The precious opportunity to participate in an event held by the National Geographic Society (NGS) is not something everyone gets to experience. A total of 17 selected National Geographic Explorers from various countries in the Asia-Pacific region were invited to attend the retreat. The goal was to build collaborations and connections that are expected to lead to joint collaborative projects or activities delivering a positive impact on communities and the world. Additionally, training on storytelling, mentoring regarding NGS programs and tools, and guidance on securing project funding through grants were provided during the retreat.

For Sandy—one of three representatives from Indonesia—this was not his first time participating in an NGS event. He had previously attended a science-telling bootcamp and spotlight held in Singapore in 2019, as well as the establishment of the NatGeo Indonesia Hub in Jakarta in 2023. “Every opportunity to participate in an NGS event always makes me excited because I get to meet so many incredible people from all over the world, listen to their experiences, learn from them, and even receive invitations to collaborate from them,” said Sandy.

This retreat featured a relaxed environment, encouraging participants to enjoy themselves through various fun activities, visits to interesting spots on Jeju Island, and spending time at the @uio.fieldstation cafe (find them on Instagram), which served as a warm and cozy main venue. Throughout the retreat, Explorers received numerous updates on developments within the NGS community, including a shift in the funding model that ultimately eliminated early-career grants. NGS currently focuses on the Meridian Project Grant, Explorer Community Funding, and independent grants tailored to specific donor priorities.

In addition to mentorship sessions, Explorers were asked to present a spotlight storytelling session, sharing their projects or experiences using only three photo slides within a maximum time limit of three minutes. Sandy specifically presented his project with the indigenous Dayak Iban community, emphasizing the lessons learned from indigenous people in Indonesia regarding the true meaning of “conservation.” Before meeting and interacting with indigenous communities, Sandy believed conservation was purely about saving flora and fauna species from human threats. After coming to understand indigenous communities, his perspective on conservation shifted 180°, highlighting the critical role of indigenous people as guardians of nature. Because of this, all stakeholders must guarantee the rights of indigenous communities regarding their space, territory, culture, and traditions.

The three-day retreat concluded with a fun cooking contest. Participants were divided into teams and asked to prepare vegetarian dishes incorporating a mix of signature spices from the Explorers’ home countries. The challenge lay in blending these unique spice flavors into one or more new cohesive dishes. Afterward, voting took place through internal team assessments as well as peer reviews, where participants voted for the best dish outside their own team. Somehow, our group (Sandy, Youngrae, Rezvin, and Rohan) managed to win first place. Thank you to everyone who voted for us! The cooking contest ended with a shared dinner and time to connect before everyone returned to their home countries the following day.