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Primaduta Award for Lebanese Businessman (0)
The Indonesian Embassy in Beirut has acknowledged its continued support for trade cooperation improvement between Indonesia and Lebanon. Indonesian Ambassador to Lebanon Hajriyanto Y Thohari gave the Primaduta Award to Lebanese businessman and importer, George R Fattouh. The award was given for his service in helping market Indonesian products in Paris from the Middle East. The award was given at a ceremony at the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut, Thursday (11/1) Fatough, is the owner of George R. Fattouh S.A.L, a business that has been importing Indonesian products since the 1980s. It has a range of products, including: palm oil and its derivatives, oil and fats (including cocoa butter substitute, fat spread, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and lauric confectionery fats), cardboard, stationary, and school equipment. Some Indonesian products are now even available at famous retail networks, such as Spinney’s and Carrefour. In 2022, the value imported by George R. Fattough S.A.L of Indonesian products, was 981.3 million USD. This was a 149.5 million USD increase when compared to 2021. Fattouh said Indonesian products are known for their quality and are in high demand in Lebanese markets. However, he said, the challenge now is increasing freight costs due to security challenges in the region.
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Garulina (0)
Listeners, a number of delicious dishes were served to the guests of Dhaup Ageng Pura Pakualaman Yogyakarta, at the wedding reception of the youngest son of K.G.P.A.A. Paku Alam X, namely B.P.H. Kusumo Kuntonugroho with Laily Annisa Kusumastuti which was held on January 10, 2024.Head of the Customs and Accommodation Division, Dhaup Ageng Pura Pakualaman, KRT Radyo Wisroyo said that the menu served to guests was quite varied. These menus are typical menus prepared by Pakualaman Pura, Indonesian menus and western food menus were also available. All invited guests including VIP and VVIP guests got the same menu. The first menu served to welcome guests, namely two types of welcome drink, namely lime lemongrass and ginger drink with lime. The welcome drink was given when guests sat down and watched the Bedhaya Sidamukti and Bedhaya Kakung Indrawidagda dance performances. Next, they gotsnacks for appetizer such as croquettes and other light snacks. There is a snack that is considered quite special and rare called Garulina. Garulina was the opening snack at the Pahargyan Dhaup Ageng Pakualaman lunch on the first day. Garulina has been around since the era before Indonesian independence. Garulina is actually not a typical Central Javanese food. It looks like the Lapis Legit layered cake, but there is something different, because there is a special layer like vla which is made from fresh milk, eggs and sugar. To get this sweet snack, Pakulaman Temple has to place a special order from the third generation of makers who have been pioneering since the 1950s. In Jogja, Garulina is very difficult to find and is considered rare because it is not sold every day.
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October
The popularity of Korean dramas or K-drama makes Korean fashion or K-Fashion popular in Indonesia. But in South Korea, Indonesian traditional clothing was also introduced. Balinese bridal attire was exhibited at the Indonesian Pavilion at the Multicultural Museum in Seoul, South Korea. The Indonesian Pavilion is the result of collaboration between the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul and the Multicultural Museum through an exhibition themed "When K-Fashion Meets Traditional Fashion".
Director of the Multicultural Museum, Mr. Yun-Tae Kim said that the Indonesian pavilion was very special. The colorful and sacred Balinese wedding attire attracted the eyes and hearts of every visitor. When opening the Indonesian Pavilion, Wednesday (13/10), Ad Interim Charge d'Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, Zelda Wulan Kartika explained that the charm of the cultural beauty of the island of Bali can be seen from the wedding dresses on display. She hopes that every visitor who comes and sees this exhibition will be more interested in traveling to Bali and other tourism attractions in Indonesia.
This Balinese wedding dress exhibition is one of the efforts of the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul to continue to promote Indonesian tourism and cultural arts to South Korean citizens. This effort was made even amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The opening of the Indonesian Pavilion was held in line with the Indonesian Government's plan to reopen the island of Bali for foreign tourists, including from South Korea. The provision of the grand wedding dress from Puri Denpasar Bali was supported by Indonesian Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Madam Bintang Puspayoga. The entire exhibition preparation was carried out through a virtual meeting by involving Madam Agung, a traditional Balinese culture proponent in Denpasar City.
