West Sumbawa, 6 December 2024 - PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara (AMMAN), one of the largest copper-and-gold-mining companies in Indonesia, launched the book Surfing at School (Surfing Masuk Sekolah) at Jelenga Beach in the Jereweh district of West Sumbawa, Indonesia (KSB) on 23 November 2024. The book aims to introduce surfing into schools through offering guidelines for organizing surfing as an extracurricular activity. This is part of the AMMAN Blue Program initiative, which is a component of the Community Development and Empowerment Program (PPM).
Surfing at School, a joint effort between AMMAN and the KSB local government, aims to both promote surfing as an extracurricular sport and support the preservation of marine ecosystems and healthy forms of recreation.
During the book launch, West Sumatra Acting Regent Julmansyah (23/11) stated, “The development of surfing in KSB has two objectives: to prepare future surfers for national and international competitions, and to make surfing an entry point for building a sustainable community-based tourism industry. This effort aims to prepare the tourism sector as a cornerstone of the regional economy post-Batu Hijau mining,” said Julmansyah.
AMMAN Vice President of Social Impact Priyo Pramono mentioned that Surfing at School has broader goals than just introducing surfing. “This initiative represents a sustainable effort to develop individual potential and spread important values regarding environmental preservation. We hope that students, teachers, and the community can enjoy the sea together while also learning to surf safely.”
Priyo added, “Through this launch, AMMAN invites all parties to work together to protect the sea as an invaluable legacy, while also utilizing it to develop tourism and create a generation of young people who excel and care for the environment,” he emphasized.
Surfing at School serves as a guide for engaging in safe, enjoyable, and responsible marine sports. The AMMAN Blue Program promotes the importance of environmental preservation to students, introduces the potential for marine-based tourism, and highlights surfing as a sport. Surfing at School exemplifies cross-sector collaboration, ranging from education and community to government, in creating sustainable social and environmental impacts in KSB. This initiative is reinforced by the recent decree by the West Sumbawa government on the Establishment of Basic Education Units to implement Surfing Extracurricular activities in West Sumbawa. Four schools: SDN Jelenga, SMPN 1 Sekongkang, SMPN 1 Maluk, and SMPN 2 Jereweh have committed to promoting surfing in their student body.
AMMAN chose Jelenga Beach to launch Surfing at School because the location is blessed with natural beauty and is a popular surfing destination. The event not only leveraged the beach's beauty to attract public attention but also strengthened Jelenga Beach’s position as an icon of tourism and water sports, particularly surfing, in Indonesia.
Jelenga Beach has gained recognition as one of the best beaches in Indonesia: ranking as the top pick according to many travel guides. Lonely Planet states that Jelenga stands out for its extraordinary appeal, including natural beauty, perfect surfing waves, and an unspoiled atmosphere.
Priyo concluded, "The collaboration between local communities, schools, and the government to utilize Jelenga Beach as the book launch location marks the first step in educating for the development of surfing, while also showcasing the significant potential of this beach to support sustainable tourism development in West Sumbawa."
