Kembali Ke Hutan (Return to the Forest): Using Storytelling for Youth Engagement and Climate Action in Indonesia

Known as the “Lungs of the World,” Indonesia has some of the world’s highest proportion of forests and biodiversity. However, it also has one of the world’s largest carbon footprints, owing to the development needs and land use changes. BBC Media Action’s Kembali Ke Hutan (Return to the Forest) project aims to engage the millennials on the sustainable development challenges the country faces, help them to make informed choices, and create platforms to have their voices heard. To achieve this, we have co-produced an award-winning TV drama #CeritaKita (Our Story) with a companion social media discussion series Ngobrolin #CeritaKita (Chatter—Our Story), created a social media brand AksiKita Indonesia (Our Action), and partnered with media and civil society organizations for community engagement and capacity strengthening. This chapter outlines the project objectives, presents the program strategy, and details how research shaped the creative process. It also shares the planned evaluation.