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Press conference ahead of the 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries which was held in Jakarta, on Wednesday (8/5/2024) ; (Photo : Perpusnas) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) will hold a Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) in the Library Sector in 2024.

National Library Main Secretary Joko Santoso said that the National Coordination Meeting would discuss three major programs which will be the main focus of National Library in 2024.

These programs are strengthening reading and literacy culture, mainstreaming Indonesian manuscripts as well as standardization and training of library staff aimed at mapping libraries according to national library standards ( SNPs).

"This is our effort to continue to accelerate various activities related to the latest program changes in the era of disruption of demographic change," he said in a press conference ahead of the 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries which was held in Jakarta, on Wednesday (8/5/2024).

He said the millennial generation and generation Z were the focus of National Library, especially in strengthening reading culture.

Many things have been done, he continued, one of which is accelerating the use of devices for the digital library platform, namely iPusnas.

"Now there are millions of digital books that can be accessed, one of which is iPusnas. "iPusnas has also been replicated in 256 digital libraries in the regions," he said.

Apart from that, efforts are being made to place digital reading corners in public areas, not in libraries. National Library also provides assistance with mobile library cars (MPK) which serve remote areas of Indonesia, especially villages that have access far from the library.

“Mobile libraries stop at certain points, such as schools and busy centers. "This is our effort to strengthen literacy culture," he continued.

The 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries carries the theme "Rearranging Concepts and Practices of Literacy Development".

The 2024 National Coordination Meeting for Libraries will be held in a hybrid manner on 14-15 May 2024. Plt. The Director of the National Library is scheduled to officially open the National Library and explain the policy direction of the National Library.

"This year's National Coordination Meeting is different from previous years, this year it will emphasize user experience, where regional speakers will share good practices in increasing literacy in society," he explained.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Human Development, Society and Culture, Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Amich Alhumami, explained that literacy was placed as one of the priority programs because it is an indicator of the quality of Indonesian people.

"Literacy skills are considered important in increasing access to knowledge and community productivity," he explained.

Through the National Coordination Meeting, he explained, National Library and regional libraries will be strengthened. He added, literacy is the scope of the 2020-2024 RPJMN. In the future, literacy will be continued in the 2025-2029 RPJMN.

"Literacy remains an important part of development to support human development and cultural development," he said.

The National Coordination Meeting was filled with policy sessions featuring resource persons from the Ministry of Villages PDTT and the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas.

Meanwhile, the panel session will be filled with resource persons from regional governments who implement good practices in developing the three main National Library programs, namely the Regent of Berau, the Regent of Kendal, and the Head of the East Java Province Library and Archives Service.

Apart from that, there will be parallel sessions featuring resource persons who are actively involved and can share good practices that can be imitated by local governments, institutions, organizations, literacy activists and the general public.

The offline National Coordination Meeting will be held at the Grand Mercure Hotel Jakarta Kemayoran and will be attended by 1,000 participants.

Offline participants consist of regional heads, heads of provincial and district/city library services, heads of library forums/publishers/recording entrepreneurs and parties who have collaborated with the National Library.

The public can take part in a series of activities online via the Zoom application with a capacity of 10,000 or via live streaming on the National Library's YouTube channel.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday (08/05/24), the 2024 National Library Coordination Meeting is close to the National Library's 44th anniversary.

The National Library's anniversary is celebrated every May 17, which is also celebrated as National Book Day.

This year, the National Library carries the anniversary theme, namely "44 Years of Cultivating the Hope of Serving the Country to Make the Nation Smarter".

Head of the Human Resources (HR) and General Affairs Bureau, Janti Suksmarini, said that during May a series of events were held to support the sharpening of National Library's main issue programs for 2024.

"A total of 27 series of activities will be held from May 7-31," he said.

At the peak of the event, he continued, on May 17 2024, the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia will launch the "Village Literacy Movement".

In this activity, 10 million quality reading materials will be launched to village libraries and 21 million books will be launched to schools.

On 13 May-22 May 2024, a number of interesting activities will be held including thematic exhibition of the National Library Anniversary from Time to Time, thematic exhibition of Bung Karno, thematic exhibition of Bung Hatta, Historical Literacy Week, Archipelago Literacy (Culture) Festival, Indonesian Education History Exhibition , book launch and book review, as well as workshops//VOI

VOInews, Jakarta: Eid Jalaa' (Evaluation Day), which falls every 17 April, is a big day for Syrians that symbolises glory and freedom. This was stated by Syrian Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulmonem Annan in a special interview aired on 2 May 2024 on the Voice of Indonesia terrestrial radio channel. As is known, Eid Jalaa' marks the expulsion of the French army from the land of independent Syria on 17 April 1946.

