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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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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Aviation analytics firm, Cirium announced the 10 most punctual airlines in Asia Pacific in May 2021. According to Cirium's official statement, Thursday (10/6/2021), the results were divided into two categories, namely mainline and network. Mainline is a flight system operated by major airlines and does not include airline partners. Meanwhile, Network is a flight system operated by major airlines, including flights marketed by airlines but operated by separate airline partners. Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's national airline, won awards in both categories. Previously, various international best awards have been achieved by Garuda, including the world's best cabin crew for five consecutive years and Top 10 of The World's Best Airline 2018.
At the Asia Pacific level, Cirium placed Garuda in 4th position. In the Mainline category, the airline Japan Airlines (JAL) was ranked first with the percentage of on-time arrivals of 95.19 percent. The second place is All Nippon Airways (ANA). Meanwhile, the airline from New Zealand, Air New Zealand, is in third place with a percentage of 89.59 percent. The airline also serves the most total flights on the list, reaching 12,570 flights. Furthermore, the airline Garuda Indonesia became the only representative of Indonesia in the top 10 list.
The percentage of Garuda Indonesia's on-time arrival is 87.98 percent. The total flights are 3,916 flights. The total flights are 3,916 flights. The average delay time for Garuda Indonesia is the same as for Air New Zealand, which is 28 minutes. When compared to the mainline category, the changes in the Network category are not too much. In the Network category, ANA took the top spot. Meanwhile, JAL dropped to second place with a percentage of 93.90 percent and an average delay time of 29 minutes. Interestingly, Garuda Indonesia remained in fourth position with a percentage of on time arrivals of 87.98 percent. The average delay time is also the same, which is 28 minutes. For more than a decade, Cirium has regularly issued reports on the punctuality of airlines and airports. However, the report was temporarily suspended at the beginning of 2020 in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic which also paralyzed the aviation sector.
The Austrian Government and the Central Java Provincial Government are exploring cooperation in the field of education and increasing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The cooperation was discussed in a meeting between Austrian Ambassador to Indonesia, Johannes Peterlik and Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo in Semarang, Monday (14/6).
The meeting also discussed the potential for other collaborations in the field of art and exchange of artists which are expected to be realized soon.
Ambassador Johannes Peterlik explained that many Austrian companies are involved in vocational school training and they offer it to the Central Java provincial government. In addition to discussing the potential for cooperation, Ambassador Johannes also shared discussion with Governor Ganjar regarding the handling of COVID-19. He said Austria as a member of the European Union supports Indonesia which is a part of the COVAX initiative. European Union countries have recently increased the number of vaccines in the COVAX initiative to help Indonesia fight this deadly virus.
Meanwhile, Governor Ganjar Pranowo thanked the Austrian Ambassador for visiting. Governor Ganjar Pranowo also said he was happy; there were several sectors of cooperation that have been established, namely education and increasing MSMEs. According to the governor, this cooperation can bring about benefits in improving the economy.
Governor Ganjar Pranowo also hopes that cooperation in the field of vocational schools will soon be realized. He remarked that vocational schools are indeed being improved in Central Java, following the development of the industrial sector and fulfilling the skills and expertise of the workforce in Central Java. He added that in the near future, the Central Java provincial government could send some teachers to Austria to learn about vocational schools there or invite Austrian teachers to Central Java to share their knowledge with teachers in Central Java.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will hold international conference activities at the Five Super Priority Destinations (DSP). One of them will be held at Borobudur Temple on June 24 and 25. According to the Deputy for Tourism Products and Event Organizers of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Rizki Handayani Musatafa, this conference aims to introduce Borobudur Temple as a source of knowledge that contains values for all human beings.
“So if we look at it, actually, there are things that the Borobudur temple is a source of knowledge that has not been explored much. We will raise these values so that people see the Borobudur temple not only in its physical form but also the existing values of Buddhists. All of these may apply to all human beings.”
