During the 150th-anniversary celebrations of KITLV, Coral Triangle Center (CTC) Director Rili Djohani visited the institute and was hosted by KITLV Director and TRACE Principal Investigator, Diana Suhardiman.

A major highlight of the visit was a symbolic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing ceremony between CTC and KITLV, facilitated through the TRACE project. This strategic partnership aims to expand regional networks and strengthen grassroots climate governance across Southeast Asia's coastal and small island communities.

The collaboration specifically targets TRACE's ongoing work with marginalized sea nomads, Sama-Bajau. Leveraging CTC's extensive track record in marine community development, this MoA will bolster efforts to address the unique challenges facing the Sama-Bajau communities and advocate for inclusive marine stewardship. The initiatives outlined in the agreement will be executed through situated studies of the Sama-Bajau across the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, led by TRACE team member Wengki Ariando in close collaboration with local regional partners.