In a world that often races by, slow travel allows us to pause, savor, and form genuine connections with the places we visit.

In celebration of the “International Day for Women” we put together a campaign that asked our readers to submit stories about the remarkable women in their lives who have been hugely influential in shaping their narratives toward the beauty, the strength, and the often-unspoken complexity of womanhood. We called this campaign “Leading Lady” – a role many would recognize primarily in film and television – because we believe every woman holds a central role in the lives of those around them.

Jakarta may be commemorating its final anniversary this month as the national capital, but for more than 30 million people, the city will continue to be the country’s economic heart and the bustling hub of the largest metropolitan area in Southeast Asia.

We are looking for stories of women who've influenced our world. Share your experiences to possibly be featured in The Jakarta Post and honor their impact.

The new city will be the largest legacy of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who aims to bow out of his second and final term in October 2024 from a brand-spanking new presidential palace. Amid steel tracery that emulates the wings of the mythical bird Garuda, the nation’s symbol, the palace will stand firm on a hill deep in the rainforests of East Kalimantan.

General elections are also known as pesta demokrasi (democracy festivals) and they occur every five years. Millions of people helped prepare for of the much-awaited 2019 general election. Volunteers folded ballot papers and distributed ballot boxes to the polling stations (TPS) across Indonesia. 

The hustle and bustle of daily life in Jakarta has created many inspirational stories, such as the creation of Kelas Jurnalis Cilik (Junior Journalism Course). This outdoor classroom has narrated stories about journalism to children in coastal areas of North Jakarta. Despite their limitations, the children have been able to produce honest work filled with meaningful messages.

For the past several months, roads connecting settlements in Cemarajaya village, Karawang, West Java, have been severely damaged by coastal erosion, which has also caused many houses in Cemarajaya’s coastal communities to collapse.

How coal-power plants slowly compromise people’s lives in Indonesia

Indonesia has made a great leap in electrification, with almost all of its over 13,000 islands now wired up.

In the last few years, a new term has cropped up among urbanites that highlights the need for a private space that is not their home: staycation.

In its nearly five centuries of history, Jakarta has evolved along with its people, from trading port to major metropolis and now the largest city in Southeast Asia.

Time stops for no one, or so they say. For most of us, certain special places evoke a world of reminiscence, calling forth precious times in our lives. And when one of those places is removed, a part of ourselves goes away too. 

As the third-largest lake in the country, Poso Lake in Central Sulawesi was once a place of quiet beauty. Located in Tentena city, about 260 kilometers, an eight-hour drive from Palu, the provincial capital, it is surrounded by rice fields, plantations and buffalo grazing grounds.

While the government is pressing the pedal to the metal to make Indonesia one of the world’s electric vehicle (EV) hubs, early adopters in the archipelago are having a bumpy ride amid patchy charging facilities and doubts over the technology’s sustainability in a coal-dependent country.

Three years after the first case of COVID-19 we look at how it has changed our lives in Asia and what will stick with us even after the pandemic subsides.

Work hard, and your efforts will be rewarded. At least, that’s what was promised anyway.

Once the world’s second-biggest producer of sugar, Indonesia’s love affair with this commodity is bittersweet.

How should we define 2020? Perhaps one will remember it as a time of struggling to stay sane at home, having one’s salary cut, scrambling to find a new job, getting infected with COVID-19 or losing loved ones (the virus has claimed 1.65 million lives globally, with more than 19,200 deaths recorded in Indonesia).

The rate at which the country is losing farmers is a cause for concern. If it continues, Indonesia is likely to have no farmers left in 50 years. What will we eat?

Do you ever count the amount of waste you produce? Greater Jakarta, with more than 30 million people, sends more than 14,000 tons of waste to eight landfills every day.

At a certain point in life, one may consider acquiring branded goods for many reasons. For those who have seen the finer things in life, the desire to own a luxury item might naturally surface as they become accustomed to appreciating good craftsmanship, high quality materials and good designs, among other things.

Millennials.All over the world, the term millennial – which Statistics Indonesia (BPS) defines as those born between 1980 and 2000 – elicits sighs and eye-rolls, conjuring up images of avocado toast, coworking spaces and hoverboards.

In an alternate universe, you are anIndonesian woman who is sexually abusedby your husband.You’ve had enough.You want to run away and seek help. You decide to…

In Wamena in Papua’s Jayawijaya regency there is a customary belief that women and children are innocent, that’s why the men have to protect them. “Humi yukurugi wene inyokodek,” said Dominikus Surabut, head of the customary council of La Pago. But if women and children become victims, he said, the men are going to fight in the afternoon and evening. “Inyawim hiam-hiam ninane uok...,” Dominikus went on.

The country only recently held its general elections in April. This year’s political event, which saw for the first time the presidential election held simultaneously along with the multitier legislative elections, has had an impact on the results of the elections, including the sustainability of the political parties contesting them. The Jakarta Post’s Fachrul Sidiq, Ghina Ghaliya Quddus and Imanuddin Razak have analyzed and presented the facts in today’s Special Report.

The rapid increase in the number of air passengers in the past few years has demanded a substantial increase in air transportation infrastructure such as airports, particularly those serving domestic routes and destinations. In response, the government has been ambitiously developing 15 new airports under the 2015-2019 national medium-term development program (RPJMN) and is planning to develop 12 more in the 2020- 2024 RPJMN. The Jakarta Post’s Riza Roidila Mufti, Fachrul Sidiq and Imanuddin Razak take a close look at the issue.

Talks over the next state leadership have started to take up a significant portion of national media platforms, even though the presidential election was only less than three months ago, and the elected pair for the next five years has not even been inaugurated. Above all the widely tipped traits of an expected victorious candidate, young age is apparently the subject of the discourse. The Jakarta Post’s Fachrul Sidiq, Novan Iman Santosa, Imanuddin Razak and Semarang correspondent Suherdjoko take a closer look at the issue.

Long before skyscrapers become ubiquitous in Jakarta, the spirit of living life to the fullest has been apparent in certain corners of the capital. Individuals who live out their passion and are adept at spotting golden opportunities have become pioneers in establishing distinctive businesses, setting the standards for the lifestyle needs of Jakarta residents.

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat has on several occasions proposed for the temporary closure of Komodo National Park and eventual handover of its management to the provincial administration. The Jakarta Post’s correspondent, Markus Makur, takes a closer look at the issue and presents his findings in this Special Report.