Hollywood’s legendary actor, Harrison Ford of Indiana Jones fame, was in Jakarta recently to interview Indonesian President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono and a number of high ranking officials in connection with the shooting of the documentary series on Climate Change entitled : “Years of Living Dangerously”.
For the series, Harrison trekked through the Tesso Nilo National Park in the Riau Province and the Nyaru Menteng Orang Utan reserve near Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan (Borneo). The series covers a number of countries, including Indonesia.
In the interview and discussion with President Yudhoyono on Tuesday, 10th September 2013 lasting 40 minutes, Harrison discussed environmental and conservation issues in Indonesia. Presidential spokesman , Julian Aldrin Pasha, later told the press that discussions flowed smoothly. President Yudhoyono explained Indonesia’s policy on environment conservation and the mitigation of climate change. “Several strategic issues and government policies in protecting and managing the environment were discussed, as Indonesia is considered a country that has made great contributions to global environmental conservation,” Julian said as reported in thejakartapost.com.
On his side, Harrison Ford requested the President that Indonesia give more positive contribution towards forest conservation since this country has huge swathes of tropical rainforests and, therefore, plays a significant role in global climate. Ford also urged the Indonesian authorities and police to act firmly towards those who have violated environmental rules and regulations and damaged the environment with special reference to the degradation of the Tesso Nilo National Park in Riau.
Since the President’s birthday fell on the previous day, 9th September, Harrison Ford personally gave on the occasion, as birthday gift, a package of “Indiana Jones” movies honoring the President’s 64th birthday, added Julian.
Addressing the issue of Climate Change, the series the “Years of Living Dangerously” is co-produced by James Cameron, Daniel Abbasi, David Gelber, James Cameron, Jerry Weintraub and Joel Bach. and Arnold Schwarzenegger for US TV network Showtime, and is set to premier in 2014. The series plans to show how climate change affects humanity. Besides Indonesia, shooting will also take place in the United States and the Middle East. Other actors involved in the series are Jessica Alba, America Ferrera, Olivia Munn, Michael C. Hall, Ian Somerhalder, Don Cheadle and Matt Damon.
In Riau, Ford recently filmed inclusive peatland conservation activities conducted by Dharsono Hartono and activists from international green groups, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace.
During his time in the country, the legendary actor also met a number of environmental activists, business people, and government authorities that included the Minister for Forestry Zulkifli Hasan; Chief of the Presidential Working Unit for the Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4), Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, plantation businessman Franky Widjaja, and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (Kadin) Deputy Chair for the environment and climate change,Shinta Widjaja Kamdani.
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