By: Kresensia Risna Efrieno

Democracy is a system of power management to achieve goodness and welfare for all. Indonesia keeps the dynamic with the system since its independence because the system becomes a hope for Indonesians who have diversity in language and culture to reach one will and goal to participate equally in the national management.

As time goes by, the changes of government and world development become factors of the dynamic of the democratic system. The change of the democracy system from age to age is a part of Indonesian history and has become a topic to be learned by students as the next generation. Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta through a program with a theme on “Democracy from age to age” provides students to learn and see the atmosphere of democracy in Indonesia. The students were trained to be sensitive and to understand democracy as their provision to find out how the democratic system works.

As the opening event, the Stube HEMAT and the students held a discussion to review democracy in Indonesia from age to age (Liberal Democracy, Guided Democracy, New Order, and Reformation Era) and discerning democracy through the media (10/04/2021). The discussion helped students to think critically in facing the challenges of democracy.  They were accompanied by Rev. (Em) Bambang Sumbodo and Ir. Hero Darmawanta as the board of Stube HEMAT, and Ariani Narwastujati as the Executive Director of Stube HEMAT to discuss and share about democracy.

To ignite the students to think critically about the current practices on democracy, they were asked to read some articles provided by the team of Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta with three main topics, covered: 1) The actual problems of our democracy, 2) The democracy in Indonesia and its direction during the pandemic, 3) Democracy in the digital age and social media era, 4) Democracy in Indonesia needs a change of paradigm.

These topics became the material of discussion that broadens their perspectives about democracy. Democracy still needs to be fought for.***