UNS – Stepping the American land was ineffable moment for Alifa Salsabila, a student of Law Department from Universitas Sebelas Maret which now is currently in the fourth year of her study. She became the only Indonesian delegation who represented Southeast Asia with her colleague Nur Alia Abdul Bari from Brunei Darussalam in Student Opposing Slavery (OS) Summit 2018 in Washington DC, United States of America (25-29/7/2018). Alifa was chosen as delegation after passing the competition. This summit was aimed to introduce the youth about the danger of human trafficking and slavery as the violence in the modern world.
This summit is an annual event that is held by the Lincoln’s Cottage, Washington DC since 2012. The event is a collaboration of some governmental organizations such as United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Organization of Migration (IOM) which work under United Nation (UN) authorization. They did the selection for participant through their delegation in Southeast Asia, IOMX in Bangkok, Thailand. There were two persons that would be delegated for Student Opposing Slavery Summit 2018.
Alifa had been chosen in the elimination phase from the other Indonesian participants which mostly from the well-known universities and institutions. They are two participants from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), a participant from Parahyangan University (UNPAR), a participant from Udayana University (UNUD) and the other institutions. Previously, she and the other participants should made 30-seconds demo video featuring their understanding about modern slavery and human trafficking and also the importance to fight against them. Afterward, they must upload it on their instagram account by tagging the event account.
“Honestly it was hard at the first time because I should make a video with very specific content within 30 seconds. There was no special secret, but I think it is because I told my experiences related to the theme. For instance, I fulfilled my video content with my experience when I took the internship in BAPPENAS where I contributed in their avocation program for human trafficking victims in Indonesia,” Alifa said.
This Javanese-Sundanese girl is glad because she got amazing and fruitful experience within ten days by spending her time in the United States. She along with the other 23 participants of the summit had the chance to meet the prominent figures who struggle against slavery and human trafficking in Lincoln’s Cottage which became the summer house of Abraham Lincoln during his struggle against the legalization of slavery during the year of civil war. There was also Alifa’s outstanding experience to meet and talk directly to the victim of Child Labor Survivor from Kamerun which are already empowered by the US Government.
“I feel grateful to meet many new acquaintances from various countries and institutions. I don’t suppose that the event was also attended by United States Secretary of States, Mike Pompeo and the daughter of President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump as the master of ceremony and also protocol of Trafficking in Person (TIP) 2018 which becomes the annual event in US,” Alifa explained.
The 21-year-old girl who loves English since her childhood always speaks out about the importance of the youth, especially college student as educated people within the movement to fight against slavery and human trafficking. Her concern about the victim of this case has triggered her to do more and persuade the youth to be aware about their society and not to be an apathetic person.
“Today generation tends to see something pragmatically and they are more profit-oriented. Therefore, people perception about everything is only based on material side without humanity. As the educated people, we have to care to the others and we have to struggle against this violence with the simplest thing that we can do,” she said.
As a millennial, Alifa hopes that the youth especially the college student can use the social media beneficially. She said that the advantages of technology should have been used to improve their innovation and give more benefit for the society.
“Technology is my important key to find the information about this summit, so as a millennial we actually have big opportunities. We should actively create something and use them to give our contribution for the others,” Alifa explained to, end the conversation.
In the last agenda of the SOS summit, Alifa along with the other participants received the appreciation from the President Lincoln’s Cottage as a symbol of bravery to continue the Abraham Lincoln spirit in fighting against slavery and human trafficking in their own communities. humas-red.uns/Ysp/Dty