Webinar : Indonesia and Australia: Partnering to Advance the SDGs Tuesday, 15th February 2022

Monash University, Indonesia in collaboration with Cross Sector Development Partnerships Initiative (XSPI) conducted webinar on "Indonesia and Australia: Partnering to Advance the SDGs" Tuesday, 15 February 2022

This is the first series out of four that will be conducted throughout this year from Monash University, Indonesia in collaboration with XSPI related to the how Indonesia and Australia could achieve more through partnering, collaborating and cooperating to assist each other achieve the SDGs including by harnessing the combined strengths of government, the business sector, NGOs, academia and philanthropy/private capital.

This webinar, which attended by almost 200 participants, was opened by President of Monash University, Indonesia - Professor Andrew MacIntyre, followed by a fireside chat between Kevin Evans (Indonesian Director of Australia Indonesia Centre) and Ir Heru Prasetyo MBA (Former Deputy in President's Delivery Unit and Secretary of The Committee To Support The Co Chair of the UN's HLPEP).

This webinar was hosted by Selvi Tanggara - Associate Director for Industry Engagement and featured respected speakers on their field namely :

  1. Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar
    Research Professor - Research Centre for Politics-National Research & Innovation Agency (PRP-BRIN)
  2. Professor John Thwaites
    Chair, Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI)
  3. Josephine Satyono,
    Executive Director - Indonesia Global Compact Network
  4. Kylie Porter
    Executive Director - UN Global Compact Network Australia
  5. Dr. Grace Wangge 
    Associate Professor - Monash University, Indonesia
  6. Natalia Soebagjo
    Member - International Council of Transparency International (TI) & Indonesia Global Compact Network’s Advisory Board
  7. Y.W. Junardy
    President Commissioner
    PT Rajawali Corpora & President of Indonesia Global Compact Network
  8. Marc Purcell
    CEO - The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID)
  9. Andrew Parker
    Partner - PwC Australia

The session concluded by Dr. Dan Evans as the Founding Chair of Cross Sector Development Partnerships Initiative (XSPI). The audience were very engaged with the topic, raising intriguing questions and comments for lively discussion.

Please find the presentation in this link

Looking forward to hosting everyone again in the next webinar session.

About this Webinar

Indonesia played a leading role in formulating, developing and then helping negotiate the SDGs prior to their endorsement. Former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was the Co-Chair of the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel (HLP) to advise him on the Post-2015 Development Agenda which led to the adoption of the SDGs.  The SDGs were created through the largest ever participatory process undertaken by the UN. 10 million people from different parts of the globe expressed their views in the consultation process to help shape the 2030 Agenda.

The SDG goals themselves are far reaching. Partnering to make progress needs to be comprehensive, wide-ranging and not be limited in any way to traditional forms of development assistance. Progress towards their achievement  will require strong support and  engagement, not only at  the  community level but by leaders, policy makers and opinion leaders whether in government, business, the not-for-profit sector or research organisations.

Partnerships between Australia and Indonesia involving government, business, community groups, research and academic institutions, philanthropic agencies as well as the media can provide much needed impetus to advance the SDGs. But the questions remain as to how those partnerships can be developed further and what benefits will flow to the organisations involved.

This first webinar will introduce a number of speakers who will provide insights into progress and challenges in each country as they move towards the SDG 2030 deadline. The advantages of partnerships and closer collaboration between various sectors of Indonesia and Australia will be critically examined and discussed with far reaching consequences for the future and mutually beneficial relationship between Indonesia and Australia.