VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Ambassador to Fiji Dupito D. Simamora (right) with participants of the fun walk held to commemorate 50 years of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Fiji in Suva, Fiji, on Saturday (15/6/2024). (Photo by: ANTARA/HO-KBRI Suva)

VOINews, Jakarta: The Indonesian Embassy in Suva, Fiji, hosted a fun walk event on Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Fiji.

As reported by Antara, Ambassador Dupito D. Simamora emphasized that the event, held in partnership with the Fiji-Indonesia Friendship Association (FIFA), symbolizes the longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.

"The fun walk aims to bring the community together in celebrating this significant milestone and to reaffirm our commitment to fostering friendship and cooperation in the future," stated Dupito, according to a statement from Jakarta.

Apart from Dupito, the event was attended by Acting President of Fiji Salesi Temo and FIFA Chairman and former Fijian Ambassador to Indonesia Tui Cavuilati.

The fun walk commenced at 7 a.m. local time from the Albert Park Lower Hall in Suva, following a route along Queen Elizabeth Drive towards Suzuki Park before concluding back at Albert Park, where participants enjoyed refreshments.

Over 300 individuals participated in the event, including members of the diplomatic corps, Fijian government officials, Indonesia Scholarships for Fiji alumni, local students, and the Indonesian community in Fiji.

Dupito also highlighted the presence of students from Queen Victoria School, who received rehabilitation assistance from the Indonesian government following the damage caused by Cyclone Winston in 2016, as a testament to the strong bilateral ties and enduring cooperation between Indonesia and Fiji.

In addition to the fun walk, KBRI Suva organized various other activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Indonesia-Fiji relations, including the donation of medical equipment for rural community empowerment, a seminar on Indonesia-Fiji cooperation with the Fiji National University, and the establishment of the Fiji-Indonesia Friendship Association./Antara/VOI

President Joko Widodo (third from left) along with, among others, Prime Minister Giorgona Meloni of Italy (second from right) and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan (far right) raise their shovels after planting mangrove trees in Ngurah Rai Forest Park (Tahura) on the second day of the G20 Summit in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday (16/11/2022). (Photo by: ANTARA FOTO/Media Center G20 Indonesia/Akbar Nugroho Gumay/aww.)

VOINews,Jakarta: Japan and Italy reached an agreement on Friday (14/6) to bolster cooperation in diplomacy, defense, and economic security amidst rising global tensions.

As reported by Antara, The meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took place in Fasano, Italy, during the G7 Summit to finalize the action plan, as stated by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The comprehensive agreement encompasses seven key areas, including collaboration in diplomacy, defense, and economic security, underscoring the imperative of enhanced partnership in light of China's military resurgence and Russia's incursion into Ukraine.

Additionally, the cooperation extends to various sectors such as economy, culture, people-to-people exchanges, academia, science and technology, as well as food and agriculture.

The joint effort reflects a shared understanding that security in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region is interconnected, with a mutual objective of upholding international peace and stability, as mentioned in the official statement.

Japan's constitutional stance against war traditionally imposes limitations on defense exports. Nevertheless, Tokyo has progressively eased these restrictions since 2014, facilitating the conditional development of defense equipment.

Notably, Japan aims to collaborate with the UK and Italy in the joint development of next-generation fighter jets by 2035, marking a significant milestone in collective defense equipment advancement.

Japan's defense partnerships extend to 16 other nations, including Australia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, the US, Vietnam, and Ukraine./Antara/VOI

Chef de Mission (CdM) of Team Indonesia for the Paris 2024 Olympics Anindya Bakrie, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI/NOC Indonesia) Ismail Ning, Greysia Polii, and participants running at GBK Jakarta, Saturday (June 15, 2024). (Photo by: ANTARA/HO/NOC Indonesia)

VOINews,Jakarta: Chef de Mission (CdM) of Team Indonesia for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Anindya Bakrie, and Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI/NOC Indonesia), Ismail Ning, have engaged in promoting the spirit of the Paris Olympics with the public through a running event at Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta on Saturday.

"This is part of our efforts to raise awareness about the upcoming Olympics. We are now just 41 days away from the Olympics, with athletes having already qualified and some still striving. Hopefully, with the prayers and support of the community, they will be more motivated to win medals and proudly sing Indonesia Raya," explained Anindya Bakrie, as quoted in KOI's official statement.

"Today, we ran around GBK to provide information about the Indonesian team that will compete in the Paris Olympics. The highlight will be our NOC Indonesia hosting Olympic Day on June 22 at GBK, inviting the public to engage in sports activities for a Healthy and Champion Indonesia," added Ismail Ning.

Also present at the event was badminton player Greysia Polii, who is also a gold medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The group started their run from Cafe Zonablu Gofit inside the ring road of the GBK Stadium. Participants ran a distance of 5 kilometers and mingled with the public in the GBK area.

"I'm usually the one doing sports, but this time I ran alongside the CdM and NOC Indonesia as a form of support for Indonesian athletes competing in the Olympics. I pray that they can win gold," said Greysia Polii.

Plans are underway for Zonablu Gofit to become the information center for Team Indonesia at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

At Zonablu, there will be photos of Indonesian athletes who have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Additionally, the public can show support by signing the wall of fame./Antara/VOI.

A foreign tourist takes a picture of the rice field scenery in Jatiluwih, Tabanan, Bali. The 303-hectare rice field area is one of UNESCO's world cultural heritage sites. (Photo by: ANTARA FOTO/Nyoman Budhiana/ed/pd/pri)

VOINews, Jakarta: Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno has identified Tabanan district in Bali as a strong candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

As reported by Antara, Tabanan's Subak Jatiluwih, an agricultural area designated as an intangible world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 2012, significantly boosts its candidacy.

"With its heritage site, Tabanan has tremendous potential. The district can become part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network through the selection process," Uno stated during his visit to Tabanan on Friday.

At a workshop, the minister highlighted Indonesia's success in incorporating Bandung, Jakarta, Ambon, Pekalongan, and Solo into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

He noted that these cities were recognized for their achievements in design, music, and art, suggesting that Tabanan could join them with its unique culinary offerings.

"While I initially considered promoting Tabanan's art performances, I was captivated by the local dish sate lilit," Uno mentioned, referring to a traditional satay made by wrapping meat around a skewer. "The district's culinary potential is remarkable."

Uno elaborated that for Tabanan to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, the local government must submit a detailed application for the selection process.

"The Tabanan regional secretary assured me that they are prepared to achieve creative city status in line with UNESCO standards by next year," he said.

The minister emphasized the necessity for Tabanan to present its top creative products to meet UNESCO’s criteria and secure its place in the network./Antara/VOI.