One cannot discuss the future without considering the vast expanse of space . In the evening , Tim gave a sold-out talk to members of the school and the wider community , exploring how and why space and geopolitics are connected . He delved into significant international agreements such as the Outer Space Treaty ( 1967 ) and Artemis Accord ( 2022 ) and contemplated the rise of second tier space nations , such as India .
In my final year at Sevenoaks , one of the things I will miss about the school is the wide range of enrichment and extension opportunities we have , with Tim Marshall ’ s talk being no exception to this .
Natasha Man , Upper Sixth
As Sixth Former Kiran Seegers made it clear when presenting the guest , Mr Percaya has had a star-studded career . He was appointed Indonesian Ambassador to the United Nations in 2012 and has served as the Vice- Chairman of both the UN Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the UN Committee on Decolonisation . He is also more than familiar with the UK , having completed a PhD at Durham in 2000 .
After opening with a surprise saxophone solo ( Mr Percaya is also an accomplished musician ), the talk started with a brief explanation of Indonesia ’ s geographical background and history . It was invaluable to understand why colonialism has had such an impact on modern Indonesia . Prior to Dutch and Portuguese settling , the islands had been relatively isolated from the rest of the world and had their own system of governance – very different to what Europeans were used to . However , Mr Percaya went on to explain how upon the founding of the Dutch East India Company , in 1602 , Indonesia ’ s history was changed forever , with a tenuous Dutch rule bringing modern systems of governance to the country , yet also uncertainty and conflict .
Colonialism in Indonesia did not stop there . The Japanese occupied Indonesia during the Second World War , although this exploit was to be cut short in 1945 with the detonation of the atom bomb . President Sukarno , Indonesia ’ s ‘ founding father ’, saw the opportunity to redefine Indonesia ’ s position in the world and rebuild his country from the ashes of colonialism .
DESRA PERCAYA The Impacts of Colonialism
On 15 November Sevenoaks hosted Mr Desra Percaya , Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia to the United Kingdom . While the subject of his talk was the impact of colonialism on Indonesia , we ended up learning much more , with topics ranging from Indonesia ’ s history to Mr Percaya ’ s views on modern politics .
Mr Percaya acknowledged that , in a way , Indonesia is still trying to define itself . While it has historically preferred the American system of democracy and free trade , he pointed to recent events – such as 6 January 2021 , the storming of the US Capitol Building – which may suggest that this system is no longer as incorruptible as it once seemed . In his engaging talk he encouraged young people to keep up to date on global issues . After all , the long-term impacts of colonialism have yet to be fully seen .
Lorenzo Nogales O ’ Connell , Upper Sixth
SEVENOAKS SCHOOL 2023-2024 15