VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Education and Culture Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra Mukhamad Najib said that the people of Indonesia and Australia, including academics, artists and cultural figures need to participate in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. In a written statement received in Jakarta, Thursday, it was stated that he conveyed this during a discussion with Western Sydney University Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI) researcher Rob Goodfellow.

According to Najib, the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra always invites the diaspora living in Australia to play an active role in strengthening Indonesia-Australia relations through people-to-people contact, promotion of arts and culture, business and trade activities. Apart from that, the Indonesian Embassy also facilitates cooperation education and research.

Najib gave the example of the Indonesian academic diaspora in Australia which has played a role as a bridge in developing research and education collaboration between universities in Indonesia and Australia.

 According to him, this has made a major contribution to strengthening relations between the two countries. Likewise with artists and cultural figures. He said, they can play a bigger role with a more humanistic and universal approach through artistic and cultural exchanges.

Rob Goodfellow also said the same thing that arts and culture can be an important factor in strengthening Indonesia-Australia relations.

Previously, Rob had sent the BlueScope Youth Orchestra team and collaborated with the Voice of Bali Children's choir in the Bali World Culture Celebration on July 7 at the Bali Arts Center, Denpasar at the invitation of the Bali Tourism Office and the organizers of the Bali Arts Festival.

Rob said that while in Bali the BlueScope Youth Orchestra not only performed at the festival, but also visited an orphanage for blind children in Tabanan, Central Bali. According to Rob, the presence of BlueScope children in Bali and their interactions with Indonesian children sends a message to the people of Australia and the world that Indonesia is a safe country for children.