Yogyakarta, April 30, 2016 - Photography as a visual language has proven to be successful in breaking through literacy boundaries and communication barriers between people. The Panda CLICK! program initiated by WWF Indonesia West Kalimantan Program since 2010 proves that marginalized communities living far from modernity can speak eloquently about nature, daily environment and social culture through photographs. The photographs of these communities were exhibited for the people of Yogyakarta at the Yogyakarta Morning Class Gallery, from April 30 to May 4, 2016, with the theme "Strengthening Communities Through Photography".

In this exhibition, photographs from Bunut Hilir, Batang Lupar, Nanga Jelundung, Paloh, and Batu Ampar in West Kalimantan, and Sebangau in Central Kalimantan, are displayed with a variety of topics. Photographer representatives from various professional backgrounds were also brought directly to Yogyakarta to share their creative process experiences.

Jimmy Syahirsyah, Technical Support Leader of WWF West Kalimantan Program, who has been in charge of Panda CLICK! since its inception, said that this exhibition aims to introduce the work of photographs of people in conservation areas to the photography-loving community, academics and the people of Yogyakarta in general. "It is hoped that this exhibition can invite Yogya people to learn more about nature, culture and people in Kalimantan through photos taken by their own citizens. This introduction is also important for us at Panda CLICK! to open the door to interaction between fellow communities with different cultural backgrounds, to learn from each other and maybe in the future we can collaborate," Jimmy said.

Academic Director of Kelas Pagi Yogyakarta, Bari Paramarta Islam welcomed the collaboration with Panda CLICK! as a cultural exchange with the medium of photography. "We at KPY open free photography classes for the community, regardless of their background with the spirit that photography is not a difficult skill and only for the elite. The spirit of community empowerment is what we value from the Panda CLICK! Program in line with KPY's mission. It is an honor for us at KPY to collaborate with the Panda CLICK! team, and also an opportunity for the KPY community and Yogyakarta residents to get to know the natural environment, and the socio-cultural life of Kalimantan through photographs made by the community participants in the Panda CLICK! Program, "said Bari.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was also enlivened by the performance of traditional Sape music by musician Uyau Moris and a demo of traditional Dayak Iban Tattoo by Hendra Tattoo from Kapuas Hulu. Meanwhile, apart from KPY, Panda CLICK! will also have discussions with students and academics at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University on May 2 with Prof. PM Laksono as the discussant, and at the Communication Science Study Program of Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta on May 3 with Mario Antonius Birowo, Ph.D as the discussant, and a discussion open to the public at Loop Station Jl. Trikora, on May 4 at 15.00-17.00 WIB.

For more information, please contact:

JimmySyahirsyah, Technical Support Leader WWF Indonesia West Kalimantan Program
Email: [email protected], Hp: 0811566832
Justina Marhadi, Kelas Pagi Yogyakarta
Email: [email protected] Hp: 0838 6838 629

Note to Editor:
The CLICK! Panda Exhibition e-catalog can be downloaded at the following link: wwf.or.id/catalogpandaclick