PT Masmindo Dwi Area (MDA) held a forum with student and youth organizations in Makassar as part of its efforts to strengthen synergy with young people.

The event was attended by HMI BADKO Sulawesi Selatan, PP IPMIL Luwu, PB IPMIL Raya, AMPERA Sulawesi Selatan, PP IKPM Walmas, and PP MPR Sulawesi Selatan, and was also attended by MDA Director, Erlangga Gaffar. In an open discussion setting, the forum explored the role of young people in facing changing times and future collaboration opportunities.

The Chairman of PP IPMIL Luwu, Yandi, appreciated MDA’s initiative to open a space for communication with youth groups.

“This is a positive step. We see opportunities for discussion and collaboration. Hopefully, this will not stop at the forum level, but will continue into concrete programs that can be directly felt by the young generation in Luwu,” he said.

This activity is part of a series of forums previously held in Palopo City through a discussion titled Strategic Synergy: Building the MATAPPA Golden Generation, which brought together youth, students, and academics to discuss the future of young generations.

The forum served as a platform for exchanging ideas on improving youth capacity, preparing for future challenges, and exploring collaboration opportunities between young people and the industrial sector.

As a follow-up to these activities, MDA is preparing a scientific writing and essay competition program involving youth and student organizations. This program aims to encourage the emergence of ideas, concepts, and solutions relevant to regional needs.

The proposed themes include entrepreneurship and the creative economy, local wisdom of Tanah Luwu, digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI), the demographic bonus, renewable energy, journalistic independence, and green mining.

MDA Director Erlangga Gaffar stated that regional progress must be accompanied by the readiness of its young generation to take on future roles.

“This region is progressing. Therefore, young people must also grow, develop their capabilities, build confidence, and be ready to compete,” he said.

He added that young people have great potential when given the space to grow and develop.

“Many good ideas come from young people. Our shared responsibility is to open opportunities, provide a platform, and connect them with real needs in the field,” he added.

The discussion was warm and interactive, with participants sharing views on access to education, youth capacity building, and opportunities for collaboration between youth organizations and the industrial sector.

Through this activity, MDA hopes to strengthen its relationship with young people while generating new ideas that will benefit the community and the future of Luwu.