Bali Youth Conference Calls for Action on Rapid Change

Denpasar — The Bali Youth Conference 2026, also known as Peguneman Yowana Bali, was held on Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Hindu Indonesia University in Denpasar, where speaker AAGN Ari Dwipayana urged young Balinese to take an active role in responding to rapid social, economic and cultural change.

The conference was organized by BASAibu Wiki Bali and entered its third year under the theme “Eling: Relung Kesadaran Pemuda atas Krisis Lingkungan, Kriminalitas, dan Ketimpangan Ekonomi.” The discussion focused on environmental problems, crime and economic inequality, as well as the effects of tourism expansion, technological change and the movement of capital and people.

Why the conference matters to Bali’s young residents

For young people living in Bali, the message placed local change alongside practical pressures that affect daily life: environmental degradation, security concerns and unequal economic opportunity. The conference’s emphasis on youth participation also linked civic engagement with the use of Balinese, described as a way to strengthen identity, solidarity and concern for the island’s future.

Mr. Ari, an academic at Gadjah Mada University and chairman of the Puri Kauhan Ubud Foundation, said young people should not remain spectators as Bali changes. He highlighted the combination of youth, mother-tongue language and digital technology as a basis for building awareness, broadening solidarity and encouraging participation in addressing social problems.

The event’s broader context was Bali’s rapid transformation. The report attributed that change to the expansion of the tourism economy, the technology revolution and greater movement of capital and people. Those forces have created opportunities while also intensifying environmental, security and economic challenges. The speaker argued that clear leadership and cultural strategies translated into public policy and governance were needed to keep the changes from proceeding without direction.

Sources

• Tribun Bali — news report
• pakadmissions.com