Gerakan Angkatan Muda Kristen Indonesia (GAMKI) and Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia (LAI) held a meeting on 11 June 2024 at the Bible Centre Building, Salemba. The arrival of the GAMKI central board was to hand over the   award to Dr Sigit Triyono as one of the inspirational figures of 2023, especially in the field of the Oikumene Movement. The meeting also discussed strengthening cooperation between the two institutions. GAMKI, which is currently present in 31 provinces in Indonesia, emphasised the importance of education and equitable employment in realising a Golden Indonesia 2045.

Alan Christian Singkali, General Secretary of GAMKI, said, "Realising a Golden Indonesia 2045 will be possible if we have a quality golden generation, whose human resources are superior, competent, and ready to collaborate."

As a concrete step, the two institutions will later sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Sigit Triyono explained the two main functions of the MoU, "The first function is symbolic, to formalise the cooperation. The second function is real, so that whoever the board is in the future can continue the cooperation."

LAI welcomes this cooperation. "LAI is grateful to GAMKI for giving the GAMKI Award to the LAI Secretary General as an Inspirational Figure in the Oikumene Movement," Sigit said. "This recognition further strengthens LAI as an interdenominational and interconfessional institution," he added.

One focus of the cooperation is the provision of Bibles for GAMKI's needs in the regions. "If there is a real need every year, we from LAI can hold a special session. GAMKI can indicate the annual need for Bibles, then we campaign together," Sigit explained.

LAI also offers Bible Engagement programmes, including the Illiteracy Eradication Programme (PBA) that has been conducted in Mentawai. Sigit explained, "Through the PBA programme, participants are taught for 12 months to literacy (basic reading and writing). The cost of the PBA programme is not cheap, the budget required for each participant is  1.3 million rupiah for a year. This means that if there are 1300 people studying, it takes more than 1.3 M for one year of study."

This meeting marks an important step in the efforts of both institutions to jointly contribute to the development of a quality and Christian-based generation of Indonesian youth, in line with the vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045.(pp)