Rizki added that this event can also make tourists fell confident. This is important to revive the activities of meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions or MICE, especially in the five Super-priority destinations. The theme of this conference is "Sound of Borobudur-Music Over Nations: Exploring Traces of Brotherhood Across Nations Through Music." Through the representation of musical instruments on the temple reliefs, Borobudur temple will be introduced more deeply to the world. According to Prof. Melani Budianta, Ph.D from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Indonesia, Borobudur is the oldest source of artifactual data that mostly describes diverse musical orchestrations. There are 44 panels in Borobudur Temple that show musical aspects. Then, there are 226 reliefs of aero-phones, chordophones, idiophones, membra-phones musical instruments and 45 ensemble reliefs. Purwa Caraka, an Indonesian artist stated that if these musical instruments are played simultaneously, they automatically foster a sense of tolerance between tribes, even between religions. Thereby, Borobudur is a masterpiece of the civilization of Indonesia.
This international conference will be filled by musicians from Indonesia and 10 countries in Asia. These musicians will collaborate to sound the musical instruments found on the reliefs of the Borobudur temple. Then, there are seminars with experts to explore collaborations together, mini exhibitions from 10 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Borobudur area to showcase and offer uniqueness, distinctiveness, and local superior products. This conference activity will be carried out in a hybrid manner. More participants are directed to go online and participants who attend follow strict health protocols, and are held following the CHSE MICE Guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. The 100 offline participants consist of: central and local government elements, academics, domestic and foreign musicians, and tourism practitioners. Deputy for Tourism Products and Event Organizers of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Rizki Handayani Musatafa further explained that the International Conference at Borobudur Super Priority Destination is the beginning for the implementation of International Conferences at other DSPs. Furthermore, it will be held in Toba, Likupang, Labuan Bajo, and Mandalika which will raise the theme with the peculiarities of each Super Priority Destination.
“Later in Toba, we will make it with a different theme. Toba, we will raise the theme of Geopark, because Toba has become a UNESCO Global Geopark. Then, there is Mandalika; there is Labuhan Bajo and there is Likupang, North Sulawesi. So, we will pick this up later according to the theme or then the uniqueness of the place, so that the branding can be stronger later.”
Indonesian food and beverage products are getting easier to be found in Chicago and its surroundings after a store, WaRoeNG opened its service in Schaumburg City, West Chicago on Saturday (12/6). The Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago in its written statement in Jakarta on Sunday (13/60 stated that the presence of an Indonesian shop for the first time has become a bidder of longing for the Indonesian diaspora in Chicago and its surroundings. The store opening event was held simply but lively and it was marked by ribbon cutting by Mayor of Schaumburg, Tom Dailly, Senator Michelle Mussman, Indonesian Consul General in Chicago, Meri Binsar Simorangkir, Membership Director of the Schaumburg Business Association Matt East, President of the Indonesian Diaspora Network, Martino Tangkar, and three owners of WaRoeNG shop namely Tasya Hardono, John Avila, and Windy Priliantining.
The owner of the WaRoeNG shop, Tasya Hardono explained that apart from being a bidder medicine of longing for the Indonesian diaspora, his shop is also a bridge to bring the US and Indonesian people to people contacts more closely. Schaumburg, which is inhabited by various residents, is a good place to introduce Indonesian products. Tasya, who is also the owner of the Indonesian restaurant 'Minahasa' in downtown of Chicago said that by inviting the mayor, senator, and business associations, his side wants to introduce them to the quality of Indonesian products and deserve being presented to the local community. Mayor Tom Dailly congratulated the opening of the WaRoeNG. He said the existence of the shop will be a special attraction for the Indonesian community and local residents, so that the store has a good opportunity to grow continuously.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Consul General in Chicago, Meri Binsar Simorangkir expressed his appreciation and pride for the opening of the Indonesian store. The existence of the store is expected to encourage the export of Indonesian food and beverage products to the Midwest region, in line with the Indonesian government's mission to increase exports of Indonesian products which is being intensified currently by the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago.
The Indonesian Embassy in Bratislava promoted Indonesian culture at the Teleráno program on one of the private television stations in Slovakia, TV Markiza last Friday (11/6). Teleráno is one of Markiza's 2.5-hour morning TV programs that airs from 06.00-08.30 local time. This promotion aims to further introduce Indonesian culture in Slovakia. This promotion is focused on Indonesian food. The types of food displayed include chicken satay, woku tofu/tempe, young mango salad, yellow rice, and pretty sweet cakes. As for the cooking demonstration, the Indonesian Embassy in Bratislava collaborated with Yusuf, an Indonesian citizen in Bratislava, who is a professional cook at a restaurant in Slovakia. The cooking demonstration was assisted by the cook of the Indonesian Ambassador to Bratislava, Pujiyem. The Indonesian Embassy also took this opportunity to promote the Cenderawasih Dance from Bali.
