Melati Wijsen addresses new students at Untag Surabaya

Environmental activist Melati Wijsen spoke to 3,160 new students during the orientation program at Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 (Untag) Surabaya on August 25, 2026. The event, themed ‘Empowering Global Generation’, aimed to instill environmental awareness as part of the university's commitment to becoming an ‘Eco Campus’.

Wijsen, the founder of the ‘Bye Bye Plastic Bags’ movement and Youthtopia, encouraged students to take small but meaningful actions to address environmental issues. She shared principles for becoming a ‘Change Maker’, which include focusing on specific problems, building collaborative teams, thinking creatively, and embracing failure as part of the process.