October
Promoting Batik, Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad holds an exhibition in Pakistan
Written by Maryati
Commemorating National Batik Day on 2 October 2021, the Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan held a batik exhibition on 11-13 October in collaboration with Indonesian and Pakistani batik fashion houses. The Indonesian Embassy in its written statement received in Jakarta Wednesday (13/10) stated that the event was held at the Batik Studio Fashion Store boutique owned by Pakistani entrepreneur, Mohsin Qamar at the Centaurus Mall shopping center in Islamabad.
By inviting batik fashion house from Indonesia, Alleira Batik, the exhibition featured lots of types of batik and wastra or traditional cloth from many regions in Indonesia. Indonesian Ambassador to Pakistan, Adam M Tugio when opening the exhibition said that Indonesia and Pakistan have a lot of similarities, starting from history, culture, culinary until fashion.
In terms of batik, Pakistan has clothes which have similar patterns and motifs to batik, but the method of making is different. The Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad stated that Indonesian representatives in Pakistan will continuously intensify the promotion of batik in the country; one of them is by holding a Pakistani patterned batik design competition. The competition will be held with a number of art colleges and art-loving communities in Pakistan, as well as stakeholders from Indonesia.
The Ambassador also explained that the winners will get the opportunity to visit Indonesia, to learn directly the method of making batik in batik industry centers in Indonesia and to have the opportunity to print their work. He hopes that art and fashion lovers in Pakistan will have the opportunity to explore interesting experiences about the uniqueness and beauty of traditional textiles, as well as their blend with Pakistani fashion and lifestyle..
Furthermore, he wants to strengthen people-to-people contacts of both countries by involving educational and cultural institutions, students, and other elements of civil society in Pakistan. The Ambassador also said that there are good intention and trust built between Indonesia and Pakistan so that the collaboration in the soft diplomacy sector is bright. Related to this, Manager of Communication and Coordination of the Center for Global and Strategic Studies, a Pakistani think-tank, Laraib Fatima Hassan explained that people-to-people contact is one of the cores of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Pakistan.
October
The Indonesian Embassy in Canberra holds a cultural heritage batik seminar
Written by Maryati
On the occasion of National Batik Day that took place in Canberra October 2, the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra held a seminar entitled ‘Sustainability of Batik as Indonesia's heritage for the world: Opportunities and Challenges’ as reported by Antara in Jakarta, Thursday (7/10). In the seminar, Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, Kristiarto S Legowo explained that Batik has two main meanings for the people of Indonesia. First, Batik is a cultural heritage from Indonesian ancestors, which has been passed down from generation to generation, with different models in each region and it containing unique values in each community. Second, Batik is a part of the Indonesian industry and is a source of livelihood or work for the community.
Ambassador Kristiarto also said that the demand for Batik has increased from year to year, not only in the domestic market but also in the international arena. Even Batik has entered the high fashion industry. He mentioned two international design houses, Dior and Louis Vuitton, who had integrated Batik motifs into their designs. According to Ambassador Kristiarto, the increasing interest and demand has encouraged the Batik industries to continue to develop in order to meet increasingly higher standards.
Another speaker at the seminar, Yan Sunarya from the Bandung Institute of Technology said that Batik is a collection of knowledge and diversity of beauty. In addition, Batik is also a national identity which later becomes a symbol to respect humans and their cultural achievements. He highlighted Sundanese Batik which is said to have a specific and unique character. According to his research related to Sundanese Batik, since the 16th century, the Sunda region has been familiar with Batik production.
Meanwhile, Speaker Maria Wornska Friend from James Cook University highlighted Javanese Batik in particular. According to Maria, Javanese Batik has made a huge contribution to the world since centuries ago. Its influence even reached India, Africa, Europe and even Australia. The woman, who has conducted research on Javanese Batik for more than 30 years, gave an example of the “Parang Rusak” motif from Central Java, which has inspired the “Fan” motif produced by Vlisco in the Netherlands.
