New documentary gives voice to Citarum River communities

A new short film which documents the Citarum Action Research Program (CARP) was launched in November in Indonesia.

The event included speeches by Tim Stapleton, Minister Counsellor,  Economic, Investment and Infrastructure Branch, Australian Embassy in Jakarta and Professor Alex Lechner Vice President Research (Monash Indonesia). A panel of experts from Indonesian and Australian Government and academia also explored the challenges of river pollution and the role of evidence informed policy and practice to enable ecological and economic revitalisation.

The film aims to give a voice to the lived experience of vulnerable communities that live along the Citarum River, explore community-led approaches for urban transformation and share key lessons learned through our collaborations with communities and governments in Indonesia to address river pollution together.

By connecting human-scale and village-scale experiences to the catchment area, this film highlights that a new approach is needed for riverine communities: an holistic approach that is sensitive to local landscapes, ecologies, cultures, wisdom, economy, behaviours, governance, and capacities, and brings together technological and social innovation to create real, long-term change.