Sea Festival Serves as Knowledge Bridge for Citizens Regarding Marine Issues
Greenpeace Indonesia organised the Sea Festival, themed ‘Our Sea, Our Future’, in Muntig Siokan, Sanur, Denpasar, Bali. Greenpeace Indonesia campaigner, Sihar Silalahi, expressed hope that this activity could serve as a knowledge bridge for the community regarding marine issues in Indonesia.
“As we know, with urbanisation and modernisation, urban communities are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature,” said Sihar in Muntig Siokan on Saturday (6/6/2026). According to Sihar, this phenomenon is increasingly palpable, even in regions close to marine environments such as Bali.
“Therefore, the reason why ‘our sea, our future’ needs to be a central narrative in this sea festival is to raise awareness. Whether it is urban society that is quite far from nature, or those living within it, we want to bring them back to tune in to the actual problems in our seas and how movements can demand awareness of these issues,” he explained.
The Sea Festival organised by Greenpeace Indonesia featured three discussion sessions regarding crucial marine issues in Indonesia. The first discussion addressed the climate crisis and energy transition in Bali. The second discussion raised issues of human rights and labour rights for fishery crew members. Meanwhile, the third discussion highlighted biodiversity, the role of the younger generation, and practical action.
Sihar stated that the current challenge is how to introduce marine issues to the public so that people understand the ongoing problems. “Through this, perhaps they can delve deeper—how individuals can be involved, how communities can be involved, and how the government should involve itself in overcoming these problems,” S_ihar explained. He believes that with better understanding, the public can participate in seeking solutions through individuals, communities, and the government, which holds a key role in problem-solving.
Sihar also touched upon cases of human trafficking (TPPO) at Benoa Port, which he believes has not yet received serious attention from the local government. This is despite the fact that the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, issued a Decree regarding the Bali Fisheries Forum in 2025. “However, since then, there have been no meaningful meetings or important strategic planning to discuss how to protect fishery crew members. In fact, the Forum itself was established specifically to protect fishery crew members,” he noted.
“So, the goal is actually to calibrate the Balinese people regarding issues that are very close to their sea and their community—or not just the Balinese people, but actually Indonesians visiting Bali or even foreigners, to become aware of this,” concluded Sihar.