PT TWC trains 1,000 high school students to realise disaster-resilient communities

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan dan Ratu Boko (TWC) or InJourney Destination Management (IDM) organised disaster-response training for 1,000 high school students in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) to realise disaster-resilient communities. The training targets students from schools in Sleman, Bantul, Gunungkidul, and Yogyakarta City, particularly those located in disaster-prone areas, said IDM Operations Director Indung Purwita Jati during the Readiness March and Equipment Display event organised by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) at Garuda Field, Prambanan Temple complex, Sleman, on Saturday. He said the programme, titled InJourney Community Care, which has run from January to May 2026, presents a series of intensive modules covering mitigation across a spectrum, including understanding risks of potential earthquakes, rescue techniques, evacuation, and emergency-handling simulations. “The involvement of the company in this commemoration is part of a commitment to delivering a destination that is not only tourism-oriented but also carries educational value, sustainability, and community resilience,” he said. He noted that the tourist destination area plays a strategic role as a space for public education, including building awareness of disaster mitigation. “Through collaboration with the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) and various parties, we want to foster a more resilient society, especially among the younger generation, so that they have a good understanding of preparedness and can be part of reducing disaster risks in their surroundings,” he added. IDM, in collaboration with Kemenko PMK, organised the 20th Anniversary of the Yogyakarta Earthquake at Garuda Field, within the Prambanan temple complex. The commemorations are hoped to be a reflective moment and a reinforcement of public preparedness against disaster risks. Lilik Kurniawan, Deputy for Disaster Management and Social Conflict Coordination at Kemenko PMK, said the two-decade anniversary of the Yogyakarta quake serves as an important reminder of the wide disaster risks faced in Yogyakarta and across Indonesia. “Beyond a reflection on the 2006 quake that left a large impact on the community, this momentum is also directed as a platform for public education to build a collective memory and strengthen preparedness for potential disasters in the future,” he said. The series of events for the commemoration includes visits to the Disaster-Resilient Education Unit (SPAB), the Survivors’ Market, the Preparedness March, the Disaster-Response Equipment Display, and a Panel Discussion featuring various stakeholders involved in disaster management. The agenda is designed to strengthen disaster literacy while showcasing the capacity and readiness of disaster-response equipment across agencies. In addition, the Survivors’ Market serves as a space to promote MSMEs run by survivors of the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake as part of efforts to support recovery and empower the local economy post-disaster. “The event is expected to strengthen cross-sector coordination, improve the readiness of resources and equipment for disaster response, and encourage society to move from passive victims to proactive, resilient subjects in minimising disaster risks,” Lilik said. He said the 20-year anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake is not merely a glimpse into the past, but a momentum to strengthen national resilience against disasters that can strike at any time. “We want to cultivate a culture of preparedness that lives within communities. Reducing disaster risk cannot be done by government alone; it requires collaboration among all parties,” he added. Lilik said the momentum is a shared space to strengthen coordination, raise community capacity, and ensure that every individual possesses knowledge and readiness to respond in emergencies. The organisation of the 20th Anniversary of the Yogyakarta Earthquake is expected to yield more comprehensive policy recommendations for reducing disaster risk, greater cross-sector coordination and commitment to preparedness, increased public understanding of risks and mitigation measures, and broader dissemination of the capacities and readiness of disaster-response equipment.”} */