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PERHUMAS BPC Bandung Attends KHI 2026, Indra Ardiyanto Emphasizes the Importance of Public Trust

PERHUMAS BPC Bandung attends KHI 2026 in Surakarta, promotes integrity, collaboration, and public trust in professional public relations practices.

JURNAL GAYA — The Indonesian Public Relations Association (Perhimpunan Hubungan Masyarakat Indonesia - PERHUMAS) Bandung Branch Management Board (Badan Pengurus Cabang - BPC) attended the 2026 Indonesian Public Relations Convention (Konvensi Humas Indonesia - KHI 2026) held on October 17–18, 2026, in Surakarta, Central Java.

This participation is part of an effort to strengthen professionalism, expand inter-regional collaboration, and promote the strategic role of public relations in building public trust and Indonesia's reputation.

Carrying the theme "Public Relations as the Nation's Power: Weaving Trust, Moving Indonesia," KHI 2026 was organized by PERHUMAS together with Katadata. This national forum brought together communication practitioners, academics, corporate leaders, government officials, professional organizations, media, and the younger generation.

The Chairperson of PERHUMAS BPC Bandung, Dr. Indra Ardiyanto, M.I.Kom., considered the convention an important momentum to strengthen the transformation of the public relations profession amidst the development of digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and the increasing demands for organizational transparency and accountability.

"The public relations profession today is no longer just about acting as an information provider or organizational image manager. Public relations must become a driver of trust, a guardian of integrity, and a strategic partner in building sustainable relationships between organizations and stakeholders," Indra said.

According to him, public trust is not sufficiently built through good communication alone. Organizations must also ensure consistency between commitments, actions, and real impacts felt by the public.

Challenges of Public Relations in the Digital and Artificial Intelligence Era

KHI 2026 discussed various strategic issues related to the development of the communication profession, ranging from crisis communication, information polarization, digital transformation, AI utilization, leadership, sustainability, to strengthening the nation's reputation.

These discussions reaffirmed that the success of organizational communication is not solely measured by information reach or media exposure. The ability to build legitimacy, create understanding, and maintain long-term relationships with the public is also an essential aspect.

Indra assessed that the changing communication landscape demands public relations practitioners to possess strategic thinking skills, understand risks, master technology, and adhere to ethical principles.

"In an era when information can be produced and disseminated in a matter of seconds, the biggest challenge for the public relations profession is no longer just how to deliver a message, but how to ensure that the information is credible, accountable, and capable of building trust," he explained.

He added that communication competence must go hand in hand with integrity, empathy, and social responsibility so that the public relations profession can meet organizational needs as well as public interests.

Sustainability Becomes the Foundation of Organizational Reputation

The issue of sustainability became one of the important agendas at KHI 2026 through a discussion session themed "Sustainability as the Foundation of Trust."

This topic emphasized the importance of integrating actions, data, narratives, and impacts in building organizational reputation. This approach is also relevant to the development of corporate communication, especially when organizations are required to demonstrate commitments to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects.

For PERHUMAS BPC Bandung, sustainability communication needs to go beyond delivering positive stories about the organization. The information conveyed must be supported by performance evidence, openness to challenges, and accountability for the generated impacts.

"Sustainability communication must not stop at delivering positive stories about the organization. Communication must be able to show performance evidence, openness to challenges, and real impacts for society and the environment," Indra stated.

He emphasized that a strong reputation must be built through demonstrable actions, not merely narratives communicated to the public.

Strengthening Collaboration and Competence of Public Relations Practitioners

The presence of PERHUMAS BPC Bandung at KHI 2026 also served as an opportunity to expand professional networks and strengthen collaboration with various PERHUMAS BPC chapters across Indonesia.

Previously, PERHUMAS BPC Bandung organized a series of "Road to KHI 2026" discussions themed "Building Trust, Shaping Influence: The Future of Public Relations."

This series discussed four dimensions in building trust, namely Trust in Crisis, Trust in Technology, Trust in Power, and Trust in Culture & Sustainability.

Through these discussions, PERHUMAS BPC Bandung promoted knowledge exchange, competency enhancement, and a deeper understanding of the strategic role of communication in addressing organizational and societal challenges.

Moving forward, the organization is committed to continuing educational activities, professional discussions, academic collaboration, and capacity building for communication practitioners in Bandung and West Java.

KHI 2026 Highlights Cultural Values and PR Regeneration

The selection of Surakarta as the venue for KHI 2026 also introduced a cultural dimension to the discussions on trust. Through the concept of the Six Knots of Trust (Enam Simpul Kepercayaan), the convention highlighted noble values, leadership, consistency, meaning, harmony, and sustainability as the foundation for the public relations profession's contribution to national development.

KHI 2026 was also coupled with the 2026 Young Public Relations Meeting (Pertemuan Humas Muda - PEMUDA 2026). This agenda served as a space for capacity development, learning, and regeneration for Indonesia's future communication leaders.

Indra hopes that these various discussions and meetings will strengthen a professional, inclusive, and sustainable communication ecosystem.

"Trust is a very important social capital for the nation's future. Through KHI 2026, we hope that the public relations profession will be increasingly able to take on the role of a bridge of interests, a driver of collaboration, and a guardian of Indonesia's reputation," he concluded.

He affirmed that PERHUMAS BPC Bandung is ready to take part in a joint movement to build communication that is integral, ethical, and delivers a positive impact on society.

Participation in Khi 2026 is expected to strengthen synergy among branch administrators, expand professional networks, and encourage collaborative initiatives for the development of the public relations profession in Indonesia.

Source: https://jurnalgaya.pikiran-rakyat.com/bizz/pr-8010508308/perhumas-bpc-bandung-hadiri-khi-2026-indra-ardiyanto-tekankan-pentingnya-kepercayaan-publik?page=all