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Every step toward the international stage begins with small things at home. That belief was shared by Riza Mahardika, S.Sos., M.Med.Kom., a former journalist, practitioner lecturer, and digital marketing professional, when answering a question about whom she could influence through the I TEACH PEACE Champions Fellowship, the program she is applying for.For Riza, networks are key to almost every step in life. "We cannot do much without a strong network," she said.
## It Begins with Family and Neighbors
Yet strong networks, Riza says, are not built overnight. They begin with how a person lives alongside those closest to them: family, neighbors, community, friends, and professional colleagues, both at home and abroad.
"One of the most important factors in being able to take part in international activities actually starts with small things, namely how we live together with our family, neighbors, community, friends, and professional colleagues," she explained.
## A Wide Circle of Influence
In Riza's daily life, that circle of influence includes the students in the classes she teaches as a practitioner lecturer, the professionals and students in the online discussion groups she facilitates, colleagues on the teams she leads, the digital marketing community, and the social media followers with whom she shares professional insights.
In her application, Riza also describes plans to build a peer mentoring ecosystem in which participants become ambassadors of peace values. In this way, values instilled in one person can spread to the next circle.
## Networks Open Doors
Riza adds that networks are not only about influence but also about opportunity. Networks open the door to self-discovery, work, and research, both in Indonesia and abroad.
"Networks give us opportunities to explore ourselves, work, and conduct research, at home and abroad. That is why networks must be nurtured with good values," she said.
## An Invitation to Begin
Riza invites the public to see their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces as starting points for change. Mutual respect practiced at the family dinner table and in conversations with neighbors, she says, is the same foundation needed to build cooperation across countries.
"Big change does not start on a big stage. It starts with how we treat the people closest to us," she concluded.