Turning 41, Lakpesdam PBNU Strengthens Human Resources from Villages to the Global Stage

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Institute for the Study and Development of Human Resources (Lakpesdam) PBNU has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the quality of human resources (HR) from the village level to the global stage. This commitment was reinforced during the peak of the 41st Birthday (Harlah) commemoration at the PBNU Building, Jakarta, on Tuesday (7/4/2026). In this year’s Harlah commemoration, Lakpesdam PBNU adopted the theme “Together Strengthening HR Towards a Noble Civilisation”. In his speech, the Executive Director of Lakpesdam PBNU, Asrul Raman, explained that the age of 41 years represents a phase of organisational maturity, marked by an increasingly broad scope of work and the institution’s strategic role. “Over the last five years, Lakpesdam has assisted 328 villages in 48 districts. Even now, Lakpesdam’s presence has reached almost all regencies/cities through the PCNU structure,” said Asrul. He added that Lakpesdam now also assumes a new function as a planning body within PBNU. In this role, Lakpesdam actively facilitates the strengthening of planning at the regional and branch levels. In addition, various advocacy efforts continue to be carried out, from assisting informal sector BPJS Health to involvement in advocating the Indigenous Peoples Bill together with several civil society coalitions. “Our room for manoeuvre is increasingly broad, including assistance down to the branch level. In the future, we hope that Lakpesdam will not only contribute domestically but also at the international level,” he said. The Secretary of Lakpesdam PBNU, Ufi Ulfiah, described the institution, led by Erick Thohir, as a “technocratic group” within NU that plays an important role in strengthening organisational governance and HR development. According to her, one of the important achievements at present is the consolidation of scholarship programmes through the Nahdlatul Ulama Scholarship, which has facilitated 12 types of scholarships for NU cadres. “Lakpesdam’s leap in this period is very significant, including international cooperation in HR development. This shows that the grand idea of NU governance is not impossible,” she said. In her speech, Ufi also highlighted the alignment of visions between Lakpesdam and PBNU leadership, which has driven the birth of various institutional innovations and breakthroughs. Meanwhile, PBNU Chairman Ulil Abshar Abdalla (Gus Ulil) emphasised that Lakpesdam is a strategic institution that was established from the beginning with a spirit of renewal. He explained that Lakpesdam was born in 1985 from the ideas of KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), as a driving force for innovation within NU following the organisation’s return to its khittah as a socio-religious organisation. “From the beginning, Lakpesdam was designed as a renewal institution. Therefore, the people within it must have a spirit of innovation and breakthroughs,” explained Gus Ulil. He also stressed the importance of accountable organisational governance. Lakpesdam, he said, is one of the institutions in PBNU that consistently conducts annual financial and management audits. This practice is expected to serve as a model to be replicated by other institutions within PBNU. “We want Lakpesdam’s experience to spread to other institutions, so that all PBNU apparatuses have good governance standards,” he stated. Furthermore, Gus Ulil revealed that Lakpesdam is developing various breakthroughs, including at the international level, as part of NU’s contribution to global welfare. “Our vision may be grand, but all of it is for the welfare of NU members, the Indonesian nation, and humanity at large,” said Gus Ulil, who then led the symbolic tumpeng cutting.