The Caravanserai Collective, Temasek Foundation, and BINUS University launch “CERITA: Storytelling for Harmony” Programme to foster social cohesion and dialogue in Indonesia
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The Caravanserai Collective, Temasek Foundation, and BINUS University launch “CERITA: Storytelling for Harmony” Programme to foster social cohesion and dialogue in Indonesia

23 Sep 2024

The Caravanserai Collective and BINUS University are excited to announce the launch of the CERITA: Storytelling for Harmony programme in Indonesia. In partnership with Temasek Foundation, this programme is designed to strengthen intercultural and intercommunity relations through storytelling, dialogue, and experiential education, ultimately aiming to bolster social cohesion and resilience across the diverse archipelago.

Under the theme of “Storytelling for Harmony”, the CERITA programme addresses the pressing need for fostering unity and understanding in Indonesia, a country marked by its rich tapestry of ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity. As economic growth and social changes reshape the nation, there is a growing need to counter divisive ideologies and build stronger, and more inclusive communities.

Programme Goals and Objectives

The CERITA programme has three core objectives:

  1. Cultivate Solidarity: Amplify marginalised voices and showcase the cultural contributions of diverse communities. Through empathetic storytelling, CERITA aims to empower changemakers to share their unique narratives, fostering a deeper sense of local, regional, and global solidarity.
  2. Build Resilience: Develop digital and community-based storytelling platforms that strengthen skills in dialogue and facilitation. The goal is to bridge social divides and create long-lasting connections across cultural lines.
  3. Enable Innovation: Share digital stories as resources for dialogue and leverage technology to connect communities. By integrating storytelling into social media, in-person events, and online platforms, CERITA aims to sustain and expand its impact over time.

Programme Components

The CERITA: Storytelling for Harmony programme will be rolled out through a series of Train-the-Trainer (TOT) workshops, designed to equip community leaders, dubbed "Duta CERITA" or "Story Ambassadors", with the tools to facilitate intercultural and intercommunity dialogue and storytelling. These workshops will take place in and around Bandung, targeting community leaders, educators and youth from diverse backgrounds.

Participants will be trained in storytelling skills and dialogue facilitation, enabling them to share their own stories and collaborate with others to create narratives that bridge cultural divides. The programme also includes a cascading element, where trained ambassadors will implement their own community-based projects, extending the reach and impact of the programme to an estimated 400 to 1,000 participants directly.

Community Outreach and Sustainability

A highlight of the CERITA programme will be the Storytelling Festival (CERITA Fest), a public event that will bring together trained storytellers, their communities, and the general public to share stories and celebrate the diversity of Indonesian society. This festival will serve as both a culmination of the programme’s first year and a launching point for future initiatives.

The programme aims to create a sustainable network of storytellers and dialogue facilitators who will continue to promote social cohesion and harmony in Indonesia long beyond the programme. By digitising stories and creating a permanent archive, CERITA will provide a valuable resource for educators, media, and the public, ensuring the programme's impact endures.