GPF Indonesia regularly hosts online gatherings for the Youth Bridging Leaders Community Calls.
The Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Indonesia continues to strengthen youth leadership through the Young Bridging Leaders (YBL) Community Calls, a recurring virtual program that connects young people across cultures to share experiences, develop skills, and practice values-based leadership. Through these sessions, participants are empowered to become peacebuilders in their schools, communities, and nations while contributing to the broader vision of One Family under God.
In July, the seventh YBL Community Call focused on the theme of active listening. Participants were introduced to the practice of listening with full presence and empathy, exploring how communication is not only about hearing words but about understanding and connecting on a deeper level. The session included guided discussions, practice exercises, and storytelling moments that created a safe and open environment. One participant, M. Reza Aven Rosyadi from Jakarta, reflected that the program reminded him how listening with full attention is an act of empathy and leadership. Another participant, Regata from Bandung, shared how the space encouraged her to tell a personal story and realize the power of being truly heard. These reflections highlighted the importance of communication as a tool for building trust and fostering understanding.
The momentum continued into August with the eighth and ninth YBL Community Calls, which explored everyday leadership and the influence of role models. Participants reflected on how leadership skills can be developed in simple, daily experiences such as school holidays, where small acts of responsibility, teamwork, and creativity help shape one’s character. They also examined how role models inspire leadership choices and how young people can embody positive qualities to influence others. Dipika from Nepal said that the program helped her realize how leadership grows from small and often unnoticed experiences, while Mariam, also from Nepal, emphasized that leadership is not just about holding big roles but about showing initiative in small actions. In the ninth call, Saloni Pandey appreciated the interactive discussion on role models, noting that it made her reflect more deeply on the qualities that shape the way people choose to lead.
Across the sessions, the YBL Challenge emphasized the Global Peace Foundation’s core elements of interfaith leadership, strengthening families, and building a culture of service. By bringing together young people from different cultural and religious backgrounds, the program fostered respect and sensitivity. Through activities and teamwork, participants also carried lessons back to their families and communities, reinforcing unity and the role of the family as the foundation of values. In addition, by encouraging the design and implementation of peacebuilding projects, the calls nurtured a culture of service and responsibility for the greater good.
The program’s impact has been significant. Participants reported greater cultural understanding and tolerance, improved leadership competencies, and stronger project implementation skills. They also became more actively engaged in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The ripple effect of these experiences reaches beyond the virtual space, as young leaders apply what they have learned in their schools, communities, and broader networks.
The sessions demonstrated how a simple virtual platform can become a global classroom for leadership development. The exchange of stories, reflections, and practical tools inspired youth to grow in confidence, communication, and empathy. By focusing on values-based leadership and shared principles, the YBL Challenge continues to create a generation of young peacebuilders committed to service and ethical leadership.
The Global Peace Foundation’s youth leadership development programs cultivate moral and innovative leaders who are equipped to address today’s complex challenges with empathy and vision. By fostering cross-cultural dialogue, experiential learning, and opportunities for service, GPF empowers young people to recognize that leadership is not confined to formal titles but is reflected in everyday choices that build trust, unity, and peace. Through initiatives like the YBL Community Calls, youth gain the skills, confidence, and values to become catalysts for positive change in their communities and to advance the vision of One Family under God.
Learn more about GPF’s Youth Leadership Development Programs.