"Indeed, the day of evacuation or independence day is an important day in which various tribes, nations, and cultures around the world gather. And this day is a great day that for Syrians symbolises glory and freedom, because it is impossible for citizens or a nation to feel honour and freedom if they are denied their independence or are under occupation," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan said.

According to Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan, Eid Jalaa' is a moment for the people to celebrate Syria's glorious history of their collective struggle for independence. "Syrians on 17 April every year celebrate the greatness of their past history, despite the mosaic and diversity that distinguishes them, they are united, making sacrifices up to blood for the independence of their country from French colonialists," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan continued.

Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan, who began serving since February 2023 in Indonesia, also mentioned the Palestinian struggle and efforts to realise peace in the region. "It is impossible for peace to be realised in the world, including in the Middle East in particular without a comprehensive and just peace. When I say comprehensive, we mean that peace must include the core conflict in the Middle East, namely the Palestinian conflict. It is impossible for Arab countries to reach a lasting and durable peace agreement as long as the Palestinian people have not gained their independence, dignity and freedom," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan concluded.

VOInews, Jakarta: Indonesia and Syria share the same vision for peace in the Middle East. This was conveyed by Syrian Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulmonem Annan in a special interview titled "The Brotherly Relationship between Indonesia and Syria" which aired on 2 May 2024 on the Voice of Indonesia broadcast channel. "We believe that Syria is in the same boat with Indonesia in terms of realising peace in the Middle East in terms of respect for international rules, UN resolutions and UNSC resolutions, respect for the sovereignty of nations to determine their direction of travel. Syria is the 23rd or 25th country, we don't mention the 25th or 27th, to pioneer the famous Bandung Conference in 1955 which mandated the right of every nation to determine its direction of travel," Ambassador Abdulmon'em Annan said.

The similarity of views can be seen in the principles and approaches taken by Indonesia and Syria in realising peace in Palestine. "I believe that when I look at Indonesia's politics in the face of what is happening in Palestine, I believe that Indonesia's politics are the closest to Syria's attitudes and politics. The coordination between us is established in various forums and organisations," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan continued. Ambassador Annan explained that Syria and Indonesia continue to coordinate in the General Assembly, UN Security Council, Human Rights Council in Geneva, and the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Organisation in Hague.

Among the common values that Indonesia and Syria share, according to Ambassador Annan, are justice, respect for the principles of international rules and the values of pluralism. "We find today the reversal of democratic values, liberalism and general freedom that the West has been singing for decades, maybe even centuries. So peace will not be stable, as affirmed by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi as long as it is not based on justice, on international rules and respect for the principles of international rules, and respect for pluralism," Ambassador Annan told Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta (30/4/2024).

VOInews, Jakarta: A French historian and archaeologist said that every man has two nationalities, his own and Syria, because Syria is the cradle of civilisation. This was conveyed by the Syrian Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdulmonem Annan, during a special interview in Arabic that aired on the Voice of Indonesia channel on Thursday (2/5/2024). "Indeed, there is a French archaeologist and historian who said that every citizen in this world has two homelands: the country where he comes from and Syria. Because as you said, Syria is the cradle of civilisation," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan told Voice of Indonesia.

Syria, Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan said, is the first place where the alphabet and written peace documents were known in the history of human civilisation. "Syria is the first place where the alphabet was invented in history. Syria is home to the oldest olive tree ever found. Syria was the first country to introduce written peace treaties. Syria is the home of the Ugarit kingdom, the Marie kingdom that can be traced 3 millennia BC," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan continued.

Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan conveyed the rich history of Syria which is full of tolerance. "Tolerance lives with Christians in Syria today, tolerance with priests in Syria. The language of Christ is spoken in the north of Syria in a city called Ma'loula, called Arami or Suryani. The Syrian people, when they look back at their history, how they have tolerated each other for thousands of years, this really unites them. We as Syrians are proud of this history," Ambassador Annan explained.

The archaeological heritage that exists in Syria to this day, according to Ambassador Annan, can give us a feeling of unity as human beings. "Who goes to Syria today and sees how archaeological remains exist he will feel that these relics belong to humanity, before being attributed to religion and culture. The succession of cultures left various traces, you can see the largest amphitheatre in the world in comparison to archaeological traces, it was built in the Byzantine Roman Era. So was the Umawi Mosque during the Umayyad Dynasty. There was an ancient church before the advent of Islam, there is an inclusive heritage of human civilisation that unites us all. As for each person having various religious cultural identities, it does not erase the common fundamental heritage that we are born and grow with that spirit," Ambassador Abdulmonem Annan concluded.