photo : kbridenhaag

Dancers from Madaloka Dance Studio, who performed Kuda Lumping Dance hypnotized visitors of the Open Dag 2020 event at the community activity center in Best City or commonly known as Cultuurspoor Best (Sept 12). The flexible and dynamic movements combined with the colorful costumes of the dancers made the visitors keep capturing this moment while still paying attention to health protocols. The Open Dag is an annual event held in Dutch cities. This time, the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague along with the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture visited the center of community activities in Best City which is located in the South of the Netherlands. Apart from introducing the Kuda Lumping dance from East Java, the Peacock Dance from West Java was also shown to the public at this activity. Nasi Tumpeng was also served to complete the experience of various Indonesian cultures and culinary delights.

Indonesia's participation in the Cultuurspoor Best also marked the opening of an Indonesian language course program for basic level foreign speakers (BIPA) and a course in traditional Indonesian dance. Both programs can be followed free of charge and are a form of cultural diplomacy carried out by the Indonesian government through the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague. Chargé d'Affaires ad Interim at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague, Fikri Cassidy expressed his appreciation to the City Government of Best and Cultuurspoor Best for integrating Indonesian language courses and traditional Indonesian dance courses into their programs. He also said that the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague would continue to support and present programs in a bid to promote Indonesian culture in the future.

Besides the city of Best, there are also other cities in the Netherlands that support the Indonesian Cultural House (RBI) The Hague program. The high appreciation and interest from the people of Best was conveyed by Deputy Mayor of Best, Ria van der Hamsvoord-Huijber and  Director of Cultuurspoor, Ingrid van Beek in his remarks. Furthermore, he also stated that the Open Dag aims to provide information on courses that can be followed by the local community. Typical courses include multilingual courses, ballet courses, theater, and photography.

PHOTO : FACTS OF INDONESIA

Main Expert Diplomat of Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Prayitno Atiyono hoped the diplomats can become the top marketers of Indonesian coffee products because coffee is an Indonesian economic power and potential diplomacy pillar. In a webinar held by University of Jember, East Java on Saturday (5/9), Prayitno said that the Indonesian diplomats can perform marketing intelligence in coffee, building Indonesian diaspora power, and connect Indonesian coffee business people with foreign counterparts in their assigned countries.

According to Prayitno, marketing intelligence includes gathering information about existing coffee trade regulation, competitors, and a country’s coffee preference. The diplomats were also asked to start business cooperation with local business people, including actively promoting Indonesian coffee by involving Indonesian diaspora.

Prayitno, who also asked Indonesian coffee exporters to target Latin America, stated that Indonesian embassies in Argentina, Chile, and other countries are ready to facilitate Indonesian coffee promotion in the region.

The readiness to promote Indonesian coffee was conveyed by Indonesian Ambassador to Finland and Estonia which is located in Helsinki, Ratu Silvy Gayatri. She said that Finland is a potential coffee market for Indonesia considering their coffee consumption reaching 12 kilograms per person per year.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Consul General in Dubai, Ridwan Hasan said that besides developing the 24 specialty coffees, they recommend Indonesia to consider Indonesian typical coffee so it is more recognizable by the global community.

They also recommend opening Indonesian coffee shops abroad such as in the United Arab Emirates that is an international trade center or at Dubai International Airport as a hub for many international flights.

The Importance of Synergy and Cooperation between Indonesia and United Nations at the IUNCF Forum

The 3rd Plenary Meeting of Indonesia - United Nations Consultative Forum (IUNCF) was held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1/2). The meeting was opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi and co-chaired by the Director General for Multilateral Cooperation, Febrian A. Ruddyard, and United Nations Resident Coordinator for Indonesia, Anita Nirody. In her speech, the Minister expressed the importance of IUNCF as a forum to strengthen the synergy and cooperation between the United Nations and Indonesia, in particular addressing the challenges of current issues, including migration and refugee crises, the 2030 sustainable development agenda, the spread of radicalism, terrorism and extremism, climate change, global health, and UN reform.

The Minister affirmed Indonesia's commitment to cooperate with the UN as part of the solution to these global challenges. Indonesia-UN cooperation in this regard needs to be directed to adapt various UN programs to be in line with Indonesia's national development plan.

The Minister emphasized three aspects that need to be improved in the IUNCF Forum. First of all, better coordination and consultation between the UN and the central government in implementing UN programs and activities in Indonesia are needed, including UN work programs and visits to the region. Second, the UN program needs to be directed more in line with Indonesia's national development priorities and help Indonesia achieve sustainable development goals.

At the end of the meeting, the Joint Chairs underlined the importance of IUNCF sustainability to strengthen effective coordination between the United Nations and the Government of Indonesia. The Joint Chairs provide direction for the continuation of IUNCF, which includes the need for a joint review mechanism of the United Nations program in Indonesia, technical-work to explore the thematic issues of mutual interest, and the importance of UN agencies coordinating with the Indonesian government in implementing its programs and activities both at the central and regional levels.

Indonesia Ready to Continue to Help Create Peace in Mindanao. As a close friend and neighbor of the Philippines, Indonesia is ready to continue to support the peace process in Mindanao, the Philippines. This is said by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi at the time of receiving Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and UNDP delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building in Jakarta on Monday (1/2). She said that Indonesia's support for the peace process in Mindanao had been carried out from the beginning, through involvement in the drafting of the peace agreement in 1996 and actively contributing to the International Monitoring Team.

The MILF and UNDP delegations visited Indonesia from 27 January to 2 February 2018 to learn from Indonesia's experience in the peace process in Aceh. During this visit, the delegation met with officials, community leaders and academics in Aceh and held meetings with Indonesian Islamic figures and a courtesy visit to the Vice President and Foreign Minister of Indonesia in Jakarta.

The Minister hopes this visit can provide useful feedback and new insights from Indonesia's experience in Aceh that can be implemented in the peace process in Mindanao.

One form of cooperation between Indonesia and the South Philippines is the cooperation of Islamic education for curriculum development, scholars exchange, teachers and students, and vocational education. Through this cooperation, Indonesia will provide 100 scholarships per year for Filipino-madrasah students and will organize Workshop on Islamic Education Cooperation in Jakarta, 14-15 February 2018.

AIPR information Ready to Support Peace and Reconciliation Maintenance Efforts in the Region. ASEAN’s Insitute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) will be an important instrument in peacekeeping and reconciliation efforts. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi, at the signing ceremony of Home Approval Agreement and Giving Privileges and Immunities to the ASEAN’s Institute for Peace and Reconciliation at Pancasila Building, Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Jakarta (1/2). The challenges facing by ASEAN in the process of community development, such as violent extremism and internal armed conflict must be addressed and anticipated. This is where AIPR plays its strategic role.

Minister Retno Marsudi added that the signing is the culmination of the AIPR Secretariat's operational process and invites all ASEAN Member Countries to continue to support AIPR in carrying out its mandate and function. Since its official establishment in 2012, during the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, AIPR officially had its Secretariat in October 2017, when Ambassador Rezlan Ishar Jenie was elected Executive Director of AIPR through an open recruitment process.

AIPR is an initiative of Indonesia during its chairmanship in ASEAN in 2011. This institute is intended as an ASEAN Entity specializing in research activities on peace, conflict management and reconciliation, holding capacity building activities for stakeholders as well as being a network center. In the future, AIPR is expected to offer and recommend a comprehensive solution in the field of peace and reconciliation in the ASEAN region.

Indonesia is committed to supporting the development of AIPR through the provision of AIPR Secretariat Office within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Education and Training Center at Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 73 in South Jakarta. (Mar-Alika)