Glintung Village has become a phenomenon not only in the community but has also become an attraction for academics. Those who came to visit wanted to experience how this settlement is an example of developing greening programs which are now increasingly widespread in several urban areas. 20 students from the Faculty of Engineering (FT) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) together with 29 students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) had the opportunity to visit Glintung village to see and learn what programs have been implemented by the community in achieving Glintung Go Green (3G), starting from making absorption wells and water banking movement, creation of biopores as flood prevention and initiation of environmental greening and waste management by elderly residents based on mutual cooperation. As a result, Gintung village is known as a model green village and as an educational tourism destination for both local and foreign residents.
In this activity, UB and NUS students were welcomed by Ir. Bambang Iriantu as chairman of resident association and initiator of the 3G movement. He introduced them to the importance of caring for ecosystems and maintaining local wisdom in the era of modernization, because both must move in harmony, side by side so that the lives of all creatures can benefit each other. Glintung Village itself implements biodiversity where every resident is required to have green plants in their living environment, either planted in the yard or using vertical hydroponic techniques. In addition, the local community also jointly built absorption wells and made hundreds of biopores to maximize rainwater absorption, as well as using used goods as a medium for plants independently. “In making changes towards G3, continuous consistency of spirit is needed, where the problem at that time is building the mentality and mindset of the community so that they want to participate collectively, forming regulations without depending on funding and scientific technology,” he said.
On the sidelines of this activity, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Imam Santoso, MP, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Prof. Hadi Suyono, ST, MT, PhD, IPU, ASEAN Eng with Acting Mayor of Malang Dr. Ir. Wahyu Hidayat MM was also present to greet UB and NUS students. Prof. Imam said that the arrival of inbound students through the international student mobility program is the right step to introduce teaching knowledge, so that it can be developed gradually towards research collaboration and joint programs in the future between UB and NUS. Of course, with the participation of community elements/figures and the Malang city government, these two universities can work together to build a green city concept through urban planning and development practices through competencies in various multi-disciplinary fields.
Students also received material through the development timeline of Glintung village, the positive impacts that have been produced and how the concept of green village governance would be applied in other areas. Glintung Village has won various best awards in the last 10 years, starting with an environmental activist award certificate from the Mayor of Malang in 2014 to the 2018 national level main category proklim village award by the Minister of Environment and Forestry. Not to be left behind, the 3G village water saving movement also reached the final of the Guangzhou International Urban Innovation Award. It is hoped that the results of these achievements can inspire fellow students from both universities who have different national backgrounds, namely Indonesia with its very strong culture and togetherness and Singapore with its equally rapid progress in smart technology.
On the next occasion, UB and NUS students came to Semar village to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the go green village which was signed directly by the Acting Mayor of Malang. According to him, the inauguration of Semar village is a reflection of the success of Glintung go green village, where the community innovates through the concept of urban farming with limited land. NUS as one of the universities in Singapore is very interested in changing people’s behavior in greening their own environment, how to encourage individuals to move to create self-awareness of environmental problems and joint solutions. In the end, this mentality can be applied towards part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [Indra/UB PR/ Trans. Iir]
