Webinar: BCSMF 2020 – Civil Resilience Activisms during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The Government of Indonesia will convene the 13th Bali Democracy Forum (13th BDF) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, in December 2020. The BDF that was established in 2008 aimed to create a progressive democratic architecture in the Asia and the Pacific region. In the past decades, the Forum facilitated dialogues on sharing experiences and best practices among the participating countries from various regions in managing diversity that encourages equality, mutual understanding, and respect.

Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) will contribute to the Bali Civil Society and Media Forum (BCSMF), 19-20 October 2020, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) who are supported by various Indonesian and international partners as a part of Road to Bali Democracy Forum 13th. BCSMF 2020 will be attended by representatives of civil society organizations and media from various countries.

In line with the theme of the 13th BDF of 2020, “Democracy and Pandemic: Challenges from COVID-19 Experiences”, the theme of BCSMF 2020 is “Civil Resilience: Activisms during the Pandemic Covid-19”.

SAFEnet Executive Director Damar Juniarto will be speaking in Session 4 – Activism for Civil and Media Resilience on Oct 20, 2020. He will present a topic about Cyber Resilience within CSOs and Media in Indonesia.

Session 4: Activisms for Civil and Media Resilience
20 October 2020
15:40 -17:10 Denpasar Time

This session is a dialogue to assess the salience of activisms as the core foundations of civil and media resilience. Civil and Media resilience are preconditions and mechanisms to enable democracy to constantly rejuvenate its self. When the state actors neglect their mandate to serve the welfare and safety of the citizens, civil society and media are expected to critically advocate the public and bring back the public duties. When the society actors and institutions were polarized and disharmony, civil and media resilience should weave the social fabrics and cohesion. When state and societal spheres disconnect, civil society and media sphere should create connective and collective actions or bridging the public to policy through judicial review or policy assessment.

Both civil society and media activisms are not perfect, both imaginatively and practically. They face their own challenges and even the questions of their own survivability. The hard times of Pandemic Covid-19 in most situations make the impacts worse to civil society and media activisms as well as civil resilience or democracy in general. Considering the aforementioned challenges and limitations, the fourth or last sessions emphasize the sharing experiences and innovative thinking for civil and media resilience by rejuvenating activisms.

Useful Documents:  \"PDFBali Civil Society and Media Forum 2020 – Tentative Agenda

Useful Links / Information:  Registration LINK