VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A total of 250 participants competed to become batik ambassadors for Indonesia and the United States in the final batik design competition which was held late December. The competition with the theme “The Best of Both Worlds: Batik as Bridge Between Two Nations” was held by the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago to celebrate National Batik Day 2021. The participants were required to combine design elements from Indonesia and the United States into a cohesive design equipped with an interesting narrative. To ensure the quality of the competition and invite the right participants, the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago collaborated with the Center for Crafts and Batik as partners.

The Indonesian Consul General in Chicago, Meri Binsar Simorangkir in a written statement received in Jakarta on Friday (31/12) explained that the meaning of this competition is to strengthen the relationship between the two nations through cultural acculturation. According to the record of UNESCO, batik is closely related to life in Indonesia, both in terms of technique, symbol, and culture. In 2021, the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago raised batik as one of the main themes of public diplomacy in the United States. He said that the winning batik would be produced in a limited way and given to a number of US figures.

Head of the Center for Crafts and Batik, Hendra Yetty said that the theme adopted by the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago was very unique and different from the themes of batik design competitions in general. Of the 250 entries that were submitted, three works were determined as the winners and another one became the favorite winner of the netizens' choice. The best work was won by I Made Murjaya, entitled "Ceplok Mitra Jagad", which depicts an eagle and a bald eagle facing each other between the globe. The design symbolizes the balanced relationship between Indonesia and the United States of America, respecting and appreciating each other. The second and third winners were achieved by Agung Sulistyo with his work, "Harmony of Nationality" and Wahono S with "Cakra Asih Pinager Lung".

The diplomatic steps of the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago did not stop at this competition. Currently, the Indonesian Consulate General is also preparing a batik gallery which will take place at the Indonesian Cultural Center (ICC) of the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago in collaboration with the Yogyakarta Batik and Crafts Center. The gallery will display beautiful and attractive batik fabrics and feature narratives about the batik-making process and the equipment to make them, such as canting, mori cloth and malam.