Jakarta – Anies Baswedan talks about the influence of the younger generation in Indonesia. The former Governor of DKI Jakarta believes that young people have the potential to make changes in the future. Anies conveyed this belief during the launch of a book entitled Leadership XYZ, in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (8/10/2025) evening. He said that young people do not have experience because of their age, but that they can offer a future. “Because of his age, young people have no experience, so young people do not offer the past, but young people offer the future,” says Anies. Browse to continue with content “So, for young people, do not ask what their experience is. I regularly say to young people, students, if you register with a business, if you are asked to explain your experience to me, then answer” If you are looking for someone with experience, look for an old person. But if you want a future, then take me as part of your team. ” He gave the example of the sidewalk where people in the Jalan Kendal Tunnel, Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta, who turned young people into a runway until it was busy and went on social media viral. The strength of young people, says Anies, should not be underestimated. “In the hands of young people it has become a runway. They call it ‘Citayam Fashion Week’. Look from a new perspective we have never seen before. So don’t underestimate the power of young people to see anything unthinkable,” he said. The book leadership XYZ was written by Anies with Dedi Wijaya and Sarah Ardiwinata. The three of them were born of three different generations. It is said that Anies belongs to Generation X, namely the generation born between the middle of the 1960s and the 1980s. Meanwhile, Dedi Generation Y, namely the generation born between 1981 and 1996, and Sarah is Generation Z, namely the generation born between 1999 and 2012. Anies explained that the book was written by 3 different generations, not to show the differences between genders X, Y and Z, but to show that intergenerational dialogue has the new wisdom. Anies believe that each generation has a different perspective to see things, but unfortunately this perspective is not heard enough. “Writing about leadership is not about who was born first but about who wants to listen. And we often see that many organizations and associations find it difficult to progress and develop, not because they have no leaders, but because there are too many people who want to be heard and not enough people who want to listen,” he said. Anies said he first met Dedi in 2011 in Tanimbar, Maluku. Then she met Sarah during the urgent Anies event in Bandung in November 2023. Sarah said at the time that she protested and abolished the student orientation period (MOS) in schools when Anies served as Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud). From there, Anies saw Sarah’s potential. Then, in January 2024, Sarah joined Anies’ team to help with the campaign during the 2024 presidential election. Dedi was previously part of the team. From there, the three of their ideas discussed and exchanged. Although Dedi and Sarah at the beginning, before this book was written, did not know what topic to write, until they finally came up with the idea of writing about leadership. It is known that they served three chairman of the Intra-School Student Organization (OSS) when they were in Senior High School (SMA). Anies was the chairman of the Osis of Sman 2 Yogyakarta at the time, at the time Dedi chaired the Osis of SMK Rajawali and Sarah was the chairman of the Osis of Sman 8 Bandung. Sarah said the idea of making a book on leadership emerged because they were presidents of the student council from different generations. Sarah spontaneously said this idea. “It’s also funny that three OSS presidents of three generations wrote a book together on leadership,” says Sarah. Meanwhile, Dedi said the book was also dedicated to the late Syafiq Basri, who was a lecturer at a private university in Jakarta and was a journalist. He said some of Syafiq Basri’s thoughts on young people and leadership were in the book. “I met Mr. Syafiq, he is a lecturer at the London School of Public Relations and it really made an impression. “So we are also dedicating the book to him, a senior who was consciously involved to get involved. This is an inspiration for us, hopefully some of his good thoughts will also be included in this book,” he added. On the back cover of the book, it is written that this book invites readers to explore leadership as a human journey that amounts to three things: to guide yourself, guide others, and to lead in an intergeneration space. (cover/yangs)
Anies talk about the potential of young people, touch the Citayam Fashion Week in Dukuh Atas
