EduAsiaNews, Nusantara — Morning had not yet fully stirred in the Core Government Center (Kawasan Inti Pusat Pemerintahan/KIPP) of Nusantara. The air was still damp as 124 students from universities across Indonesia walked through an area destined to become the heart of the republic’s new seat of government. On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, they came not merely to visit, but to witness firsthand a project that has long sparked public debate: the Capital City of Nusantara (IKN).
The field visit became a kind of open-air classroom—without podiums or presentation slides—on how the state is shaping its future. Accompanied by the Secretariat of the Vice President (Setwapres), the students were invited to observe national strategic projects (PSNs) currently being accelerated as part of the government’s plan to relocate the capital by 2028.
The agenda began with a morning walk followed by the planting of hundreds of trees—a symbolic ritual as well as a reaffirmation of Nusantara’s development vision as a forest city. Head of the IKN Authority, Basuki Hadimuljono, was present alongside Special Staff to the Vice President Nico Harjanto and Suwardi. Before the students, Basuki outlined the progress of tree planting carried out since last March.
“Since March, the IKN Authority has planted trees across 7.7 hectares, with activities conducted every two weeks. The survival rate of the plants is above 90 percent. Those that die are promptly replaced,” Basuki said plainly.
From the greenery, the group moved on to buildings that are gradually shaping the face of Nusantara. The State Mosque of IKN, now 92.41 percent complete, is projected to serve as a religious education plaza. Nearby stands the Basilica building, with construction progress at 80.01 percent, designed to accommodate up to 1,600 worshippers—marking the spirit of tolerance envisioned for the new capital.
The journey continued to the Vice Presidential Palace complex, which is nearing completion at 92.87 percent. The first phase of development includes the Vice Presidential Palace, the Vice President’s Residence, Democracy Plaza, and several supporting facilities. At this point, Nusantara is no longer merely an illustration in a planning brochure.
The visit concluded at the State Palace and Garuda Palace areas—two symbolic structures intended to become the center of governance. From here, the students gained a comprehensive picture of spatial planning and the direction of development for Indonesia’s new capital.
For Nur Amalia, a student from Universitas Gadjah Mada, the visit reshaped her perspective. “We’ve known about IKN through media coverage. But honestly, what we saw firsthand was far beyond our previous expectations. I think this could become an innovation in Indonesia’s infrastructure development,” she said.
A similar sentiment was expressed by Meisha Ulul Asmi, a student from Universitas Hasanuddin. In her view, the development of IKN feels tangible and measurable. “This is not merely discourse or a symbolic project. What I see is a real process of building a new and better system and governmental area for Indonesia,” she remarked.
Amid ongoing debates and differing opinions, the visit positioned young people as direct witnesses. The government continues to accelerate development, while the students returned home carrying firsthand experiences—fragments of a story about a future capital that is being built, slowly but surely.
