UPH as the First Host of ?Indonesia Housing Forum?

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia considers home is a very important element to break the chain of poverty which is why this forum is carried. From this forum, Habitat hopes to get the best ideas to be implemented within the lower classes.

This forum is part of the Asia Pacific Housing Forum which has been held since 2007 and was held in every two years. This forum aims to summarize the best ideas for realizing livable housing in Indonesia which is affordable for low-income people (MBR).

UPH Rector. (Hon) Jonathan L. Parapak, M.Eng. Sc. who is also one of the founders of Habitat for Humanity in Indonesia, in his speech conveyed the importance of this forum.

This forum is a reflection of concern for the community. Care about housing, care about education, care about the quality of education. Community development is not only for the city but also in remote areas. That is the spirit of Habitat and UPH. Indonesia is our beloved country that is given to us; therefore it is our duty to think what we can do for the country, especially the housing issues that will be discussed. Hopefully, this forum produces thoughts for the nation’s children for prosperity”, he said.

This forum presents four keynote speakers to convey views related to settlement issues in Indonesia. They are experts who have a background in architecture, such as Prof. Ir. Gunawan Tjahjono, M.Arch., Ph.D, Professor Purnabakti UI as head of expert team of Urban Architectural Building Building of Jakarta Capital City Special Region Government; Nurul Wajah Mujahid, ST., MPA from Sub-Directorate of Housing Directorate of Urban, Housing and Settlement of BAPENAS; Prof. Dr.Ir. Arief Sabaruddin, CES and Ir. Pauline Boedianto, M.Sc. Arch. specialized in slum and inland recovery.

In sharing sessions, they presented backgrounds, problems, data and real-life situations of lower-class people living in the slums.

According to Prof.Ir. Gunawan development is to form a whole and noble human, who is able to overcome all kinds of challenges and obstacles, “Building is developing a human beings, not only the number showing to the sum of needs but how to translate the figure into a form of noble value.

Parallel with that, Nurul stated that the key to the progress of a nation is the fulfillment of the most basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter.

The key to development is, to begin with, creativity and initiative. Benchmark for the success from the development is marked in how the person becomes better,” he explained

The second part of the forum was followed by discussions which divided into five groups where the participants were accompanied by each presenter and moderator. Each group has five sub-themes of ideas: Technology for Affordable Housing, Innovative Partnership, Resilience and Social Development, Sustainable Urbanization & Housing, and Financing and Regulation. The reason for choosing the sub-themes is because the five sub-themes are the important issues. The development of the five sub-themes is expected to help the development movement can be more quickly than the best ideas that can be implemented and applied to the housing forum.

Further, Dr. Julia Dewi, ST., MT as chairman of the committee explained that this forum aims to listen to the problems that commonly encountered in the field from various related parties, whether it is from industry, government, academic, and NGO.

“So we put together everyone from every circle to gather issues that we need to think together. The problems which occur in Indonesia will also be shared in the Asia Pacific Housing Forum.”

Further, UPH will collect all the results from the discussions Forum and publish it, with expectations that the issues of affordable housing forum can be more socialized.

“Because UPH as an academician is not only limited to teach and research, but also to dive into contributing to society. Not only theory but also in practical application to produce the real work to build a society”, he said.