RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - RRI Voice Of Indonesia (VOI) and SHAPE Asia Forum have officially strengthened their collaboration to promote healthier food environments and increase public awareness on nutrition and health issues in Indonesia. The commitment was marked through a Cooperation Signing Ceremony between RRI World Service – Voice of Indonesia and SHAPE Asia Forum, held on the sidelines of the SHAPE Asia Country Meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

Head of News of Voice Of Indonesia, Dewi Sukhrani, underscored that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting healthier communities through media engagement and public education. According to her, the collaboration demonstrates the important role of the media in promoting awareness and encouraging public participation in health-related issues.

“These partnerships reflect our shared commitment to promoting healthier food environments and increasing public awareness about nutrition and health issues in Indonesia,” Dewi said. She added that the collaboration goes beyond the production of a monthly podcast series and aims to create meaningful conversations that are simple, accessible, and relevant to the public.

She further noted that the RRI Voice of Indonesia continues to serve as a bridge for international understanding and as a media platform that informs, educates, and inspires the public. She also stressed that the media has an essential role in connecting research findings, policy discussions, and society through accessible communication.

“We believe the media has an important role in connecting research, policy discussions, and society. Through these partnerships, Voice of Indonesia continues its role as a bridge for international understanding and as a media platform that informs, educates, and inspires the public,” she conveyed.

Meanwhile, Project Lead of SHAPE Asia, Elaine Borazon, highlighted the importance of communication and public engagement in creating meaningful change related to healthier food environments. She explained that real change can only happen when information and evidence reach communities, institutions, and stakeholders who are able to take action.

“We can only create change when it reaches the people, institutions, families, and communities who can act on it. This is why communication and public engagement are central to SHAPE Asia’s work,” Elaine said. She further emphasized that healthier food environments are not merely technical or policy concerns, but public issues that require awareness, dialogue, and shared responsibility.

According to her, the partnership with Voice Of Indonesia is expected to strengthen the role of the media in communicating evidence-based information, amplifying regional voices, and making discussions on nutrition, food environments, and children’s health more accessible to the public. She expressed optimism that the collaboration would help bring stories, evidence, and policy discussions on healthier food environments from Asia to wider audiences across Indonesia and beyond.

“We look forward to working together to bring stories, evidence, and policy conversations on healthier food environments from Asia to broader audiences across Indonesia, the region, and the world,” Elaine remarked.

The cooperation signing formed part of the SHAPE Asia Country Meeting held at Hotel Manhattan on May 19–20, 2026. The event served as a platform for cross-country experience sharing aimed at creating healthier food environments and promoting evidence-based policy development. The meeting was also attended by representatives from UNICEF Regional Office, UNICEF Indonesia, Ministry of Health of Indonesia, the Provincial Education Office of Jakarta, as well as delegates from several leading universities across Asia. (DR)