Knowledge, Attitudes, and HIV/AIDS Risk Behaviors of Myanmar Migrant Workers in Thailand GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal) 2022, Vol. 5, No. 2 Indonesian Scholars’ Alliance Open Access Photo Essay POLITEKNIK KESEHATAN KEMENKES PALANGKA RAYA: HEALTH FORUM AND INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR THE NEW NORMAL: Creating a Pleasant Virtual Communication The First International Seminar Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya: A Journey Full of Meaning Yeyentimalla 1 *, Agnescia Clarissa Sera 1 , Doni Marisi Sinaga 2 1 Committee of Health Forum and International Seminar of Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya 2 Global Health Management Journal, Yayasan Aliansi Cendekiawan Indonesia Thailand (Indonesian Scholars‟ Alliance) *Corresponding author’s e-mail: yeyentimalla@polkesraya.ac.id DOI: 10.35898/ghmj-52945 ©Yayasan Aliansi Cendekiawan Indonesia Thailand (Indonesian Scholars’ Alliance). This is an open-access following Creative Commons License Deed - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) Figure 1 Celebration of the 19 th anniversary of Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya and the first conference Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya in collaboration with Indonesian Scholars‟ Alliance and Global Health Management Journal (GHMJ) successfully held the first international seminar on November 9, 2020. The seminar which took place online in the midst of the raging Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised the theme “The New Normal: Creating A Pleasant Virtual Communication”. Five speaker from four countries namely Prof Andrew J. Macnab (Canada), Sr. Merceditas O. Ang, SPC (Philippines), Eva Berthy Tallutondok, M.Sc. (Taiwan), Dr. Yeyentimalla (Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya, Indonesia), and Prof. Sri Suryawati (Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia) synergizes to convey ideas on how to create fun virtual communication actors. During the pandemic, we do not communicate face-to face, but instead switch to communication using technological devices and chating application, including Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger, the most preferred chatting applications by Indonesian citizens. Adequate understanding is needed to be able to communicate with other people virtually where messages are conveyed well and at the same time happy. mailto:alfeusmanuntung@gmail.com https://dx.doi.org/10.35898/ghmj-52945 https://inschool.id/ https://publications.inschool.id/index.php/ghmj/index https://publications.inschool.id/index.php/ghmj/index Yeyentimalla, Sera, & Sinaga GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal) 2022, Vol. 5, No. 2 166 The International Seminar Committees worked based on the Decree of the Director of Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya Number HK. 02.03/1.1/5237/2020 dated July 21, 2020. We may see the pandemic situation is an opportunity for the possibility to hold seminars online at lower costs. If not, bringing in speakers from three countries other than Indonesia is very expensive. Funds allocated for this seminar are limited. So, the committee activates the existing network and optimizes it to achieve the goal of holding an international seminar. Institutionally, Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya already has a Cooperation Agreement (c.q. Memorandum of Understanding) with the Indonesian Scholars‟ Alliance in Thailand and St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP). With Indonesian Scholars Alliance, we were Co-hosting their last event before lock down, 4th International Conferences on Applied Science and Health (Widyastari et al., 2019), and two papers from our institution have been selected and included to their precious publication: Determinants of Pre- Diabetes on Teenagers in Palangka Raya City (Sylvia & Ardiyani, 2019) and Critics on Policy of Soy-Based Infant Formula in Indonesia: Compared to Australian and New Zealand Food Standards (Sera, 2019). The journey to the seminar in about four months presents a variety of emotions with negative and positive valences. For example, how to create a seminar participant and photo essays registration website with an inexperienced committee and communication is done virtually. In many ways we argued loudly. This level of difficulty is quite high. Virtual communication is different from face-to-face. We have to be more selective with words because intonation and gesture are absent in communication via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. We optimize virtual communication right before we teach it to seminar attendees! This is so much fun! Pandemic may isolate our body, not our ideas. Figure 2. A meeting before midnight, discussing the details of conference publication We still have little experience holding international events, so we are open to help from friends from the Indonesian Scholars‟ Alliance. Together with Doni Marisi Sinaga, who is familiarly called Bang Doni, we arranged the procedure for a photo essay competition, which will later be published in the Global Health Management Journal (GHMJ) with Prof. Andrew J. Macnab acted as Editor in Chief for the GHMJ. We believe recording the seminar results and inviting scholars to contribute their idea is the best way to transfer knowledge in our field (Macnab, 2018b). Thanks to their experience in conducting several conferences, and 167 GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal) 2022, Vol. 5, No. 2 Yeyentimalla, Sera, & Sinaga selecting the high promising papers, we believe summarizing a seminar or conference, will share the knowledge and experience the young investigators to the broader audience (Macnab, 2017). We held several meetings in the Zoom room with Bang Doni and on D-1 with seminar speakers. We view that the strong family atmosphere is very conducive to the holding of the seminar. We build on and appreciate all the good that comes our way. Figure 3. The flyer of seminar international of Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya The international seminar was held on Monday, November 9, 2020, to coincide with the 19th anniversary of the founding of the Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya. In accordance with the health protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic, the online committee from home and from their respective workspaces does not gather in one room. Seminar participants attended the Zoom