VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Japanese Government in Medan, North Sumatra, will host the Japan Day at the Caritas Foundation, a Center for Treatment and Drug Addiction Recovery in Lubuk Pakam, Medan, North Sumatera. The Foundation receives Japan’s grant aid worth one billion forty-one million rupiah through Grassroots program of 2016 financial year for the construction of a drug addiction treatment and recovery center. The Japan Day is a friendship commemorative event between Indonesia and Japan, one of which is established through the Grant Aid Grassroots granted by the Government of Japan to the selected Foundation in Indonesia. Vice Consul of Japan in Medan Masamu Yamamori said, during the commemoration, the Japanese government through its local staff will review the allocation of budget and socialize assistance programs from the Government of Japan to the community.

"Firstly is to follow up the funds given to the foundation to be used properly. Secondly is to introduce our office activities in the area," said Yamamori.

The Japan Day will also be held together with families of patients. The Japanese government hopes the gathering with the family can provide much information on the importance of family support in the healing process of drug addiction. (DS/Trans/Ndy) 

The government of East Nusa Tenggara will hold the 2018 Tour de Flores event this coming November.

The event has been included in the permanent annual event calendar and was supposed to be held in May, but it is being postponed until September as the government needed to gather their resources, Head of Tourism Promotion from the East Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office, Eden Klakik, told Antara in Kupang on Wednesday.

"It was supposed to be held in May; however, we only had Rp2 billion allocated, while we needed Rp5 billion. Therefore, the organizers decided to not hold the event," he noted.

He further stated that the local government has decided to allocate another Rp3.5 billion to the event in the 2018 Regional Budget revision, which has led the organizers to agree to hold the event in September.

In terms of preparation, the office is currently getting ready for the Sandalwood Horse Parade in Sumba island, which will take place from July 7 to 14, and they will be gearing up to prepare for the event as soon after the parade finishes.

Last year, East Nusa Governor Frans Lebu Raya expressed hope that the international cycling event will be beneficial for the public, particularly the residents of Flores Island.

"We hope the public are more ready, so they could enjoy financial benefits too," he remarked.

He urged the local community to demonstrate hospitality to the tours participants.

"Friendliness and comfort are the main keys for everyone to make them return to the province," Lebu Raya asserted.

East Nusa Tenggara, known as a province of one thousand islands, plans to organize the two international cycling events on the islands of Flores and Timor annually to promote tourism in the region and at the international level.

The province offers a wide array of natural scenery, culture, ethnicity, handicrafts, ancient sites, and unique traditions that could be showcased to foreign tourists, he revealed. (ANTARA)

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in cooperation with National Development Ministry and Ministry of Research, Technology and High Education and other related ministries as well as institutes held the 11th National Widyakarya of Food and  Nutrition in Jakarta on 3 -4 July 2018. It is a forum of multi stakeholders of academicians, government, industries and people to recommend the target of policy for food and nutrition in Indonesia. Head of LIPI Laksana Tri Handoko at the agenda said stunting and malnutrition as national problems that need to be overcome by inter-stakeholders. He further explained the intervention of prevention through governmental policy is important so that the problems can have appropriate solution.

“National Widyakarya of Food and  Nutrition has 2 main targets. Firstly, to formulate the policy strategy of inter sectors related to food and nutrition as input for National Mid-term Development Planning in 2020 – 2024 which is being discussed by National Development Ministry including nutrition standard. Secondly,  to formulate various research themes to answer the problem related to stunting as input for national priority research in 2020 – 2024,” Laksana Tri Handoko said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Research, Technology and High Education, Mohamad Nasir explained National Widyakarya of Food and Nutrition must be a direction in developing food and nutrition research in the future so the output research can have direct impact  to the quality improvement of human resources. He said  to increase the capability of science and technology and innovation in supporting food and nutrition sectors, it needs long time, hard-working, consistency and cooperation of inter stakeholders. (VOI/AF/DP)

Dutch Foreign Minister Stephanus Abraham Blok said that Indonesia has an emotional closeness which becomes the key to the close relationship between the two countries. The close relationship can be seen in the field of education in which until now  some Indonesian students choose Netherlands as the country  to continue their studies. Therefore the Dutch Government plans to extend the scholarship program provided to students from Indonesia until the 2025.

“Indonesia is a key part, not only for my country, but also for Dutch people individually. Many Dutch people have connection with Indonesia and specially also have root with Indonesia. This people to people ties is clearly visible in the field of education. Each year, around 1500 Indonesians come to study in the Netherlands. We are very welcome, since 1950, over 20.000 Indonesians have studied in Netherlands. This individual context is form a solid foundation. And in this spirit, I’m pleased to announce that we will be extending the student Dutch scholarship program for Indonesian students today until 2025,” Stephanus Abraham Blok said.

One of the scholarships provided by the Dutch government to students from Indonesia is through StuNed institution. In addition to the master scholarship, StuNed also provides scholarships for short courses in short capacity development, and tailor made training. Priority areas of this scholarship include International Trade, Finance and Economics, Transportation, Agro logistics and Infrastructure, Security and Law Enforcement, Water, Agro-food and Horticulture, and Health Management. (VOI/Rezha/DP)