In the first symposium, participants discussed the plurality of practices and experiments in the field of sustainable development at the village level. Participants included Aleta Baun, head of Molo village in East Nusa Tenggara; Lee Yeon-tak from South Korea's Yeongnam University and Zhang Lanying, director of the Liang Shuming Rural Reconstruction Center in China.

Aleta shared her concerns that massive development had destroyed the harmony of environment and culture in her village, including the conversion of their ancestral land into industrial forests and coal mining areas that has also sparked conflicts among villagers.

The local experiences shared by the speakers shed new light on developmental issues, including the role of women in village governance.

The second symposium discussed the role of water as a force that ties together the social structure of everyday life and is a fundamental element of economic growth.

Wayan Windia, an expert of Subak – the traditional agriculture and irrigation system in Bali, presented subak as a good example of preserving water and culture, and the challenge faced by traditional farmers to protect the tradition amid modern development on the resort island.

Another symposia theme discussed the significant roles of culture in the process of socio-political transformation as well as development that gives space for history and historicity, featuring Arief Aziz, change.org campaign director; art expert Nyoman Nuarta and Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil. (bbn)

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