VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Meras Gandrung Banyuwangi art performance was held again at the Taman Gantung Terakota (TGT) park, Banyuwangi, East Java province on 20 January  2024. This arts and cultural attraction is done regularly at the park. The  Sendratari Meras Gandrung is a colossal performance, which depicts the procession of a dancer's struggle in dealing with challenges and tests in order to "graduate" to becoming a Gandrung dancer. This performance is even more iconic because it is held at the park  with a panoramic view of hundreds of Terakota statues of gandrung dancers on three hectares of productive rice fields in the area of  Mount Ijen slopes. The ballet performed by passionate dancers ranging from children to adults was held at an amphitheater in the Terakota area. Gandrung Dance is a typical Banyuwangi dance. This dance was originally danced during the main harvest as an expression of gratitude for the harvest gained. The word Gandrung in the local language means “fascinated.” This meaning is aimed only at Dewi Sri, the Goddess of Rice, who has provided prosperity for society. That's why, this dance is performed after the harvest on a large scale, as a sign of gratitude to Dewi Sri. However, now this dance has become an entertainment art for the local community. Head of the Banyuwangi Culture and Tourism Service, Muhammad Yanuarto Bramuda explained that the Meras Gandrung performance at Taman Gantung Terakota park has become part of a popular tourist attraction. This attraction complements the tourist attraction in the Ijen Mountains area, which is famous for its Blue Fire. The performance of the Meras Gandrung Ballet is also part of a series of arts and culture activities held on a scheduled basis for 2024. In January, February and March the Meras Gandrung Ballet performance is held free of charge for TGT visitors. Meanwhile, for the January schedule itself, the performance was held on Saturday, January 20 2024, at 2 PM (Western Indonesia Time) at Taman Gantung Terakota park.

The Indonesian Embassy  Canberra on Tuesday launched the 'Kawan Ngobrol' program to facilitate students of Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) in Australia. According to the Education and Culture Attaché (Atdikbud)  of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, Mukhamad Najib in a release from the Indonesian Embassy received in Jakarta on Tuesday (23/1) the program aims at providing space and friends for the people of Canberra who want to learn Indonesian language. Najib explained/ like friends, the 'Kawan Ngobrol' program provides comfort for BIPA students to chat without  being stressed like if you are studying in class.  Najib also explained that although there are quite a lot of Indonesian language learners, it doesn't mean there are no obstacles in learning it. One of the challenges is finding a community that can help you practice what you have learned.This program, which is held every month, brings together BIPA students in Canberra with native Indonesian speakers that make the students able to chat casually and improve their conversation skills, as well as forming a language community in the region. Apart from pupils and university students, this program can also be participated by  Australian citizens who worked or lived in Indonesia and want to maintain their Indonesian language skills. One of the citizens, Steve, who served in Indonesia for two years, admitted that he couldn't find anyone to practice Indonesian with, so he forgot a lot of words.Therefore, he is happy with the 'Kawan Ngobrol' program and he will often come according to the specified schedule. Steve is not the only Australians who are interested. Phil Domaschenz, who  worked in Jakarta for a year feels that he misses speaking Indonesian, and hopes that this program can cure his longing.Currently, there are 16 schools and 2 universities in Canberra that provide Indonesian language lessons. The two universities are the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales Canberra campus.  Besides that there are non-school institutions and campuses that also offer Indonesian language classes for adult people such as the Australia-Indonesia Association. The 'Kawan Ngobrol' raised the theme of Indonesian food, where everyone told their favorite Indonesian food. One of the participants named Damian was even able to explain various types of fried rice in Indonesia, as well typical food tastes that differ across regions in Indonesia// that’s Diplomatic Corner.

Probolinggo Regency is one of the main tourist destinations in East Java. The Regency is one of the entrances to Mount Bromo via Cemoro Lawang. However, Mount Bromo is one of many exciting tourist spots in Probolinggo. In the regency, you can also find Madakaripura Falls. Besides being known for its beauty, it is said that Madakaripura Waterfall was where Gajah Mada, a great leader of the Majapahit Empire, meditated for the last time before he died. This is how the location got its name: Mada from Gajah Mada, Kari meaning heritage, and Pura means prayer or meditation. Based on this story, local people believe Madakaripura Falls is eternal. The main reason is that the waterfall has yet to experience a drought. To get to Madakaripura Waterfall from Probolinggo city,  drive towards Branggah hamlet. Its location is approximately 37 kilometres from the city centre of Probolinggo. The Madakaripura Falls entry price is 33,000 rupiah or about 2 US dollars per person. When you arrive at the entrance, there is still a bit of a trek to get to the waterfall. This journey takes approximately 20 minutes from the gate. With a height of 200 metres, Madakaripura Falls is the highest waterfall on Java island and one of the highest in Indonesia. Besides its height, the circular shape of the falls looks like a giant glass, perfect for photo opportunities. Another unique feature is that the water flows from the middle of the waterfall through narrow gaps in the cliffs, spraying in every direction, making it seem like it’s raining. The falls create a natural pool under the waterfall. The water in the pool is a real treat for the eyes with its transparent blue colour. Shady trees in the area also provide a remarkable, scenic atmosphere.

A good news that makes Indonesia proud comes from fashion. Raihan Fahrizal becomes the first Indonesian model to appear on the 2024 Paris Fashion Week Runway. Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno appreciated Raihan's achievements. According to Sandiaga Uno, this achievement is certainly a trigger for the Indonesian fashion industry to create a better fashion ecosystem in the future.The Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, also hopes that the country's fashion industry will continue to develop and advance so that it can become a host in its own country. The Indonesian fashion industry is expected to have strong competitiveness so that it can compete with international brands. This also applies to Indonesian Muslim fashion. President Joko Widodo wants Indonesia to become the world's Muslim fashion center. Until now, the fashion subsector is still the mainstay of Indonesia's creative economy exports with a contribution value of 61.5 percent.Raihan, a model who was born in Bandung, appeared on the runways of two international labels, namely Louis Vuitton on January 16, 2024 and Solid Homme on January 17, 2024. Paris Fashion Week 2024 was held on January 16 – 21 2024 in Paris, France. On the Louis Vuitton runway, Raihan presented the Men's Fall-Winter 2024 collection designed by Pharrell Williams, Creative Director of Louis Vuitton. Raihan looked stunning in a brick red suit and loose trousers combined with a white shirt. Raihan's appearance was even more complete with snakeskin patterned leather boots and a black bag that he carried along the runway.