Welcoming Remark for IsWASH2023

Good morning everyone! On behalf of the organizing committee, I would like to extend a warm welcome to IsWASH2023. We are thrilled to have you all here today to discuss the latest advancements in water, sanitation and hygiene in Indonesia.

To my knowledge, this is probably the first academic and multidisciplinary symposium ever to be organized in the WASH sector in Indonesia. The idea to organize this symposium was borne during Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Mutual Accountability Mechanism catalytic research together with Jejaring AMPL in which our Research and Learning webinar was attended by more than 300 participants. The idea of IsWASH is that it should be independent, free and inclusive, both in terms of participation and publications. We hope that this will continue the same for the future.

First and foremost, I would like to thank all the presenters who have submitted their abstracts for this symposium and to all conveners who have committed their time for this conference. We have received a total of 64 presentations in 4 clusters from various institutions in Indonesia and abroad. Your contributions are vital in making this event a success, and we are grateful for your dedication and hard work. We have also received registration from 600 participants. Thank you for your enthusiasm.

Secondly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Jejaring AMPL for their tremendous support in organizing this symposium. Thank you to Jejaring colleagues; mas Reza. mbak Wiwit and others from Jejaring for supporting academics! We hope that this group of academics would strengthen Jejaring AMPL's voice and impact. I would also like to express my thanks to mas Dani and UGM colleagues, mbak Cindy and UI colleagues, Mbak Anin and ITB Colleagues, Prof Ignas and BRIN colleagues, Mbak Yanti and UNUD colleagues and Agus from CRPG. Last but not least to our colleagues from Bappenas including Ibu Virgi who are also present here with us today, thank you for your support from the very start and in making IsWASH2023 a reality. Without this collaborations, this event will not have taken place.

In this opportunity, I would also like to extend our sincerest apologies for any technical difficulties or organizational challenges that may have occurred before and during this symposium. Please know that we value your participation and contributions, and we remain committed to providing a positive and productive experience for all attendees.

Over the next day, we will have an opportunity to learn from each other and share our knowledge and experiences. It is my hope that we will leave this symposium with new insights, ideas, and connections that will enable us to continue making a difference in the WASH sector in Indonesia. After the third keynote tomorrow, we will have discussion on our next action plan as well as publication plans and others. So please stay tune!

So once again, welcome everyone! Let's make this symposium an unforgettable online experience.

Thank you and have a great symposium!

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Screenshot for #IsWASH2023 opening session.