Through the seminar, the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra hopes that people's love for Indonesian Batik will be even greater and there will be enthusiasm to promote Batik as a part of international fashion trends.
October
It’s good news for lovers of contemporary Indonesian art exhibitions. Starting October 6 until November 14, 2021, the XVI Biennale Jogja presents the theme ‘Indonesia with Oceania’. According to Director of the Biennale Jogja Foundation, Alia Swastika, Oceania is chosen because Oceania is an identity contestation space that attracts communities who live together to witness historical shifts and then rewrite their own history in the vortex of local politics, (post) colonialism and global relations. The XVI Biennale Jogja is expected to be a space for dialogue between artists and intellectuals from Indonesia and artists and intellectuals from Oceania. Both can learn from each other's experiences as ex-colonized societies whose existence has been defined for too long by the power of Western knowledge.
At the entire series of exhibitions and programs, the Jogja Biennale is held in four locations. Alia Swastika in a virtual press conference for the XVI Biennale Jogja 2021 said that this year's Biennale Jogja was special, as it marks a decade of the Biennale Jogja, the Equator series, which began in 2011. Thereby, an archive exhibition is also held and itt re-presents fragments of artifacts, and notes on the growth of the Yogyakarta Biennale Foundation in the arts ecosystem in Yogyakarta and in the global south. Interestingly, the works of artists from India to Brazil are presented virtually through the Minecraft game. This shows how this event responds to the relationship between art, knowledge, and digital technology as a part of historical speculation. With the ovid-19 pandemic condition that still limits crowds, exhibitions and most programs can be watched through the online portal https://biennalejogja.org/2021 and the social media accounts of Biennale Jogja.
Biennale Jogja is one of the main references in reviewing the development of Indonesian art. The history of art activities can be traced since its first implementation in Yogyakarta in 1988. For more than two decades, this series of exhibitions has had an impact on the emergence of works, artist figures and discourses that characterize the development of contemporary art in Indonesia and Yogyakarta in particular. Biennale Jogja is organized by the Biennale Jogja Foundation established on August 23, 2010. Its mission is to initiate and facilitate various efforts to obtain a strategic concept of urban planning based on arts and culture, and refine the cultural blueprint of the future city as a fair and democratic shared living space.
October
The Indonesian Embassy identifies business opportunities in Mpumalanga, South Africa
Written by Maryati
The Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria along with the Indonesian Trade and Promotion Center (ITPC) Johannesburg held a meeting with business representatives from the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa to identify a lot of business opportunities in the Province. The Indonesian Embassy Pretoria in its Information on Thursday (7/10) stated that the business meeting for stakeholders held recently was attended by Indonesian Ambassador to South Africa, Salman Al Farisi. Ambassador Salman assesses that the meeting with business activists from Mpumalanga, South Africa is very helpful in identifying lots of business opportunities that can be realized immediately.
Ambassador Salman Al Farisi also assessed that there are many interesting opportunities that can be followed up both for trade, investment and capacity building. Even, some projects are for work not only in South Africa, but also in several neighboring countries of South African, such as Botswana, Namibia , Mozambique and Malawi . The meeting with the Mpumalanga businesspeople was also attended by Director of the ITPC Johannesburg, Anggun Paramita Mahdi and Deputy Director of the ITPC Johannesburg, Jhanner Jhonatan.
While the business delegates from Mpumalanga province were led by Mike Masina from the JJ Engineering and Fabrication Center company. Mike Masina is a former mayor of Middleburg. It is a city in the province of Mpumalanga. The meeting has succeeded in identifying a number of businesses, investments and other collaborations, such as procurement of tires for public transportation, procurement of telecommunications equipment, such as fiber optics and cooperation in telecommunication infrastructure development.
