Guest Lecture by Dr Elya – Community Power in Sustainable Development
On 7 August 2025, participants attended a guest lecture by Dr Elya at Universitas Negeri Malang entitled “The Power of Community for Sustainable Development: Case in Malang”. The session highlighted how grassroots initiatives and local participation are central to achieving sustainable outcomes, especially in the context of urban transformation and heritage conservation.
Dr Elya also introduced the concept of Community-Based Tourism (CBT), emphasising its potential to empower local communities economically while preserving cultural and environmental values. Drawing from real examples in Malang, the lecture demonstrated how collective ownership, trust, and inclusive governance are essential for sustainable development.
The session reinforced key learning themes under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), while encouraging participants to consider the role of policy in supporting bottom-up change.
