SRI SULTAN : KAGAMA CONGRESS MORE THAN JUST NOSTALGIA

Yogyakarta, July 24 (ANTARA) - The 11th National Congress (Munas) of the Gajah Mada University Alumni Association (Kagama) from July 24-26, 2009 is more than just a forum to satisfy nostalgia, Yogyakarta's chief administrator said.

"The congress is more than a forum to reminisce about past events because it is a forum for introspection about the identity of Kagama as an organization which is based on the state ideology of Pancasila and democracy," Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X said in his address at the congress' opening at the university's Graha Sabha Pramana building here on Friday.

Sri Sultan said the introspection should be made by tracing Kagama's 50-year history.

He said it was hoped that the congress participants would be able to evaluate what they have done so far while preparing themselves to face global changes in the future.

"It is better to make constructive changes rather than just keeping abreast of changes and being left behind," Sri Sultan said, adding that there were three strategies to face the changes, namely with reorientation, restructurization, and repositioning.

According to him, reorientation means to change Kagama's paradigm by strengthening civil society, and restructurization was creating a conducive climate to face various problems, while repositioning meant promoting Kagama as a strong organization in the country.

Kagama has around 200,000 members throughout Indonesia and overseas, and about 700-850 people are participating in the congress being held in conjunction with UGM's 60th anniversary.

Meanwhile, Kagama chairman Djoko Kirmanto said the organization was proud to support one of its members, Boediono, who was elected as vice president alongside President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the 2009-2014 period.

Kirmanto said Kagama also expressed its deepest sympathy over last Friday's bombing tragedy at the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Jakarta.