I Made Gunarta (Dek Gun)

I Made Gunarta, more often called Dek Gun, is a fundamental part of the Balispirit Festival's vision to connect with the community in Bali. Dek Gun comes from a long line of Balinese people who care about social issues; his great-grandfather, the head of the Monkey Forest restoration project in the early 70s, and his mother, a school principal for over 30 years, are two of his many role models.

Starting in 2010, Dek Gun became part of the revitalization of the Monkey Forest and initiated a reforestation project, planting hundreds of trees and making it a safer and shadier home for the native monkeys, which are considered sacred by the Balinese.

Dek Gun is the founder of the Kryasta Guna Foundation, a non-profit organization engaged in social, arts, cultural, and environmental fields with a mission to inspire young people in Ubud to learn about tradition and sensitivity to social and environmental issues through programs like "Ayo! Kita Bicara HIV & AIDS" and Bali ReGreen.

In addition to creating community-based programs, Dek Gun is the head designer of Dek's Studio, a wood furniture restoration business, as well as an inspiring natural architect who handles a number of green buildings in the Ubud area. Together with his wife, Dek Gun is a pioneer in Ubud in developing sustainable holistic and wellness tourism that provides a significant economic impact on the progress of the local community.