VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Athens, Greece celebrated the 79th anniversary of Indonesia's independence and 75 years of friendship with Greece through a diplomatic reception) at the InterContinental Athenaeum Hotel in Athenson Friday (18/10).

Reported by the Indonesian Embassy in Athens on Saturday (19/10), this reception was attended by the Minister of Tourism of Greece, Olga Kefalogianni and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Kostas Fragogiannis. For the first time, two Greek ministers were present together at a diplomatic reception. The event was also attended by 400 guests of honor, including government officials, ambassadors, business leaders, and members of the ASEAN Committee in Athens (ACAT).

In his remarks, Indonesian Ambassador to Greece, Bebeb A.K.N. Djundjunan emphasized the importance of shared values in democracy and a strong foundation of friendship that can support cooperation in various fields, such as trade, tourism, culture, maritime cooperation, and exchanges between peoples. Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Kostas Fragogiannis emphasized the importance of the Action Plan to Increase Economic Cooperation between Indonesia and Greece 2023–2028, while the Minister of Tourism of Greece, Olga Kefalogianni underlined the potential for tourism cooperation to strengthen relations between the two countries.

This year's celebration also marks 75 years of Indonesia-Greece relations, which are enriched by the Indonesia Expo which takes place throughout the year. The expo encourages interaction between communities through collaborative art exchanges and cultural performances, showcasing artworks from Indonesian and Greek artists that reflect the deep ties between the two countries.

The event featured various performances that highlighted Indonesia's rich culture, including traditional dances. This reception is a platform to promote Indonesia's cultural diversity and reinforce positive trends in Indonesia's integrated promotion efforts at the international level.

Indonesia-Japan Friendship Festival 2024 took place at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, on Saturday, 19/10. The event spanned two days and featured performances by various artists from Indonesia and Japan. Indonesian artists included the band J-Rocks, Balinese musicians Balawan and Batuan Ethnic Fusion, and the Gondang Orchestra. Japanese artists included Tokyo Lagu-Lagu Kai and Hiroaki Kato, among others.

This festival is part of the “Road To Osaka 2025” initiative and serves as a continuation of the “One Heart” commemoration marking 65 years of relations between Indonesia and Japan. Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Japan, Heri Akhmadi, emphasized the significance of the Indonesia-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which encompasses cooperation in various fields, including arts and culture.

Ambassador Heri noted the importance of the Indonesian diaspora in Japan, which numbers around 180,000 people, highlighting its potential to strengthen people-to-people contacts between the two nations. He encouraged the Indonesian diaspora, along with other ASEAN citizens, to actively participate in socio-cultural activities in Japan, aiming to introduce Indonesian culture to the Japanese people. Through these efforts, a stronger intercultural understanding between the two countries can be fostered, ultimately allowing Indonesia and Japan to advance together for the welfare of their citizens.

In addition to artistic performances, the 2024 Indonesia-Japan Friendship Festival featured 90 booths showcasing specialty foods, art products, and Indonesian banking services. The event also saw the attendance of ambassadors from friendly countries, including Laos Ambassador to Japan Tuy Ry and Vietnam Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu, along with representatives of ASEAN countries.

We meet again in the program "Let's Speak Bahasa Indonesia," which introduces you to Indonesian vocabulary and guides you to use it properly. This program, "Let's Speak Bahasa Indonesia," is a collaboration between Voice of Indonesia, the Overseas Service of Radio Republik Indonesia, and the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. Today's topic is “Di Labuan Bajo” (2x) which means In Labuan Bajo. 

You will listen to a conversation titled “Ingin Menjadi Penyelam” (2x), which means (I Want to Become a Diver). This conversation takes place between Chris, a vlogger from Australia, and Nana, a tour guide at Manta Point, Manggarai Barat Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Chris mentions that since he was a child, he wanted to become a diver. Let’s listen to their conversation!

Tour guide (F    :    Chris, kamu sudah sering menyelam?  

Chris (M)            :    Ya, tentu. Saya sudah punya lisensi menyelam. Sejak kecil saya

                                 ingin menjadi penyelam.  

Tour guide (F)   :    Wah, hebat. Semoga nanti kita beruntung bertemu manta.

I will introduce you some vocabulary related to today’s material, “Ingin Menjadi Penyelam” (2x), which means I Want to Become a Diver. I will say it slowly, and you can repeat it after me.

In the conversation, you heard the statement “Sejak kecil saya ingin menjadi penyelam” (2x), which means "Since childhood, I wanted to become a diver"… In the context of the conversation, the word “penyelam” (2x) which means diver… In that expression, the word “penyelam” (2x) refers to a person whose profession is diving and is related to the word "menyelam” which refers to the activity of diving in water.

Another Example

Example of words referring to people with specific professions.

"Penari" (2x) which means (dancer)  

"Penari menarikan tari danding dari Manggarai." which means "The dancer performs the danding dance from Manggarai"

"Pedagang" (2x) which means "merchant"

"Banyak pedagang di kawasan wisata" which means "There are many merchants in the tourist area".

One of the popular tourist destinations in Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara Province, is Manta Point. At Manta Point, visitors can dive and meet manta rays. Mantas are a type of ray from the species **Manta birostris**, which are shaped like a kite and have long tails.

Before we end today’s Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia, let’s listen to the example conversation once again for more clarity.

Tour guide (F    :    Chris, kamu sudah sering menyelam?  

Chris (M)            :    Ya, tentu. Saya sudah punya lisensi menyelam. Sejak kecil saya

                                 ingin menjadi penyelam.  

Tour guide (F)   :    Wah, hebat. Semoga nanti kita beruntung bertemu manta.

That was “Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia” with a conversation titled “Ingin Menjadi Penyelam” or I want to become a diver”. We hope this edition is useful for those of you who want to know more about the Indonesian language. We will meet again next week with a different topic. Thank you for your attention, and see you next time!

Isner Rafael, a student of BINUS SCHOOL Simprug Junior High School, Jakarta, won 1st place in the prestigious Golden Classical Music Award music competition. Performing Zez Confrey's arrangement entitled ‘Dizzy Fingers,’ Isner beat participants from various countries.

The Golden Classical Music Award, in collaboration with the Grand Prize Virtuoso, opens the door for talented artists from around the world in the fields of strings, piano, and vocals to showcase their talents on the world stage and provides awards that can pave the way for international careers. As a result of his victory, Isner was invited to perform on the Weill Recital Hall stage at Carnegie Hall, New York, United States.

BINUS SCHOOL Simprug, as an international school that prioritizes a balance between academic achievement and student talent, provides full support for Isner in developing his abilities in music, especially piano. Through the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, BINUS School instills values such as being open-minded, principled, and daring to take risks. With this approach, Isner is able to manage his schoolwork while still exploring his interests in the world of music. This shows how a balanced education can encourage students to achieve high results without sacrificing their passions.

Isner's success is not only a source of pride for himself but also an inspiration for his friends at BINUS SCHOOL Simprug. Support from his family and teachers is one of the keys to his success, enabling him to perform on the prestigious stage in the United States. This achievement proves that with enthusiasm and dedication, Indonesian students can compete and excel on the world stage. Hopefully, Isner's achievement can motivate other students to keep pursuing their dreams, both in academic and non-academic fields.