The Civic Engagement 4.0 program started with a launching event, the 2019 International Forum in Solo, Central Java, on August 20 to 23, 2019. The 2019 International Forum in Solo was a public event attended by more than 300 participants including academics and students, NGO activists, government officials, and the general public. Representatives from Kota Kita’s network from ASEAN as well as its partners such as Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States also attended. 

The three-day event consisted of a variety of events and activities, including a public forum discussing themes ranging from civic engagement and urban farming, as well as a Mayors’ Symposium joined by a number of mayors and officials to talk about the challenges, good practices, and innovative solutions of today. Kota Kita also organized thematic site visits to selected sites in the city of Solo: Laweyan (Urban Kampung famous for its Batik home-industries), Pepe Riverside Settlement, and Keraton Surakarta Royal Neighborhood, where the participant could learn and experience first-hand transformative civic engagement undertakings and meet local communities.

This event was held as a form of commitment of a long-term partnership with Kota Kita’s partners in Asia, especially Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies, to foster the spirit of citizen participation across all sectors.