FGD on Building Ecological Awareness through Schools, Communities, and Religious Study Groups

Strong ecological awareness cannot be built by a single party alone; rather, it requires collaboration among educational institutions, communities, and religious groups. To foster this synergy, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was held with the theme… “Building Ecological Awareness through Schools, Communities, and Religious Study Groups” on June 25, 2025, at the Aceh Cultural Park.

This initiative, spearheaded by Teungku Inong—a women’s community supported by the HAkA Foundation—serves as a forum for discussing and formulating effective approaches to foster environmental awareness at the community level. The forum also underscores the vital role of women and local communities as strategic actors in expanding participatory and sustainable environmental conservation movements.

This activity presented figures such as Umi Erma, Umi Zalikha, Ustadzah Masyithat, and Ustazah Regina, and was supported by active participation from various parties including the leader of the al-Falah Islamic boarding school Abu Lam U, Berucap Community, Aceh Food House, and Dayah Samudera Pasai Aceh Besar.

This Focus Group Discussion (FGD) involved participants from diverse backgrounds, ranging from teachers, community leaders, and *majlis taklim* (religious study group) administrators to heads of Islamic boarding schools. The discussion was highly participatory, addressing various local ecological issues such as waste management, environmental degradation, and the lack of environmental education in both academic settings and religious outreach. Through this forum, participants collaboratively mapped out the strategic roles of each sector: schools—through the strengthening of curricula and student activities; communities—through social movements and advocacy; and *majlis taklim*—through contextual and grounded environmental outreach.

A total of 25 participants (3 men and 22 women) took part in this event. Through this Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Bu-Moe? Fest 2025 emphasized that sustainable ecological awareness must be cultivated within the social spaces closest to the community. By bringing together education, community groups, and religious institutions, the event marked a significant step toward building an environmental movement that is more inclusive, contextual, and value-based.