VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Next week, 11  March, Muslims around the world will carry out fasting during Ramadan, which means that they do not  eat or drink for approximately 12 hours everyday  for 30 days. Approaching the fasting month of Ramadan, residents of Ratmakan Village, Ngupasan sub-district, Gondomanan Special Region of Yogyakarta again held an Apem festival, "Ngapem Ruwahan, on Sunday morning (25/2/ 2024). There were three large Apems or food-like mountains (gunungan) at the festival.

Before the event started, all the residents of Ratmakan village paraded three mountains which  consist of two Apem mountains, sticky rice and kolak, and one mountain which  contains vegetables from the land. These three mountains are a symbol of gratitude and forgiving one  another among humans and approach themselves  to God Almighty. When parading the three gunungan, the residents of Ratmakan village who paraded the gunungan, wore traditional Javanese clothing with Gamelan music accompaniment which made the atmosphere of this festival even more festive and solemn.

Another purpose of holding the Apem festival is to bring about harmonization of religious, artistic and cultural elements in the community. But the most important message is actually to remind ones that the Muslims will soon enter the holy month of Ramadan. The lesson that can be learned from holding this Apem festival tradition   is  the sincerity to forgive one another. "Afwan" an Arabic word, which means sorry, then becomes Apem. This is all mental preparation before doing fasting in the month of Ramadan.

As a series of preparations for Indonesia's participation in the 2025 world exhibition,  the Design Inauguration Ceremony and Handover of the Location for the 2025 Indonesian Pavilion Exhibition was held at the Imperial Hotel Osaka in Japan on Wednesday (28/2). The activity was attended by  Minister of National Development Planning, Head of the National Development Planning Agency, Suharso Monoarfa, Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Heri Akhmadi, Mayor of Osaka,  Hideyuki Yokoyama, Secretary-General of World Expo 2025 Osaka,  Hiroyuki Ishige,  Consul-General of Indonesia in Osaka  and Commissioners General of exhibiting countries.

In this five-year agenda, the Indonesian Pavilion takes the theme "Thriving in Harmony: Nature, Culture,  Future with the main focus being Indonesia's commitment to sustainable development, including the implementation of the green economy and blue economy for the Sustainable Development Goals -SDGs.

Moreover, Ambassador Heri Akhmad viewed that Indonesia's commitment to participate in the World Expo 2025 Osaka is an important milestone in the comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and Japan, which was agreed in 2023.  Indonesia–Japan continues to contribute positively to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity, including in efforts to achieve the SDGs.  As the National Authority responsible for Indonesia's participation in the 2025 World Expo Osaka, Minister Suharso Monoarfa has said that Indonesia has implemented various strategies to materealize the SDGs. In the previous year,  the United Nations report stated  Indonesia is one of the countries that has achieved the most progressive in the SDGs among upper middle income countries.

Meanwhile, the World Expo 2025 will be held in Osaka from 13 April until 13 October 2025.  This agenda is the main platform for Indonesia and various countries to reaffirm their commitment to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, Australia through the Trade Attaché along with the Indonesian Fashion Designers Entrepreneurs Association initiated a batik promotion consisting of a fashion show and batik workshop. The event was held at the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra on  Monday (26/2). Indonesian Trade Attaché in Canberra, Agung Haris Setiawan has conveyed that the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra is committed to maintaining the momentum of high enthusiasm among consumers and business people in Canberra by promoting  cultural diplomacy and trade    to bring    a positive    image    of Indonesia    on the    international    stage. This activity, which promotes Batik as a culture and product of Indonesian Small and Medium Enterprises, was attended by more than 100 invited guests consisting of female ambassadors, ambassadors' wives, boutique owners and some diaspora businesspeople in Canberra.

The Indonesian Trade Attache invited 5 designers from the Yogyakarta Indonesian Fashion Designers Entrepreneurs Association namely Deeje Batik, Gee Batik, Essy Masita,  Dewani Batik and Ani Seto. All designers will also atrend in Sydney and Melbourne through Indonesia Modest Fashion Week Melbourne on 1-  5 March, 2024.

Some  ambassadors and ambassadors' wives were very enthusiastic about taking part in the batik making workshop. According to Haris, this kind of activity is important to show that hand-made Batik has a complicated process and requires expertise, so it has high added value. Transactions carried out during the implementation of the activity amounted to 15,000-20,000 Australian dollars and there is still some potential from business people who are also invited to attend the Indonesian Trade Expo next October. This fashion show activity is a continuation of the "Free Postage" or free shipping program which was launched previously, so that the promotion of Batik will be even greater and help Small and Medium Enterprises.