Chairman of the Golkar Party, Airlangga Hartarto signed a cooperation agreement with the United Russia Party, the party of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Friday (11/6). From the United Russia Party, the agreement was signed by Deputy Secretary of The General Council of the United Russia Party, Klimov Andrey Arkadievich. The signing ceremony was held virtually. Both sides will cooperate in the fields of politics, economy and education. Further cooperation agreements between parties will be discussed at a follow-up meeting on 29 June 2021, during an online meeting between ASEAN and Russia parties.
Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia, Vegard Kaale said that Norway is ready to strengthen cooperation with Indonesia in the renewable energy sector. This statement was made by Ambassador Kaale in a webinar entitled "Indonesia-Norway Investment Opportunities in Hydro and Solar Energy in Indonesia" which took place on Monday (7/6). In his remarks at the webinar, Ambassador Kaale said that Indonesia and Norway have established good diplomatic relations for more than 70 years, and it is hoped that good relations can continue to be developed in the form of cooperation, including in the renewable energy sector.
Ambassador Vegard Kaale further stated that the use of renewable energy, such as solar energy and hydroelectric power can reduce the impact of global warming, such as gas emissions that pollute the air. Norway has already a lot of experience with renewable energy. Around 98 percent of the country's energy sources come from hydropower to help support people's lives in Norway.
Furthermore, Ambassador Vegard Kaale expressed Norway's willingness to share experiences and information to help Indonesia achieve its target of 23 percent of using new and renewable energy by 2025. As a realization of that commitment, as many as 43 Indonesian professionals have participated in a capacity building and waterways management program at the International Center for Hydropower from Norway. In the training, the participants explored a technical management of hydropower, starting from operations, maintenance, and components of hydroelectric power plants and sedimentation handling.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Norway, Todung Mulya Lubis in the webinar welcomed the cooperation relationship in capacity building training. He also said that this is in line with President Joko Widodo's program which aims to realize Indonesia's transition towards the use of renewable energy. He also hopes that cooperation with Norway can be Indonesia's first step to achieve this goal.
Indonesian Ambassador to Senegal, Dindin Wahyudin promoted the electric motorcycles produced by Indonesia namely GESITS in Thies City, Senegal This is the real manifestation of the implementation of economic diplomacy to penetrate prospective markets in the West African region. The promotion of the GESITS produced by PT WIKA Industri Manufaktur is also a form of support for the Go Global program of State Owned Enterprises (BUMN). It is also a part of a sister city cooperation plan between Bogor City in Indonesia and Thies City in Senegal, particularly the GESITS motorcycle factory which is located in Bogor Regency, West Java.
Ambassador Dindin Wahyudin explained that the GESITS motorcycle is produced because of a dream of an environmentally friendly and modern motorcycle product for the people of Indonesia and the world. Therefore, Indonesia also invites friendly countries, including Senegal, to use environmentally friendly technology in their daily lives. On the occasion, he also expressed his appreciation to Director of Ndiaye Transport, Makhtar Ndiaye who supported the promotion of the event. Ndiaye Transport is the first GESITS motorbike user in Senegal and the pioneer of modern motorbike taxi services in Thies City.
Ambassador Dindin believes that due to a number of similarities and a long history of good relations between Indonesia and Senegal, the GESITS motorcycles will be accepted by the people of Senegal. He is also sure that the use of GESITS motorcycles and the development of Ndiaye Transport can support the Government of Senegal in providing fast, safe, cheap, and environmentally friendly transportation as well as open up more employment opportunities for the people of Senegal. The event was also attended by the Minister of Craft Transformation and Informal Sectors of Senegal, Governor of Thies Region, Head of Transport for Thies Region, Director of Thies City Cooperation, Chair of the Thies Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Head of Thies Region Transport Division, Director of Ndiaye Transport, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Guinea-Bissau, Deputy Director General of the Bank of Africa, and a number of potential buyers of GESITS motorcycles.
