Indonesian National Defense Forces Peacekeeping Center (PMPP TNI) and United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Jakarta recently organized the first-ever Journalist Boot Camp on May 14–15, 2025, in Sentul, Bogor, West Java. The event aimed to provide journalists with a hands-on experience of Indonesia’s peacekeeping mission. Director of International Cooperation/Danlat Colonel ARH Budi Laksana, representing the Commander of PMPP TNI Maj. Gen. Budi Santoso, highlighted the importance of media in sharing the story of peace and strengthening ties with the media. He emphasized the need for scenario-based training to prepare soldiers for their tasks in the mission area.
The boot camp, supported by Director of UNIC Jakarta, Miklos Gaspar, focused on bridging the gap between the public and peacekeepers by giving journalists firsthand experience. Gaspar emphasized the significance of promoting accurate, ethical, and informed reporting on Indonesia’s contributions to global peace and security. Ten journalists from prominent Indonesian media outlets participated in the immersive program, which aimed to deepen public understanding of Indonesia’s role in United Nations peacekeeping operations, particularly in challenging missions like those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Indonesia currently ranks as the fifth-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, with 2,559 military personnel deployed across eight missions.
The boot camp, hosted at the Indonesian Peacekeeping Training Center, featured high-level briefings and a full-day simulation exercise. Journalists were immersed in a realistic peacekeeping scenario, involving conflict mediation, hostage negotiation, and humanitarian assistance to mirror the complex situations faced by peacekeepers in the field. The simulations conducted by the Indonesian Peacekeeping Mission Training Center (PMPP TNI) aimed to prepare journalists for the deployment of over one thousand troops to the peacekeeping mission in Congo. Through these simulations, journalists gained firsthand experience of the challenges and complexities of peacekeeping operations, including armed conflict and negotiations. The participants are expected to produce coverage that highlights Indonesia’s contributions to global peace while adhering to conflict-sensitive journalism principles and ethical standards.
