VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Acting (Plt.) Head of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) E. Aminudin Aziz speaking at the 30th General Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNLAO) 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo : Perpusnas) -  

VOInews, Dubai : Acting (Plt.) Head of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) E. Aminudin Aziz stated that libraries must have new functions that include community empowerment programs.

This was conveyed by Plt. Head of National Library at the 30th General Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNLAO) 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which took place on 15-17 November 2024.

He added that the Social Inclusion Based Library Transformation (TPBIS) program implemented in Indonesia provides new hope in efforts to realize the function of libraries for community empowerment.

"Government commitment and community participation are key aspects in making this transformation successful," he said when speaking at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, Dubai, UAE, on Sunday (17/11/2024).

He understands that this new initiative in library transformation will always face challenges, both support and resistance. "So, remain patient and diligent in implementing it," he explained.

On this occasion, Plt. The Director of the National Library explained that library transformation was based on two things, namely libraries for all to ensure inclusive access to knowledge for all levels of society and libraries as spaces for creativity, namely creating spaces that foster creativity, innovation and collaboration.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday November 20th 2024 in Jakarta, regarding the TPBIS program, it was explained that initially the National Library created an initiative to promote libraries for all and libraries as spaces for creativity with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (through the Global Libraries Initiative) and The Coca-Cola Foundation.

"This activity is known as PerpuSeru and took place from 2011 to 2018. As of November 2018, PerpuSeru has supported 200 village libraries, 50 district libraries and 34 provincial libraries," he explained.

Furthermore, Indonesia, through the National Library, continued this program with the title TPBIS program. "Because this program has a good impact nationally, the government has made it a National Priority and for the first time it is part of the National Priorities," he said.

From 2018 to 2024, the TPBIS program has reached 2,691 public libraries in 38 provinces. One of the good practices of the TPBIS program that has been carried out is in Magelang, Central Java. This program is said to have a good influence on the surrounding community, namely that the library is better known and has the trust of the community, and a shift in perspective on human resource development has placed the function of the library more proportionally.

Regarding international conferences, according to him, this has important meaning as a means of gaining new insights regarding the role of libraries in providing greater benefits to society.

The 30th General CDNLAO 2024 carries the big theme "Libraries and Sustainability" which is attended by representatives from China, Jordan, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Singapore, Kuwait, Vietnam, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates , Qatar and India.

The CDNLAO conference focuses on three main themes, namely the role of libraries in supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs), green libraries and environmental sustainability and educating the public about sustainability through libraries. This conference reflects the cultural and social diversity of the Asia and Oceania region, while encouraging collaboration between libraries to create a more sustainable future for the global community//VOI

FILE PHOTO: People attend the Slush 2022 Startup Event in Helsinki, Finland November 17, 2022. Lehtikuva/Emmi Korhonen via REUTERS/File Photo

VOInews, Helsinki : Tech entrepreneurs and investors meet in Finland on Wednesday at Slush, one of Europe's largest start-up events, with a focus on whether funding conditions will ease, the impact of Donald Trump's election victory and the prospects for AI-driven growth.

Slush, which gets its name from November Finnish weather, gives an opportunity for venture capitalists and start-up founders to compare notes to see whether funding can buck the trend of three years of slowdown and whether firms can follow the likes of Klarna and Revolut into initial public offerings.

"Looking ahead, there are reasons for cautious optimism. AI continues to attract significant investment - nearly $40 billion globally in 2023 - showing confidence in its transformative potential," Slush CEO Aino Bergius told Reuters ahead of the event, due to be attended by 13,000 people.

One of Europe's largest venture capital firms Index said the two-day event came "amid a streak of optimism" in European tech, driven by investment in AI.

"There is a lot of capital in the market, and we can feel that it is being actively deployed," Anastasija Plotnikova, CEO of crypto startup Fideum, said.

Meanwhile, some of the startups headed to the event were more cautious over a turnaround.

"While I hope to see some stabilisation in funding conditions next year, I remain cautious," said Mathilda Strom, founding chief operating officer of Bioptimus, a company developing a foundation model for biology, citing economic uncertainty and higher interest rates.

Funding to emerging tech companies in 2024 is set to have fallen for the third year in a row, but a window for new listings is opening again, venture capital firm Atomico said in its industry report on Tuesday.

However, Francesco Ricciuti, a deeptech VC investor, at Runa Capital, said the fallout from the U.S. election could have a negative impact on the industry if Trump's promise to impose potentially hefty tariffs on a swathe of goods was realised.

"Tariffs will play a pivotal role as supply chains in many technological sectors are deeply interconnected and fragile," Ricciuti said//CNA-VOI

The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. (File photo: AFP/Mariana SUAREZ)

VOInews, Lima : Peruvian authorities said on Tuesday (Nov 19) they have tightened security at the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu after tourists there were filmed dispersing what were believed to be human ashes.

Last week, citizens in Peru were outraged by a non-dated video on TikTok in which a woman at the tourist site took ashes from a plastic bag and threw them in the air, then hugged another woman. The video had a caption about "saying goodbye with much love at Machu Picchu" and hashtags with the words "ashes" and "spreading ashes".

The 30-second video was first shown on the account @IncaGoExpeditions, belonging to a travel agency, before it was removed from TikTok.

Cesar Medina, the head of Machu Picchu archaeological park, told AFP that officials were going to hire more guards and install more surveillance cameras.

He said there was nothing in local laws barring people from spreading human ashes in public.

But this will now be barred at Machu Picchu for health reasons, Medina said.

Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the site welcomes an average of 5,600 visitors a day but until now had only four cameras and a small team of security guards.

The ancient citadel, built in the 15th century by Incan emperor Pachacuti, sits at an altitude of 2,438m in the Peruvian Andes//CNA-VOI

(Photo: Facebook/Minecraft)

VOInews, Singapore : The best-selling video game Minecraft is to become a real-life destination, as part of a multi-million-pound deal between theme park operator Merlin Entertainments and video game developer Mojang Studios.

Merlin said it had agreed to an initial £85 million (US$107.5 million) deal with the Swedish company to create attractions based on the game at its existing parks in Britain and the United States in 2026 and 2027. 

It then plans to expand the concept to accommodation, retail and restaurants, plus a ride based on the popular 3D sandbox game, before widening it out across the world.

Merlin Entertainments chief executive Scott O'Neil called the deal "a significant milestone".

"Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time and this world-first will see fans experience its thrill and creativity in real life at theme parks and city centre attractions in leading tourist destinations," he added.

Kayleen Walters, vice-president, franchise development for gaming at Microsoft, which acquired Mojang in 2014, called it "an incredibly exciting step" which would help broaden the game's appeal.

Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, with more than 140 million players each month.

A live-action movie is due for release next year, while Netflix has also announced plans for an animated series.

Merlin operates a number of leading theme parks and tourist attractions, including Legoland, Peppa Pig Theme Park and Madame Tussauds waxwork museum//CNA-VOI