VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia, and Festival Indonesia Inc. will once again host Festival Indonesia 2024 to promote Indonesian culture and natural potential, as well as to commemorate the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia. Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Melbourne, Kuncoro Giri Waseso, in a release received by Antara on Tuesday (13/8), highlighted that Festival Indonesia is an annual event eagerly anticipated by Melbourne residents. This event represents a synergy between the community and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Melbourne. The success of Festival Indonesia 2023 was marked by the breaking of the world record for flash mobs.

Kuncoro Giri Waseso further mentioned that Festival Indonesia received an extraordinary reception, with 5,000 visitors from all corners of Melbourne last year. The success of the 2023 Indonesian Festival was particularly notable for breaking the world record for the Tor-Tor Dance flash mob with the most participants abroad, approximately 1,200 participants, who together filled Argyle Square to dance Tor-Tor. He expressed hope that Festival Indonesia, which will be held on October 6, 2024, will attract 6,000 visitors, including members of the Indonesian diaspora and local Melbourne residents from various nationalities.

According to the Chairman of the Indonesian Festival Committee, Celyanda Goeltom, this year's festival, themed “Knitting Culture and Growth of Eastern Indonesia,” will showcase the natural potential of Eastern Indonesia, particularly the regions of Maluku, Papua, and East Nusa Tenggara. This aligns with the Indonesian Government's "The New Bali" program. The Indonesian Festival will take place at Argyle Square and will feature cultural performances such as dances, pencak silat, and music.

In addition to the festival, there will be a Business Forum on October 3 to explore investment opportunities in Eastern Indonesia, and an Indonesian Night at the Melbourne City Conference Center on October 4, which will feature musical theater from Eastern Indonesia. The Indonesian Festival Committee will also organize "FI Goes to School," an activity that involves visiting schools in Melbourne and surrounding areas from October 7-11. The event will also offer a variety of traditional culinary dishes and drinks from the archipelago, such as es cendol, es campur, nasi campur, rendang, and satay.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Sydney,  Australia  in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Music  and Infinity Health, organized a music night entitled “Indonesia Music Night”  as an effort to strengthen 75 years of  diplomatic relations. Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia Sydney, Vedi Kurnia Buana through an official statement received by Antara in Jakarta on Thursday (15/8) pointed out that  this music night is one of the best manifestations of strong ties among communities of  both countries.  The music performance which was also held to celebrate the 79th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, took place at the Australian Institute of Music amphitheater.  The event was attended by students, alumni, staff  and friends of the Australian Institute of Music and friends of the Australian Institute of Music in  Australia. The celevration of the  79th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia  took place at the Australian Institute of Music amphitheater.  

Consul-General Vedi also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Australian Institute of Music and Infinity Health for their dedication in strengthening Indonesia-Australia relations. He emphasized that music is a universal language that transcends cultural boundaries. Through music, the people of both countries can connect, understand, empathize  and collaborate. The message was also conveyed by  Famous Indonesian musicians  who are alumni and partners of the Australian Institute of Music  such as Indra Lesmana, Dwiki Dharmawan  and I Wayan Balawan  through video messages.  They emphasized that music is a universal language that can unite parties from various backgrounds  and become one of the soft diplomacy media that can open many opportunities for collaboration, create bridges between cultures and nations  and strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia. 

Meanwhile, Head of Educational Engagement and Learning Australian Institute of Music, Julian Gough said that he was proud to be involved in the event  and for the first time organized activities in the framework of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia. To support the promotion of Indonesia Spice Up the World,  the event also  presented a variety of Indonesian dishes,  including klepon,  pastel, layer cake, and risoles.

The year 2024 has been designated by ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and China as the ASEAN-China People's Exchanges Year to strengthen mutual exchanges and learning, enrich comprehensive strategic partnerships, and jointly build a peaceful, safe, prosperous and beautiful homeland. and comfortable.

Throughout this year, ASEAN and the Chinese Government, friendly non-governmental organizations, business communities and other entities are encouraged to jointly carry out exchanges and cooperation in the fields of youth, non-governmental, education, culture, tourism, media, science and technology.

As an implementation of this agreement, House of Cartoon mania (HOCA), an organization of cartoon activists and lovers in Indonesia, had the opportunity to visit the Cartoon Museum and Headquarters of the Guangdong Cartoonist Association (GDCA) in Guangdong City and visit several cities in several Chinese provinces.

The HOCA delegation was led by its founder, Yere Agusto (Denpasar) along with four cartoonist members: Tommy Thomdean (Jakarta), Gus Dark (Tabanan), Basuki (Hu Wie Tian-Medan), and Ika W Burhan (Bogor).

HOCA's visit on 15-24 July 2024 to China received support from several parties including the Chinese government, the South China Association for International Friendly Contact (SCAIFC) and the Sasthi Svara Foundation, a non-profit organization of the fields of arts, culture and MSMEs.

While in China, HOCA also visited  places that are still rarely visited by international tourists, such as the Xinjiang Autonomous Region where the majority Uighur muslim community lives.

The main agenda for the HOCA and GDCA meeting is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding which has a term of three years and can be renewed. The MoU contains an agreement to become a strategic partner and exchange information on arts and culture, especially in the field of cartoons/comics.

The activities expected to be realized from the signing of this memorandum of understanding include creating cartoon contests and joint exhibitions, cartoonists from both countries can fill in the media in their respective countries, cooperation in making animated films, as well as exchange of cartoonists between the two countries.

It is hoped that with the various activities that will be carried out in the future, the friendship between Indonesian and Chinese cartoonists will become closer and stronger.