Semarang (10/30) – On Friday, October 27, 2023, the National Unity and Politics Agency of Central Java Province, in collaboration with Universitas Diponegoro (Undip), organized a National Seminar with the theme “Preserving Conduciveness and Tolerance Towards the Simultaneous 2024 General Election and Local Leader Election.” This event represented a collective effort to anticipate and promote peaceful, high-quality, and integrity-driven general election and local leader election in the future.

The event took place in the Auditorium of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Universitas Diponegoro and featured several prominent speakers who provided deep insights and understanding of the importance of maintaining peace and tolerance in the context of general election and local leader selection. These speakers included the Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) of Central Java, Handi Tri Ujiono, S.Sos, the Expert Staff of the Acting Governor of Central Java, Dr. Sri Yunanto, M.Si, and Dr. Sos. Dra. Fitriyah, M.S., a lecturer from the Department of Politics and Government Studies at FISIP Undip.

The official opening of the event was carried out by the Acting Governor of Central Java, Komjen Pol (Ret.) Drs. Nana Sudjana A.S., M.M., who emphasized the importance of preserving peace and stability in the democratic process. Other key figures, such as the National Unity and Politics Agency of Central Java Province, Haerudin, S.H., M.H., also graced this national seminar with his presence.

The primary objective of this National Seminar was to support the peaceful, high-quality, and integrity-driven implementation of the Simultaneous General Election in 2024. In his address, Prof. Dr. Hardi Warsono, M.T., Dean of FISIP Undip, emphasized the active role of the public in maintaining conduciveness ahead of the elections. Prof. Hardi Warsono stated that the conduct of elections required broad participation from all segments of society, including students. Their involvement would not only increase voter turnout but also strengthen democracy as a fundamental principle of the state.

He also hoped that through this National Seminar, electoral literacy among Undip students would increase. With a better understanding of the general election and local leader election processes, students are expected to actively promote the values of democracy, tolerance, and peace in society.

The seminar’s speakers provided various perspectives and constructive suggestions on how the public could collaborate to preserve peace and tolerance during the election and regional leadership selection period. They also emphasized the importance of conflict prevention, ethical campaigning, and voter education as key steps toward achieving successful elections and regional leadership selections.

This National Seminar served not only as a platform for discussion but also as a concrete step in raising awareness among the public, especially the younger generation, about the importance of maintaining peace and tolerance in the democratic process. With a spirit of collaboration between the government, academics, and the public, it is hoped that the Simultaneous 2024 General Election and Local Leader Election will proceed smoothly, resulting in democratically elected leaders and upholding the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.