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View all search resultsFostering, empowering youth in Indonesia’s foreign policy
To navigate a fractured world, Indonesia’s foreign policy must move beyond symbolic inclusion and treat its youth not just as tomorrow’s leaders, but as today’s strategic diplomatic partners.
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Youths and activists holding banners as they march towards the National Monument (Monas) complex during a Global Climate Strike to protest against climate change in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 3, 2023. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan (Reuters/WILLY KURNIAWAN)
D
uring the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) Circle Talk with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Oct. 19, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha C. Nasir remarked that “we cannot answer twenty-first-century questions with a twentieth-century blueprint.” He is right: the world has fundamentally shifted and we must rethink how we perceive and act to address the crises of today and tomorrow.
The wave of youth- and student-led demonstrations across Europe and other parts of the world this month stems, in part, from an outdated mindset that fails to address the realities facing contemporary youth. Today’s generation of children and young people is the largest in history, with the vast majority living in developing nations, including Indonesia. Decision-makers and policymakers must ensure that policy formulations proactively account for the needs and aspirations of future generations, striking a careful balance with those of the present.
Indonesia stands at a critical juncture in an increasingly volatile global landscape. Geopolitical rivalries, armed conflict, climate change, economic volatility and rapid technological disruption are reshaping international relations. In navigating these headwinds, Indonesia’s foreign policy must leverage one of its greatest strategic assets: its youth.
With a large, dynamic young population, Indonesia is uniquely positioned to treat youth not merely as passive beneficiaries of national development, but as active co-architects of nation-building, peacebuilding and international diplomacy. Integrating youth into Indonesia’s foreign policy framework is not just an exercise in token inclusion; it is a vital investment in the nation’s leadership pipeline, diplomatic leverage and commitment to global peace. Young people have earned a substantive seat at the table where global decisions are forged.
To turn this strategic potential into reality, three key imperatives must guide our approach.
First, foster meaningful participation in nation-building and peacebuilding.
Young people must have a genuine voice in shaping the decisions that govern their future. Their participation cannot remain confined to ceremonial appearances, ad-hoc consultations, or symbolic representation. Instead, they must be systematically integrated into policymaking, community dialogue, conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives at local, national and multilateral levels.
