On Monday, April 29, 2024, participants of the De Britto International Youth Camp attended their final session at the Natural Laboratory of SMA Kolese De Britto High School. With undiminished enthusiasm, they were ready to face the various dynamics they would experience throughout the day. The theme for this fifth day was “To Rejoice”, focusing on celebrating togetherness, manifested in hope for real action and cultural offerings. The participants started the day by arriving at the Natural Laboratory of SMA Kolese De Britto High School and taking group photos around the laboratory environment. They then continued with a discussion about the real action projects they would carry out in their respective schools. This action project was based on their concerns, as they had expressed on the first day and from what they encountered during the dynamics in the De Britto International Youth Camp. Subsequently, each school presented the results of the discussion and the projects they would carry out in the future.

One of the school representatives participating in the De Britto International Youth Camp, Xavier School from Cambodia, shared the results of their discussion with the writer. The participants from Cambodia expressed deep concern about environmental issues, especially plastic waste. This concern arose from their observations of their own school. Although there are rules prohibiting the use of plastic, they noted that these rules are often violated by the students. In an effort to address this issue, they plan to start a waste management project. This project will involve the formation of an organization focused on plastic issues, ranging from raising public awareness about the plastic waste crisis through poster media, to the regulation and management of plastic waste itself. After all activities at the Natural Laboratory of SMA Kolese De Britto High School were completed, the participants returned to SMA Kolese De Britto High School to attend the closing ceremony, De Britto Cultural Day. This closing ceremony was open to all members of the academic community of SMA Kolese De Britto High School. De Britto Cultural Day began with the screening of a short profile video of the De Britto International Youth Camp and a gamelan performance by the karawitan team of SMA Kolese De Britto High School, Gangsa Kukila. The event continued with performances from the participants of the De Britto International Youth Camp. Each participant showcased various unique aspects of their culture on this occasion, such as Thailand presenting their traditional dance, the Lotus Dance, which is a dance to welcome guests and accompanied by popular Thai songs. In addition to dancing, participants from Thailand also played a musical instrument called Khlui, a traditional Thai bamboo flute. After Thailand, participants from Bandar Lampung sang a regional song titled Bumi Lampung. Cambodia also enlivened the event by inviting spectators to stand and dance with them.

Cambodian participants performed six dances, including ramvong (រាំវង់), jnam nis ter o mk te (ឆ្នាំនេះតើអូន)មកទេ, nam nav (ណាំណាវ), juk kom pirs (ចូកកំពឹស), saravan (សារ៉ាវ៉ាន់), and madison (ម៉ាឌីសូន). After Cambodia, the Philippines showcased a regional dance called Sinulog. This dance is a way to honor and celebrate Santo Niño de Cebu. The performance of each representative continued with participants from the city of Malang singing the song Cublak-cublak Suweng. They also demonstrated a traditional game played with the accompaniment of the song. After Malang, participants from Macau sang a popular song titled “明年今日” by Eason Chan. Surabaya presented a regional song called Rek Ayo Rek. And the performance of all city and country representatives was concluded by SMA Kolese De Britto, with singing and dancing to Suwe Ora Jamu and Kewer-Kewer.

After a series of lively performances from various countries, Father Sugiyo Pitoyo, S.J, the rector of SMA Kolese De Britto, presented batik works created by the participants in the Girilaya batik village to each participant as a memento and symbolic handover from De Britto to the participants of the De Britto International Youth Camp. After the handover, impressions and messages were conveyed by the DIYC coordinator, the series of events continued with a speech and the presentation of plaques to the schools that participated by the principal of SMA Kolese De Britto, FX. Catur Supatmono, S.Pd., M.Pd. The De Britto International Youth Camp was closed with the participants, committee, and students of SMA Kolese De Britto all dancing together to the flashmob movements that the participants had previously learned at the Natural Laboratory. Thus, the series of events of the De Britto International Youth Camp officially ended. It is hoped that after the series of events of the De Britto International Youth Camp, the participants will truly appreciate and implement the actions they have designed, resulting in real positive change for their respective places. In September, the results of each action will be discussed again online with the aim of keeping alive the spirit that has been built during the De Britto International Youth Camp.