Moreover, the Indonesian Embassy also obtained the opportunity to provide capacity building assistance for the young generation of South Africa, particularly in the field of information technology and telecommunications as well as economic empowerment through Micro Small and Medium Enterprises. Ambassador Salman further stated that the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria and ITPC Johannesburg will try to materialize the opportunities sooner.
October
The Indonesian Embassy in The Hague holds a webinar & The British Navy Submarine Community holds a wreath laying ceremony
Written by Maryati
The Indonesian Embassy in The Hague in collaboration with the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) Eindhoven held a webinar with the theme “Women in Science: Promoting and Empowering Women Scientist to Change the World” on October 1. In his opening remarks for the webinar, Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mayerfas, reiterated that Indonesia's efforts in empowering women exist at every level, either nationally, regionally or globally. For Indonesia, investing in women means investing in human rights. The main speakers ere Deputy Director General of the Anti-Chemical Weapons Organization (OPCW), Ambassador Odette Melono. She emphasized the importance of openness in providing equal opportunities for women to gain access, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. OPCW acknowledges the openness and changes made to provide access to women, both in technical organs and policy makers in OPCW.
Commemorating the tragedy of the sinking of the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine, the British Navy Submarine Community led by Commodore James Perks CBE, held a wreath laying ceremony. The memorial was held at the National Submarine War Memorial, London on 7 October. The event was attended by Indonesian Ambassador to England, Desra Percaya and Assistant Indonesian Defense Attache, Major Pas Fajrun Shodiq. At the event, Chairman of the ‘We Remember Submariners foundation’, Ian Atkinson was also present. The We Remember Submariners is the only foundation in the UK that provides assistance to submarine crews worldwide. The series of commemorative agendas began with a ceremony to honor the 53 crew members of the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine and ended with the laying of remembrance poppies. Afterwards, the placard was handed over to Ambassador Desra Percaya, as a symbol of deep sympathy for the ranks of the British Navy for the tragedy that befell KRI Nanggala.
October
Ubaya students turn Jamblang fruit into effervescent tablets
Written by Maryati
Indonesia is rich in tropical fruits. One of them is called ‘Jamblang or Juwet fruit’. It is a type of fruit rich in benefits. Jamblang has antioxidants that protect the body's cells from free radical damage. The antioxidant compounds in Jamblang are obtained from the purple of the fruit. In the hands of a student of the Biology Study Program of the Bio-nutrition and Food Innovation Specialty Program, University of Surabaya, Linus Nara Pradhana, this Jambang fruit is transformed into an effervescent tablet. It tastes fresher because there is a mixture of soda; the original sour taste of Jamblang is gone.
Linus Nara Pradana said that the taste of Jamblang is very distinctive. So, not everyone can eat the fruit directly because it tastes so sour. Linus took about 3 to 4 months to produce this extraordinary work. The process started from research, the production process to organoleptic tests to 40 people regarding the color, taste, smell, and sensation of soda in this fruit which is often called ‘Javanese plum’.
The manufacture of effervescent takes three days. Ripe Jamblang is washed thoroughly by running water. Next, it is cut and soaked in 70 percent alcohol, then allowed to stand for two days at room temperature.
Jamblang extract is then processed with a spray dryer to convert the liquid extract into powder. Afterwards, the powder is mixed with baking soda, citric acid, and other ingredients to make an effervescent.
Coordinator of the Bio-nutrition and Food Innovation Specialty Program, Faculty of Biology, University of Surabaya, Johan Sukweenadhi said that the exploration of local food ingredients, such as Jamblang, Ciplukan, Dragon fruit, Eggplant, and other food ingredients, is expected to trigger research and other innovations that can increase the value of local plant benefits and improve the economy of farmers who cultivate these crops.
October
Batik and Art Objects of Indonesia showcased at the Riga-Bourse Art Museum
Written by Maryati
Batik and objects of Indonesian art and cultures are displayed at the Riga Bourse Art Museum, a well-known art museum in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The statement was said by Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden and the Republic of Latvia, Kamapradipta Isnomo, while visiting Riga-Bourse, Tuesday (5/10). The Indonesian Embassy in Stockholm in its written statement noted that various patterns of batik, weaving from Palembang and West Nusa Tenggara, masks, leather puppets, Garuda bird statue, and statues from Papua decorate one of the Asian rooms at the museum. Besides, Raden Saleh's painting also adorns one of corners of the exhibition hall of paintings by famous European painters.
