The Workshop entitled ‘Following Frontiers of the Forest City in Kalimantan, Indonesia’

Researchers from Indonesia and the Netherlands discuss the impacts of the Indonesia’s capital relocation to Kalimantan

On July 3, 2023, a workshop titled ‘Following Frontiers of the Forest City in Kalimantan, Indonesia’ was held at the Academic Building, Utrecht City Centre. The workshop was organized by the Forest City project, a 5-year research project that investigates the institutional, financial and physical implications of the relocation of the capital city of Indonesia from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.

The workshop brought together researchers from Gadjah Mada University, Universitas Lambung Mangkrat, Institut Teknologi Kalimantan, Utrecht University and IHE-Delft, as well as partners from East Kalimantan Provincial Government and Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency. The participants shared their views and experiences on the development and environmental politics and governance in Indonesia, especially in relation to the capital relocation process.

The workshop also identified emerging issues and themes for further research, such as land speculation, water justice, urban infrastructure, indigenous rights and postcolonial development. The participants expressed their interest and suggestions for future collaboration with the Forest City project.

The Forest City project is led by Dr. Kei Otsuki from Utrecht University and Prof. Rijanta from Gadjah Mada University. The project aims to follow the impacts of the capital relocation on the natural/built environments and diverse communities and groups of people in Kalimantan. The project is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) under the Co-Creation for Impact programme.