Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, issuing a press statement on Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki evacuees in Jakarta on Wednesday (November 20, 2024). (ANTARA/Asep Firmansyah/rst)

VOInews, Jakarta : The government has stepped up efforts to build temporary housing for people who evacuated to safety following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki to ensure their comfort and security amid the approach of the rainy season.

"We are speeding up the work of this temporary housing because of the rainy season and ahead of the Christmas holiday," Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, said on Monday.

"The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) will immediately build temporary housing," he added.

According to him, based on reports from ministries/technical institutions, the volcano is continuing to erupt, but showing no sign of increased activity.

In addition, the radius for the security area has been reduced, while evacuation services are still being maintained.

The number of centralized evacuees has also shrunk to around 5,117. However, the number of independent evacuees is still high at 6 thousand, the minister informed.

"The number of independent evacuees who join their relatives is higher, more than 6,417 people," he added.

Besides building temporary housing, the government will also assist in the process of independent relocation, home renovation, and preparation for permanent housing.

At a ministerial meeting on Wednesday, Pratikno said that the central and regional governments have mapped out the locations for permanent housing.

"We will further explore the administration and we have discussed it with residents. The dialogue with residents is intensively being carried out to determine permanent housing," he added.

Later, permanent housing will be constructed at several locations, rather than being concentrated in a single area.

Pratikno assured that the data collection process would involve affected residents.

"Once again, the house renovation, independent relocation, the construction of temporary housing, and the construction of permanent housing will be carried out simultaneously," he emphasized//Antara-VOI

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana during a meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Wednesday (November 20, 2024). (ANTARA/Hreeloita Dharma Shanti)

VOInews, Jakarta : Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has said that her ministry will propose an increase in its budget ceiling to Rp2.254 trillion (around US$141.72 million) to support its priority programs for next year.

"Considering that the budget ceiling decreased significantly from 2024 to 2025, we are currently planning to propose an increase in the 2025 budget ceiling to Rp2,254,706,954,000," she informed.

She conveyed this during a meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Wednesday.

She informed that the budget ceiling for the Ministry of Tourism for 2025 is Rp1.489 trillion (around US$93.62 million).

Of the proposed Rp2.254 trillion budget, Rp1.837 trillion (around US$115.5 million) is planned to be allocated for work units at the central level, Rp123 billion (around US$7.73 million) for tourism authority agencies, and Rp294 billion (around US$18.48 million) for tourism polytechnics.

Wardhana said that the increase is reasonable because the budget ceiling for 2025 is significantly lower compared to Rp3.182 trillion (around US$200 million) in 2024.

She also outlined the four Quick Wins programs that the Ministry of Tourism is carrying out.

The first program is the intensification of the Proud of Traveling in Indonesia (BBWI) program, which includes campaigns, tourism package integration, transport cost efficiencies, and improvement of tourist destinations' competitiveness.

The second program is Tourism 5.0: Marketing and Calendar of Events, which includes the digitalization of the Calendar of Events and the development of AI Travel Planner Assistance features, as well as organizing and supporting national and international events.

The third program is making airfares affordable, and the fourth program is improving the quality of human resources and business players.

In this regard, she affirmed that her ministry is continuing to collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies, such as the Ministry of Manpower.

Quality improvement is also being encouraged through the tourism sectoral committee, revitalization of vocational education and vocational training, as well as empowerment of communities in tourism villages//Antara-VOI

President Prabowo Subianto delivering his remarks at the third session of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday (November 19, 2024). (ANTARA/HO-Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau)

VOInews, Rio De Janeiro : Indonesia is committed to providing US$30 million to support the World Health Organization (WHO), President Prabowo Subianto announced during the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday.

"We are willing to commit US$30 million to bridge funding gaps for WHO activities. We hope this can positively contribute to the noble work done by the United Nations," he said.

He then invited fellow G20 nations to continue the grouping's positive impact on collective action to address global challenges, including health, climate change, as well as hunger and poverty.

"The G20's convening power must unite and bring together advanced and emerging economies, converging different views in response to the world's most urgent challenges, in the spirit of transparency, inclusivity, and consensus as important principles in our G20," he said.

On the sidelines of the summit, Prabowo had a talk with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati revealed. In a post on her Instagram account, she said that the two figures discussed the current challenges faced by the WHO amid the dynamic global situation.

"President @prabowo conveyed Indonesia's commitment to supporting WHO activities in strengthening a fair and quality global health system," Indrawati wrote//Antara-VOI

Acting (Plt.) Head of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) E. Aminudin Aziz speaking at the 30th General Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNLAO) 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo : Perpusnas) -  

VOInews, Dubai : Acting (Plt.) Head of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) E. Aminudin Aziz stated that libraries must have new functions that include community empowerment programs.

This was conveyed by Plt. Head of National Library at the 30th General Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNLAO) 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which took place on 15-17 November 2024.

He added that the Social Inclusion Based Library Transformation (TPBIS) program implemented in Indonesia provides new hope in efforts to realize the function of libraries for community empowerment.

"Government commitment and community participation are key aspects in making this transformation successful," he said when speaking at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, Dubai, UAE, on Sunday (17/11/2024).

He understands that this new initiative in library transformation will always face challenges, both support and resistance. "So, remain patient and diligent in implementing it," he explained.

On this occasion, Plt. The Director of the National Library explained that library transformation was based on two things, namely libraries for all to ensure inclusive access to knowledge for all levels of society and libraries as spaces for creativity, namely creating spaces that foster creativity, innovation and collaboration.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday November 20th 2024 in Jakarta, regarding the TPBIS program, it was explained that initially the National Library created an initiative to promote libraries for all and libraries as spaces for creativity with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (through the Global Libraries Initiative) and The Coca-Cola Foundation.

"This activity is known as PerpuSeru and took place from 2011 to 2018. As of November 2018, PerpuSeru has supported 200 village libraries, 50 district libraries and 34 provincial libraries," he explained.

Furthermore, Indonesia, through the National Library, continued this program with the title TPBIS program. "Because this program has a good impact nationally, the government has made it a National Priority and for the first time it is part of the National Priorities," he said.

From 2018 to 2024, the TPBIS program has reached 2,691 public libraries in 38 provinces. One of the good practices of the TPBIS program that has been carried out is in Magelang, Central Java. This program is said to have a good influence on the surrounding community, namely that the library is better known and has the trust of the community, and a shift in perspective on human resource development has placed the function of the library more proportionally.

Regarding international conferences, according to him, this has important meaning as a means of gaining new insights regarding the role of libraries in providing greater benefits to society.

The 30th General CDNLAO 2024 carries the big theme "Libraries and Sustainability" which is attended by representatives from China, Jordan, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Singapore, Kuwait, Vietnam, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates , Qatar and India.

The CDNLAO conference focuses on three main themes, namely the role of libraries in supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs), green libraries and environmental sustainability and educating the public about sustainability through libraries. This conference reflects the cultural and social diversity of the Asia and Oceania region, while encouraging collaboration between libraries to create a more sustainable future for the global community//VOI