VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia, and Festival Indonesia Inc. will once again host Festival Indonesia 2024 to promote Indonesian culture and natural potential, as well as to commemorate the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia. Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Melbourne, Kuncoro Giri Waseso, in a release received by Antara on Tuesday (13/8), highlighted that Festival Indonesia is an annual event eagerly anticipated by Melbourne residents. This event represents a synergy between the community and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Melbourne. The success of Festival Indonesia 2023 was marked by the breaking of the world record for flash mobs.

Kuncoro Giri Waseso further mentioned that Festival Indonesia received an extraordinary reception, with 5,000 visitors from all corners of Melbourne last year. The success of the 2023 Indonesian Festival was particularly notable for breaking the world record for the Tor-Tor Dance flash mob with the most participants abroad, approximately 1,200 participants, who together filled Argyle Square to dance Tor-Tor. He expressed hope that Festival Indonesia, which will be held on October 6, 2024, will attract 6,000 visitors, including members of the Indonesian diaspora and local Melbourne residents from various nationalities.

According to the Chairman of the Indonesian Festival Committee, Celyanda Goeltom, this year's festival, themed “Knitting Culture and Growth of Eastern Indonesia,” will showcase the natural potential of Eastern Indonesia, particularly the regions of Maluku, Papua, and East Nusa Tenggara. This aligns with the Indonesian Government's "The New Bali" program. The Indonesian Festival will take place at Argyle Square and will feature cultural performances such as dances, pencak silat, and music.

In addition to the festival, there will be a Business Forum on October 3 to explore investment opportunities in Eastern Indonesia, and an Indonesian Night at the Melbourne City Conference Center on October 4, which will feature musical theater from Eastern Indonesia. The Indonesian Festival Committee will also organize "FI Goes to School," an activity that involves visiting schools in Melbourne and surrounding areas from October 7-11. The event will also offer a variety of traditional culinary dishes and drinks from the archipelago, such as es cendol, es campur, nasi campur, rendang, and satay.