KNPI Babel and Disparbudkepora Develop Young Leaders through Leadership School and Business Plan Competition

Pangkalpinang – The Provincial Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports Office (Disparbudkepora) of Kepulauan Bangka Belitung continues to strengthen its commitment to improving the quality of youth resources through collaboration with the Provincial Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI). It was realized through the opening of the 53^rd Anniversary of the KNPI, which was combined with the opening of the Youth Business Plan Competition as well as the Beginner and Intermediate Leadership School, held at the Hajj Dormitory Auditorium, on Wednesday (5/8/2026).

The event was opened by the Governor's Expert Staff for Community and Human Resources, Andri Nurtito. Also present were the Head of the Disparbudkepora, Eko Kurniawan, accompanied by the Head of the Youth Division, Fitriyanto, the Chairman of the KNPI, Zamzani, as well as participants from regencies/cities across the province.

Zamzani said that the enthusiasm of young people to participate in this year's Business Plan Competition is very high. A total of 30 business idea proposals were received by the committee, and through a selection process, 10 best proposals were chosen to present their ideas on Thursday (8/6/2026).

"We hope all participants are able to develop their ideas into real works. Innovation is always born from the courage to express ideas and turn them into solutions for the community," he said.

Zamzani also expressed appreciation to Disparbudkepora for their support and collaboration in organizing the event. According to him, KNPI, as a strategic government partner, has the responsibility to build the character, leadership, and capacity of young people so they can become pioneers of development in the future.

Meanwhile, the Expert Staff, Andri Nurtito, said that nowadays we need young people who have integrity, spirituality, and good managerial skills. Youth organizations are expected to keep transforming into adaptive, productive, and innovative organizations to respond to various development dynamics.

"At the age of 53, KNPI has shown its role as an organization that consistently builds character, the spirit of unity, as well as leadership among the youth. I hope KNPI continues to be a place where great ideas meet and provide real contributions to regional and national development," he said.

On that occasion, the Head of Disparbudkepora, Eko Kurniawan, emphasized that young people need to be prepared to become strong leaders who can adapt to the rapid changes happening around them.

"The main character that a young leader must have is persistence. Indonesian history shows that young people have always been agents of change. Because of that, they need to have knowledge, skills, and experience to be able to face various challenges in the future," said Eko.

According to him, organizing Leadership School and the Business Plan Competition not only provides theoretical understanding but also equips participants with practical experience in developing ideas, making decisions, solving problems, and implementing innovative ideas.

"The spirit of leadership isn't born overnight. Leadership is built through a process of learning, experience, and the courage to face challenges. The more experience someone has, the more mature their ability to lead becomes. We appreciate the Provincial KNPI for continuously providing a learning space for young people. Hopefully, this collaboration will continue to produce a generation of youth who are skilled, have strong character, and are ready to become future leaders," he concluded.