Director of the Riga Bourse Museum, Daiga Upeniece at a meeting with Ambassador Kamapradipta expressed his commitment to increase the collection of Indonesian art and cultural objects from many provinces. Moreover, he is committed to continuing the collaboration by bringing Indonesian cultural missions to Latvia and further encouraging cultural memorandum of understanding of both countries. Indonesia and Latvia have established diplomatic relations since 1993. One of the three Baltic countries is a member state of the European Union in the Eastern Europe region. Latvia with a population of 2 million people is Indonesia's largest trading partner and source of tourists from the Baltic region. Bali and Yogyakarta are really well known in Latvia and are a dream destination for Latvians to visit for holidays.
October
Many people are experiencing difficulties due to the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, especially the lower-middle-class people who are economically down. In conditions like nowsdays, it turns out that there are also many people who want to give alms and help, but they do not know how to distribute. Seeing this condition, a number of residents of Banyumas Regency, Central Java, who are members of the Banyumas Forum (Banyumas Figure Ideas) created and launched an online alms application called "iWarga '' some time ago. This app makes it easy for people to give and get excessive food online.
According to Ahmad Ma'mum, a volunteer of "iWarga", this online alms application becomes a connector, an intermediary or media that connects the alms giver and the recipient. So, the food or used goods meet directly between the giver and the recipient through their chatting. He further explained that the excessive food to be donated is not leftover food that has gone stale. It can also be groceries or clothes and items that are not used.
Currently, according to Ahmad Ma'mun, the iWarga application cannot gather people in one place, but it only connects through the application. He hopes that in the future, there will be no more stories in an area where people are still hungry. He will also encourage hotels, restaurants, and bakeries to donate excessive food. Meanwhile, Regent of Banyumas, Achmad Husein appreciated this new application, iWarga. If there are residents who have excessive food, used goods and clothing or household appliances, even though they want to donate to other people, but don't know to whom, they can use this application free of charge.
October
Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Toronto Collaborates with Maison de Couture (MDC) International to Hold a Batik Fashion Show
Written by Maryati
To increase promotion and commemorate the National Batik Day 2021, the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Toronto in collaboration with Maison de Couture (MDC) held a "Mini Fashion Show" in Toronto, Canada on October 1. The activity took place with the applicable health protocols so that the number of attendees was limited.
As a co-organizer, MDC International Corporation has displayed a number of Batik collections around the world by highlighting Indonesia as the largest batik producing country in the world. Art and cultural products, such as Batik have the potential to be eroded by the times, especially due to the development of digital technology nowdays. Through this fashion show, MDC seeks to revitalize the artistic values of Batik, including Indonesian Batik which has been registered as a cultural heritage in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -UNESCO.
The company headquartered in Paris, France is targeting to organize an international fashion show in Bali. The activity is planned to be a collaborative event with MDC Global Group, MDC Fashion TV Paris, Preferred Magazine and various fashion brands that are official sponsors, including Lamborghini, Rolex, Porsche, Sunnybrook, Chanel and Turkish Airlines. Verbally, MDC has said that it will submit a written proposal to get support from the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia noted that various fashion trends continue to develop in Indonesia; one of which is ready-to-wear clothing, which carries a lot of fast fashion business concepts with the character of fast fashion changes and low production costs. The Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto will also encourage the tourism sector, especially with more foreign tourists to visit Indonesia.
Although Indonesia has not officially opened its borders for foreign tourists, various efforts to promote Indonesian tourism need to be intensified. In a publication, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy noted that various fashion shows in Indonesia, such as the Jakarta Food and Fashion Festival (JFFF), Jakarta Fashion Week, Indonesian Fashion Week, Jember Fashion Carnival have given their own interesting colors to Indonesian tourism destinations.