development (Kemendes PDT) will organise the ‘Gen Z Village Ambassador Festival’. The programme, developed with the involvement of public figure Mandala Shoji, is intended to enable Generation Z to participate directly in developing the economic potential and development of villages across various regions.
This was announced by the Minister of Villages and Disadvantaged Regions Development, Yandri Susanto, during an audience and iftar meal with journalists on Monday (16 March 2026). The event was also attended by Head of BPI Mulyadin Malik, Head of BPSDM Agustomi Masik, Director General of PDP Nugroho Setijo Nagoro, Special Staff M Khoirul Huda, Yahdil Harahap, and Fahad At-Tamimi.
“Gen Z will participate directly to maximise village potential, such as tourism villages, export villages, and so forth,” said Minister Yandri Susanto.
The minister from South Bengkulu noted that the auditions can be followed by the entire public subject to certain terms and conditions. The programme is expected to serve as a platform for young people to channel ideas, concepts, and innovations in advancing villages.
He stressed that the programme is not a gimmick but is genuinely directed at exploring village potential whilst encouraging Gen Z to develop creativity based on village resources. The ministry will provide mentoring not only to winners, but also to unselected participants to help realise their programmes or ideas.
“So that every good idea has the opportunity to be realised and provide tangible benefits for village development,” said Minister Yandri.
Meanwhile, Mandala Shoji stated that the Gen Z Village Ambassador Festival is a selection event for Gen Z with creativity for their villages. “In 2026, the Gen Z Village Ambassador Festival will be held after Ramadan. We will also engage celebrities and influencers, as well as villagers who have already contributed to their villages, to work together as examples,” said Mandala.
He also noted that many Gen Z members believe they must move to cities to find work. “It turns out they don’t have to. In the city, the salary is just the minimum wage. If we develop this village properly, there’s no need to go to the city; we can return to the village and become prosperous. Therefore, the tagline of the Gen Z Village Ambassador activity is ‘Return to the Village to Become Prosperous’,” he explained.