BIOTROP held four events to commemorate its 47th year anniversary during the whole month of February this year. These events included the Centre’s first Public Bazaar on 3 February and Family Day Gathering on 8 February, the Anniversary Celebration proper on 23 February, and the Communication Forum on Mine Environmental Management on 24 February.
The month-long celebration was aimed to involve as much stakeholders as possible and encourage more social interaction among them, launch another Centre special initiative, and institutionalize Centre traditions.
The Public Bazaar was the Centre’s attempt to provide the opportunity for the staff and their family members to enhance their entrepreneurial potentials for diversified source of livelihood, and for small-scale entrepreneurs around Bogor to promote their products and expand their market links. The Family Day Gathering was aimed to enable the staff’s family members to get to know each other and enable them to learn more about the Centre as part of the BIOTROP family. On the other hand, the Communication Forum on Mine Environmental Management provided the venue for mining industry managers and staff in Indonesia to share best practices on environmental management including biodiversity conservation.
Being the main event, the Anniversary Celebration proper consisted of two parts. The first part featured the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with five partner-institutions, presentation of tokens of appreciation to BIOTROP retirees in 2014, and the public launching of BIOTROP’s Knowledge and Technology One-Stop Shop (KTOSS). The second part was highlighted by the hand-over ceremony of the Centre’s directorship including a tribute to its former director, Prof Dr Bambang Purwantara.
During the event’s opening program, BIOTROP Director Dr Irdika Mansur thanked all former and current Centre officials and staff for their dedication and hard work towards bringing the Centre to where it is now. He also thanked all partner-institutions, sister SEAMEO Centres, and the SEAMEO Secretariat for their continued support and collaboration with the Centre. He informed the audience about the Centre’s new initiatives under his term such as establishment of Centers of Excellence on specific fields of expertise of BIOTROP, and enhancing industry linkage in conducting research activities.
Prof Yonny Koesmaryono, representing the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) as BIOTROP’s host institution, delivered the IPB Rector’s message congratulating the Centre’s for its 47th year anniversary. He wished that the Centre could continue to benefit its stakeholders in Southeast Asia through its research, training and information exchange activities in tropical biology. He also assured the Centre for the continued support and collaboration from IPB. He thanked Prof Dr Bambang Purwantara for his fruitful service to BIOTROP for the past 12 years.
SEAMEO Secretariat Director Prof Dr Wittaya Jeradechakul, as the event’s special guest of honor, congratulated BIOTROP for its significant contributions in the development of the region addressing concerns in tropical biology. He expressed his sincere thanks to Prof Dr Bambang Purwantara for his hard work as former BIOTROP Director as well as his involvements in various SEAMEO-wide programs and activities. He also congratulated Dr Irdika Mansur as the Centre’s new Director. In closing, he expressed his sincere thanks to the BIOTROP management and staff for supporting him in the last four years as SEAMEO Secretariat Director.
BIOTROP’s longest-serving Governing Board Member from Singapore Prof Wong Sek Man, and SEAMEO QITEP in Science Centre Director Prof Dr. Triyanta on behalf of the other SEAMEO Centre Directors in Indonesia delivered their personal testimonies on their experiences with the Centre and with Prof Bambang Purwantara. Both conveyed their sincere appreciation for fruitful collaborations and friendship established for the past years.
The Centre formalized its collaboration by signing MoUs with SEAMOLEC, VEDCA, PT. Inhutani II, SMKN 63 Pertanian, Jakarta, and EDP Media. The collaborations will involve human resource and institutional capacity building, research, information exchange, and community services.
Dr Irdika presented tokens of appreciation to 3 retirees of the Centre in 2014. They include 2 retirees who had passed away in 2014.
The KTOSS, as one of the Centre’s special initiative, was officially opened by SEAMES Director Dr Witaya Jeradechakul. The Shop showcases the Centre’s technologies and knowledge products for public consumption. It is also expected to promote better understanding and appreciation of the real values of tropical biology among BIOTROP clients and partners which is the essence of the Centre’s vision statement.
BIOTROP also announced the top three winners in its 2nd annual photo competition themed “Our Biodiversity, Our Source of Sustainable and Healthy Living.” The winning photos were exhibited at the BIOTROP’s Knowledge and Technology One-Stop Shop (KTOSS).
The celebration was capped by the hand-over ceremony of the Centre’s directorship and the honoring of Prof Dr Bambang Purwantara. Dr Irdika Mansur received the BIOTROP flag from Prof Dr Bambang Purwantara symbolizing the full acceptance of responsibility and commitment to uphold the name of the Centre and bring it forward to achieving its goals and mandates with excellence according to ideals of SEAMEO. He also received a Kujang which, other than as a token of appreciation for someone who is honorable and has high knowledge, is considered by BIOTROP as a symbol of passing over of authority between outgoing and incoming leader to govern judiciously, competently and with integrity all the affairs of the centre within the context of innovation, efficiency and effectiveness in using available resources for the welfare of both clients and staff members. After the hand-over ceremony, Prof Dr Bambang Purwantara was honored by presenting him a Kujang Bermata Tujuh and other tokens of appreciation from Centre staff, and a video tribute. The video contains messages from BIOTROP colleagues, SEAMEO colleagues, and partners. Prof BambangPurwantara also delivered his farewell but assuring the Centre that he will always at hand when his services are needed. He also delivered his sincere thanks to all the members of BIOTROP family and partners for their support during his directorship.
The celebration was enlivened with song and dance performances from BIOTROP’s choir group named BioMelodia and Edas Dance Studio. The choir’s performance was their first public appearance after being formed only in January 2015. On the other hand, Edas Dance Studio performed a welcome dance called Aduh Manis.
