This is RRI World Service -Voice of Indonesia with Diplomatic Corner, a program which presents information about activities and progress of Indonesia’s diplomacy in the international world.
I begin from Florence, Italy. The fifth Indonesian Film Festival was held in the city of Florence on 26 to 28 October. Located in Cinema La Compagna which is the center of the Italian cultural city, the festival presented a variety of the latest films, including short films and animation, which are assisted by Italian translations through sub-titles. The Association of Indonesia Meets Italy was led by Jacopo Capuccio and his wife, Malina Andriyani who are organizers of festival that is specifically dedicated to promoting culture and life in Indonesia through films. A number of films that have appeared in various international festivals, such as Da'wah, Night Bus, and Marlina the Killer of the Four Chapters, are in great demand. The Indonesian Ambassador to Italy, Esti Andayani at the opening ceremony on Friday (26/10) expressed her appreciation for the extraordinary efforts of Indonesia Meets Italywhich has consistently held the festival. She hopes that the Indonesian film festival in Florence can bring the people of the two countries closer together and increase the number of Italian tourists to visit Indonesia as well as business activities between the two countries.
Next information is from New York, the United States of America. Indonesian Batik became the Best New Product winner at the largest trade and craft exhibition in North America “NY NOW”. This indigo colored batik product was named Kembang Kopi Sekar Jagat and was designed by Galeri Batik Jawa, an Indonesian company led by the couple of Thessan and Nita Kenzo from Yogyakarta. The participation of the Galeri Batik Jawa is part of Indonesia's participation in one entity "Indonesian Pavilion". The participation from Indonesia this year was supported by the Indonesian Consulate General in New York, the Creative Economy Agency, Bank Indonesia -BI and Bank Rakyat Indonesia -BRI. It was also supported by a United States independent consultant, Jennifer Isaacson, from By Hand Consultant, who has provided training, product curation, product quality improvement consultations, and prepared artisans at this international exhibition since last February. Indonesian Consul General in New York, Abdulkadir Jailani said that the target to be achieved through this exhibition was branding and selling of Indonesian products in the US handicraft market which is the largest craft market in the world. NY NOW presents more than 25,000 professional buyers and displays more than 2,500 exhibitors from various parts of the world.
I end from Dusseldorf, Germany. After being shaken by a number of earthquakes last July, Indonesia again sought to promote the natural and cultural charm of Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara -NTB to German citizens. The Indonesian Consul General of Frankfurt, Toferry P. Soetikno, said that despite several earthquakes occurred, the earthquakes affected not all regions in Lombok. He gave an example, the South Lombok region can still be visited by tourists. In addition, the rebuilding process is also being carried out in the northern part of Lombok on which in the near future, it is expected for the foreign tourists to come. Soetikno in the Indonesian tourism promotion event in the Dusseldorf City on last Thursday (10/25) stated that Lombok has risen again and is safe to visit post-earthquake. In the promotional event themed "Indonesia: 17,000 (seventeen thousand) Islands of Natural and Cultural Beauty" there were around 50 people from various travel agents and tourism bureaus from the Dusseldorf City and surrounding areas.
That was Diplomatic Corner.