room after previously registering through the website, there were 1055 people. They consisted of students, lecturers, and the general public who came from several provinces in Indonesia. Other countries that are the origin of the Yeyentimalla, Sera, & Sinaga GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal) 2022, Vol. 5, No. 2 168 participants are Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, and Germany. The seminar was covered by leading newspaper in Central Kalimantan Province namely Kalteng Pos, YouTube channel of St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP), and Facebook of Indonesian Scholars‟ Alliance live broadcast simultaneously. Even though the event conducted online, however, for those gathering at the venue are required to follow the standard protocol for COVID-19 prevention (Figure 4). Figure 4 The Master of Ceremony: Retno Ayu Hapsari The photo essays registration period received an enthusiastic response from colleagues at the Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya and other institutions. The two moderators, Agnescia Clarissa Sera and Syam‟ani, proudly lead the events and handle the presentation time (Figure 5). Agnes, the committee secretary, moved to contact them. Agnes' mission succeeded in getting Prof. Andrew J. Macnab as the Editor-in-chief of Global Health Management Journal (University of British Columbia; Figure 6a) and Sr. Merceditas O. Ang as President of St. Paul University (Figure 6b). Yeyen, the chairman of the committee, contacted speaker from Taiwan and Indonesia, and also ventured to be one the speakers. This courage has the support of Eva Berthy Tallutondok (Figure 6c) and Prof. Sri Suryawati (Figure 6d), both of whom had been teachers for Yeyen in the past. While with Prof. Sri Suryawati we often discuss technical seminars. Figure 5. Two moderators: Agnescia Clarissa Sera and Syam‟ani 169 GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal) 2022, Vol. 5, No. 2 Yeyentimalla, Sera, & Sinaga (a) (b) (c) (d) Figure 6. The invited Keynote Speaker: (a) Prof. Andrew J. Macnab (Canada), (b) Merceditas O. Ang, SPC (Philippines), (c) Eva Berthy Tallutondok (Taiwan), and (d) Prof. Sri Suryawati (Indonesia) At the end of the registration period, 32 photo essays obtained. The details are 16 photo essays from the Department of Nursing, 9 photo essays from the Department of Midwifery, and 7 photo essays from the Department of Nutrition. On November 9, 2020, after the seminar was over, 9 photo essays winners from 9 categories were announced directly by the head of the Global Health Management Journal, Prof. J. Macnab, online from Canada, and been published at the Global Health Management Journal as 2022‟s Special Edition, following the standard guidelines for Photo Essays (Macnab, Mukisa, & Stothers, 2018). In the end of the conference, Dr. Linda W. Fanggidae distributed the questionnaire link for improvement in the future (Figure 7). As scientists, health providers and educators, even as students, we must see the opportunity of translating policy into practices. We may need to identify “What works and Why”, and take this very First International Seminar Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya as a media to share our knowledge, and ultimately the „gold standard‟ to aim for is publication in a peer reviewed journal. The most direct route from research to policy is usually to look at issues of direct interest to policy makers. And when you do this, the best way to begin is to review what research has been done globally that you can apply locally, and use this as the basis for investigating the problem you want to focus on in your area (Macnab, 2018a). https://publications.inschool.id/index.php/ghmj/issue/archive https://publications.inschool.id/index.php/ghmj/issue/archive Yeyentimalla, Sera, & Sinaga GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal) 2022, Vol. 5, No. 2 170 Figure 7. A questioner: Dr. Linda W. Fanggidae from Kupang, Indonesia The international seminar was over, leaving a feeling of capability and confidence in our hearts. We turned out to be able to carry out an international standard activity and gain the trust of partners. Our network was getting stronger and wider. We love this seminar journey that reveals our potential. Hopefully, we will meet again in the future. Acknowledgments Thank you to all members of the Health Forum and International Seminar (HFIS) Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya. Highest appreciation to the five speakers: Prof. Andrew J. Macnab; Sr. Merceditas O Ang, SPC; Dr. Yeyentimalla; Eva Berthy Tallutondok, M.Sc.; Prof. Sri Suryawati. Proud to be friends with colleagues from the Indonesian Scholars' Alliance. May our friendship last! References Macnab, A. J. (2017). Promoting global health innovation: On the need for global health care solutions in the spirit of the International Conference on Applied Science and Health (ICASH). GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal), 1(1), 1-3. Macnab, A. J. (2018a). GLOBAL HEALTH: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF TRANSLATING POLICY INTO PRACTICE. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Science and Health. Macnab, A. J. (2018b). Knowledge transfer of advances in applied health and science. GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal), 2(2), 17-18. Macnab, A. J., Mukisa, R., & Stothers, L. (2018). The Use of Photo-Essay to Report Advances in Applied Science and Health. GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal), 2(2), 44-47. Sera, A. C. (2019). Critics on Policy of Soy-Based Infant Formula in Indonesia: Compared to Australian and New Zealand Food Standards. GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal), 3(3), 152-158. Sylvia, E. I., & Ardiyani, V. D. (2019). Determinants of Pre-Diabetes on Teenagers in Palangka Raya City. GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal), 3(3), 117-123. Widyastari, D. A., Sinaga, D. M., Wibowo, C. P., Rahman, P. A., Noor, H. M., Sondang, D., . . . Viniriani, M. A. (2019). The International Conferences on Applied Science and Health (ICASH): Efforts and Commitments in Translating Research Results into Policy and Practices, for a Better Society. GHMJ (Global Health Management Journal), 3(3), 79-83. Cite this article as: Yeyentimalla, Sera AC., Sinaga DM. The First International Seminar of Poltekkes Kemenkes Palangka Raya: A Journey Full of Meaning. 2022; 5(2):165- 170. doi:10.35898/GHMJ-52945 https://doi.org/10.35898/ghmj-52945