Youth Urged to Perceive Opportunities in Regional Development

Pangkalpinang, VIVA - Young people are urged to be able to read the development opportunities emerging in their respective regions. This was stated by the Chairman of the Catholic Youth Organisation, Stefanus Gusma, ahead of the Advanced Leadership Course (KKL) I for 2026, which will be held from 14 to 17 May 2026 at the Grand Safran Hotel in Pangkalpinang, hosted by the Bangka Belitung Regional Commissariat of the Catholic Youth. The Catholic Youth is encouraging its young cadres to take strategic roles in regional development, particularly through the tourism, creative economy, SME, and green economy sectors. According to Gusma, regions are currently becoming centres of new economic growth, so young people must be able to read the development opportunities emerging in their respective areas. “Regions have great potential to grow through the tourism sector, creative economy, SMEs, to green investment. The Catholic Youth must be present as a strategic partner to the government in guiding inclusive and sustainable development,” said Gusma, quoted on Wednesday, 13 May 2026. He emphasised that after attending KKL I, the cadres are expected not to stop at discussion spaces alone, but to directly engage in promoting regional economic potential, including strengthening local tourism sectors, promoting SME products, and building green economy-based innovations in their respective regions, as well as opening collaboration opportunities with strategic government programmes such as KDMP/KNMP. The event, themed “Inclusive and Collaborative Leadership in Guiding Sustainable Regional Development and Economic Acceleration,” will be attended by hundreds of cadres from Catholic Youth Regional Commissariats across Indonesia who have gone through a selection process, including the preparation of papers according to the KKL syllabus. KKL I uses andragogy methods or adult learning through group discussions, simulations, case studies, socio-political mapping, role-playing, and the preparation of personal, group, and cohort-based action plans. Meanwhile, the Bangka Belitung area is one that is said to have great strength through beach tourism, village tourism, local cuisine, creative economy, SMEs, to the development of ecotourism. The Chairman of the Bangka Belitung Catholic Youth Regional Commissariat, Bernadus Reco, said that Bangka Belitung has great potential in developing a regional economy based on sustainable tourism. “We hope that participants can directly see that potential and bring new ideas for their respective regions,” said Bernadus.