Bali, the pride of Indonesia's tourism destination, becomes the favourite of not only the Indonesian people, but also Asia and the world in 2021 according to the Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2021 award by travel site TripAdvisor. For the world category, Bali is in the top position while beating a number of other tourist destinations, including London in England, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Rome in Italy. Meanwhile, for the Asia category, Bali is also in first position. The province is above other tourist attractions, including Hanoi in Vietnam, Bangkok in Thailand, and Hoi An in Vietnam.
On the official website of the award, the Island of the Gods is described as a living postcard and a paradise in Indonesia that looks like a fantasy world. TripAdvisor also wrote, tourists can do various activities while on vacation there, from sunbathing on white sandy beaches, diving and seeing World War II shipwrecks, watching traditional dances, to taking yoga classes. Tourists are also recommended to visit a number of tourist attractions there, including Kelingking Beach, Sekumpul Waterfall, and Mount Batur.
Besides Bali, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara is also included in the list of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia in 2021. The island is ranked 22nd with several recommended destinations, including Gili Meno Beach, Mount Rinjani, and Selong Belanak Beach. The Travelers' Choice Best of the Best award has been held since 2002. Launched from the TripAdvisor site, this award is based on millions of reviews and opinions from travellers around the world.
The Travelers' Choice Best of the Best awards reflect the best in terms of service, quality and visitor satisfaction, from hotels and accommodations to attractions, restaurants and experiences.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency introduced a creative food packaging product made from betel nut midrib called ‘Plepah’ at a media meeting held on Thursday (3/6).Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno accompanied by Expert Staff for Innovation and Creativity, Josua Puji Mulia Simanjuntak, along with Plepah Team Representative, Rengkuh Banyu Mahandaru, presented products that they hope could be solutions to the global issue:trash. Plepah products are processed betel nut tree’s waste as an alternative economic income for the people of South Sumatra and Jambi. The products in the form of plates and food packaging are sturdy, waterproof, and heat-resistant up to 200 degrees Celsius so that they can be put in the oven and microwave and decomposed in the soil in 60 days.
Plepah was initiated by Community Driven Innovation dealing with a waste problem in which the most waste is Styrofoam waste.According to Minister Sandiaga Uno, Foot-lose Community Driven Innovation has implemented adaptation, collaboration, and innovation. Adapting to environmental issues, the community collaborates with the Musi Banyuasin Government and the local communities. The innovation provides solutions for the environment, social matters and it creates jobs, avoids and reduces the use of Styrofoam.
From research in 18 cities, the contribution of Styrofoam waste is 0.27 to 0.59 tons in Indonesia waters. This is worrying for marine biota. Therefore, the solution created is to present food packaging from natural materials, such as betel nut midrib.These basic materials are commonly found in oil palm plantations and rubber plantations. In addition, this creative product also opens up wide employment for the local community.Quoted from the official Plepah website, this product was developed because of concerns about organic waste which is considered garbage, then cannot be processed.Therefore, organic waste, such as betel nut midrib is developed into a product of economic value through the role of community empowerment. This product consists of an eco-friendly disposable plate and a packaged lunch box.
Seven importers, distributors and owners of restaurants in Hong Kong received the Consulate Awards 2020 for participating in promoting Indonesia's economic diplomacy. The Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong in a written statement quoted by Antara in Lanzhou, China, Saturday (5/6) stated that the award was handed over to the winners in Hong Kong recently. The Consulate Awards were given through the assessment and selection of dozens of companies importing and distributing Indonesian products, restaurants serving Indonesian food, and corporate agencies.
The Indonesian Consul General in Hong Kong, Ricky Suhendar explained that finally, the vision, innovation, and efforts of the companies and agencies in achieving excellence in running a business contribute to strengthening the Indonesia-Hong Kong economic and trade partnership. The Indonesian Consulate General ( KJRI) and stakeholders in Hong Kong continuously strive to encourage the export of Indonesian products to Hong Kong. Ricky emphasized that this award is expected to be a motivation for business people because through perseverance and hard work, success can be achieved.
On the same occasion, KJRI also gave an award to Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) Hong Kong for its support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and capacity building efforts for the Indonesian citizen community in Hong Kong.