Safeguarding Terong Beach in NTT with an Interfaith Spirit
On the coast of Terong Village, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), differences in faith dissolve into a single noble purpose. Church youth, mosque youth, TNI personnel, and residents stood on the same stretch of beach, picking up plastic waste and then planting mangrove seedlings. This action is not just an ordinary environmental activity, but a powerful symbol of how tolerance and care for nature can go hand in hand for the future of the next generation.
A spirit of mutual cooperation coloured the environmental rescue action on the coast of Terong Village, Satar Mese Barat District, Manggarai Regency, on Monday (29/6). This collaboration involved various elements of society, demonstrating that environmental issues are a shared responsibility regardless of religious background.
The activity was led directly by Babinsa Koramil 1612-05/Satar Sese, Serda A. Hafiz. The main focus of the activity was cleaning plastic waste along the coastline and planting hundreds of mangrove seedlings. This step was taken as a strategic response to the threat of abrasion haunting the coastal area of Terong Village.
Serda A. Hafiz stressed that planting mangroves is crucial for protecting the marine ecosystem. "The coastal area of Terong Village has great potential, but is vulnerable to abrasion if not protected. Today we are not just planting trees, but also planting a future for the next generation," he said in a statement on Tuesday (30/6/2026).
Koramil 1612-05/Satar Sese is also committed to continuing to assist the community in ensuring the planted mangrove seedlings can grow well, providing long-term benefits for protecting the land from sea water erosion.
The presence of various elements, especially interfaith youth, gave a sense of optimism to local residents. Yosep (42), a coastal resident of Terong Village, expressed his emotion at seeing the togetherness.
"We are very grateful to Mr Babinsa for initiating this activity. We have been worried that abrasion will continue to erode the beach near the settlement. Seeing soldiers, church youth, mosque youth, and the community working together makes us confident this village can be protected," said Yosep.
The action, which lasted from morning until noon, succeeded in cleaning dozens of metres of the beach area and securing the coastal zone with hundreds of new mangrove seedlings. This success is expected to be a catalyst for other regions in NTT to adopt a similar collaborative pattern in preserving nature.