Steve Mara, Chair of the Melanesian Youth Diplomacy Forum (MYDIF) carried out a collaborative visit to the Vatican Holy See from 21 to 25 October 2023. During this visit, MYDIF Chair Steve Mara met with the Leaders of the Vatican Young Generation at the Vatican Youth Office or Vatican Youth Office.

Steve Mara said that the visit was carried out to build collaboration between Indonesian youth and also Youth at the Holy See of the Vatican. “I am happy to be received and discuss directly with the Vatican youth affairs office, and this visit is very important because apart from discussing collaboration between Indonesian youth, especially from eastern Indonesia, I also convey what concrete steps we must take as youth to build peace among us,” he said, in a written release, Wednesday 25 October 2023.

“This meeting will be a good sign for the future relationship between Indonesian youth, especially Papua, and the Vatican youth. We are building good relationships because the future of our country, Indonesia and the Vatican, is definitely in the hands of us youth,” said Steve Mara.

Apart from that, the Head of Youth for Youth Affairs also shared Pope Francis’ advice to Vatican Youth and also to Youth throughout the world that Collaboration between youth is very important by looking at the values contained in each region, building a good relationship with God will influence relationships. the. us with fellow human beings, so that young people must be close to God.

Youth is not only the future of the nation, but youth is a gift from God to a nation, so youth have an important role.

Several things that emerged during the meeting were: Collaboration on the character development of young men and women in Eastern Indonesia which will be supported through the sharing of ideas and implementation of a conference which will soon be planned.

Furthermore, the youth affairs office at the Vatican also hopes that youth in Eastern Indonesia can emulate Jesus Christ in creating a future full of hope and act as young peacemakers as written in the Bible.

The church is also expected to build good relationships with youth and be able to provide space for youth to talk and convey their hopes and desires for the future they want.

The meeting ended with the handing over of souvenirs in the form of a statue of Our Lady of All Tribes from Indonesia to the Vatican Youth Office, as well as handing over a book entitled We All Want to Live in Peace written by Steve Mara himself to the Vatican youth leadership.