In this edition, the Diplomatic Forum will present several speakers. Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno will deliver his keynote speech. President Director of RRI, I Hendrasmo, will also remark.
Other speakers are the Deputy for Digital Economy and Creative Products at the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Muhammad Neil El Himam, and Indonesian musician, Dwiki Dharmawan.
Representatives of foreign missions in Surabaya will also scheduled to present. They are Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, Kayla Smith, and Consul of Education, Culture & Information at the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya, Nakagome Kota.
Head of RRI Voice of Indonesia, Soleman Yusuf, said music is a universal language that the "global community can understand". Therefore, countries use music as a medium to promote their cultures.
"From here, we can see that music can be a tool to promote a country's culture, including Indonesia. We see the public high enthusiasm when watching music concerts," he said.
According to a VOI press release received on Wednesday (26/6/2024), Indonesia is rich in modern and traditional music. The Indonesian government so far encourages the promotion of Indonesian music to the international community through various means, ranging from music performances, cultural festivals, cultural exhibitions, to student exchange programs.
"Various music promotion activities are undertaken, one of which is to encourage more tourists to come to Indonesia to see firsthand how music lives in Indonesia," said Soleman.
According to Soleman, music has been used for diplomacy for decades. Diplomatic actors such as states, organizations, and individuals use music as a tool to build a positive image and to promote humanist values and messages of peace. With such potential, Soleman Yusuf hopes this sector "can be taken seriously".
"At present, where we see war occurring on several continents, calls for the importance of respecting human rights, the importance of living in peace need to be echoed continuously amid war situations. Music is one of the tools to echo these messages. Musical works are created in the spirit of promoting peace," he said.
The Diplomatic Forum will be conducted offline starting on 15.00 Western Indonesia Time (08.00 GMT), but it will be broadcast online via this website (www.voinews.id). This event can also be accessed via RRI VOI's YouTube channel, VoI Official, and RRI Digital mobile app.
