VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Orchestra from Asturias, Spain, Orquesta De Camara de Siero-OCAS, again held a number of collaborative music concerts with traditional Indonesian musicians. The music project titled Vinculos For Indonesia 2018 was held in Maluku, Central Sulawesi, Riau and DKI Jakarta provinces during August and September 2018. This is the second time OCAS visited Indonesia after a successful concert with Mataniari traditional musicians in Lake Toba, North Sumatra and Thousand Islands last year. This year, OCAS presents several collaboration, educational, workshop and other cultural and social activities in Ambon, Sigi and Parigi Moutong regencies, Pekanbaru and Jakarta. OCAS Conductor Manuel Paz on Thursday evening, August 2, in Ambon said they will collaborate with Ambonese traditional music group, Tahuri from Negeri Hutumuri. At the concert, OCAS will bring three traditional Ambon songs.

“Together with Tahuri, from Ambon music there are 3 songs. In addition there are some songs from Asturias. Then there are some songs from Latin America. You see, Latin America and Spain, even though the distance is far away but both have many similarities. Then there are two songs from Andalusia because there are two OCAS members from Andalusia,” Manuel Paz said..

Manuel Paz further explained, the traditional song was titled Ayo Mama, Huhate and Goro-gorone. With the theme of spreading the spirit of solidarity, peace, unity in pluralism, the Vinculos for Indonesia 2018 was held in the city of Ambon 3 and 5 August which will be projected as UNESCO's International City of Music in 2019. Vinculos is implemented as part of Indonesia's strong commitment through the Ministry of Education and Culture to strengthen cultural cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Spain. This activity also coincided with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Spain. OCAS orchestra group will also hold flash mobs or mass dances in Maluku City Mall and big concerts at Ambon Cultural Park. (VOI/SEKAR/DP)

A series of activities of the Vinculos 2018 music project by the Spanish orchestra group OCAS in Indonesia are considered to be able to further enhance cultural cooperation between Indonesia and Spain. Director of Diplomacy and Cultural Heritage, Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education and Culture, Nadjamuddin Ramly said this activity was part of cultural diplomacy of the two countries. After the collaboration between OCAS and Indonesian traditional musicians, the Kakoya Tahuri Negeri Hutumuri Studio, on Saturday, August 4 in Ambon, he said, this activity was also part of the 60th anniversary of the relations between Indonesia and Spain.

“I think it is a momentum of a good relation between Indonesia and Spain which has been established since a long time. Now with this kind of support, cultural exchanges become more familiar. Become more qualified,” Nadjamuddin Ramly said.

Nadjamuddin Ramly said his party would continue this activity every year, not only inviting Spanish musicians, but also from European countries, the US and Latin America. On the same occasion, Deputy Mayor of Ambon, Syarief Hadler said, various activities from the Vinculos music project could encourage the acceleration of Ambon's requirements as a world music city in 2019. The series of OCAS activities in Ambon from July 31 to August 4 included flashmob in Maluku City Mall and workshops, visiting traditional villages, concerts, and holding music workshops at the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) and Ambon Institute of State Christianity (IAKN). (VOI/SEKAR/AHM)

President Joko Widodo was accompanied by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo and together with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Mufida Jusuf Kalla attended Poco-Poco Mass Dance to break the Guiness World Book of Records at the National Monument (Monas) Square, Jakarta on Sunday (05/08/2018) Morning.

The largest Poco-Poco performance involved 61 thousand participants from various institutions the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Indonesian Police (Polri), Ministry and State Institutions, with 1500 instructors.

In his speech, President Jokowi congratulated all participants.

This performance was monitored directly by the Guinness World of Records Team. (KBRN/DIPTA/AHM)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo offered cooperation with the theme of diversity and tolerance to the United States. This was conveyed when he received the visit of US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo on Sunday at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
In his remarks, President Joko Widodo said that Indonesia was the largest country in the Southeast Asia region as well as the country with the largest number of Muslims in the world.

Nevertheless, President Joko Widodo said, Indonesia and many other nations in the world, still face challenges in maintaining the existing diversity.

"The challenge faced by all nations today is how to maintain diversity with mutual respect for each other. And it is this theme of diversity and tolerance that I have continuously put forward so far,” said President Joko Widodo.

Meanwhile, Michael Richard Pompeo expressed American appreciation to Indonesia as a strategic partner for the United States. According to him, the United States respects the democratic values ​​of the Indonesian people. Democracy, according to Pompeo, is an invaluable treasure for Americans.

It is the first visit of the US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo to Indonesia after being sworn in by President Donald Trump replacing Rex Tillerson, April 27. Pompeo's 2-day visit to Indonesia was part of a series of visits to Asia after visiting Malaysia and Singapore. During the meeting, President Joko Widodo was accompanied by Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Budi Bowoleksono and several other officials. (VOI / Ndy / AHM)