The Indonesian Embassy in Beirut has acknowledged its continued support for trade cooperation improvement between Indonesia and Lebanon. Indonesian Ambassador to Lebanon Hajriyanto Y Thohari gave the Primaduta Award to Lebanese businessman and importer, George R Fattouh. The award was given for his service in helping market Indonesian products in Paris from the Middle East. The award was given at a ceremony at the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut, Thursday (11/1) Fatough, is the owner of George R. Fattouh S.A.L, a business that has been importing Indonesian products since the 1980s. It has a range of products, including: palm oil and its derivatives, oil and fats (including cocoa butter substitute, fat spread, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and lauric confectionery fats), cardboard, stationary, and school equipment. Some Indonesian products are now even available at famous retail networks, such as Spinney’s and Carrefour. In 2022, the value imported by George R. Fattough S.A.L of Indonesian products, was 981.3 million USD. This was a 149.5 million USD increase when compared to 2021. Fattouh said Indonesian products are known for their quality and are in high demand in Lebanese markets. However, he said, the challenge now is increasing freight costs due to security challenges in the region.
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Listeners, a number of delicious dishes were served to the guests of Dhaup Ageng Pura Pakualaman Yogyakarta, at the wedding reception of the youngest son of K.G.P.A.A. Paku Alam X, namely B.P.H. Kusumo Kuntonugroho with Laily Annisa Kusumastuti which was held on January 10, 2024.Head of the Customs and Accommodation Division, Dhaup Ageng Pura Pakualaman, KRT Radyo Wisroyo said that the menu served to guests was quite varied. These menus are typical menus prepared by Pakualaman Pura, Indonesian menus and western food menus were also available. All invited guests including VIP and VVIP guests got the same menu. The first menu served to welcome guests, namely two types of welcome drink, namely lime lemongrass and ginger drink with lime. The welcome drink was given when guests sat down and watched the Bedhaya Sidamukti and Bedhaya Kakung Indrawidagda dance performances. Next, they gotsnacks for appetizer such as croquettes and other light snacks. There is a snack that is considered quite special and rare called Garulina. Garulina was the opening snack at the Pahargyan Dhaup Ageng Pakualaman lunch on the first day. Garulina has been around since the era before Indonesian independence. Garulina is actually not a typical Central Javanese food. It looks like the Lapis Legit layered cake, but there is something different, because there is a special layer like vla which is made from fresh milk, eggs and sugar. To get this sweet snack, Pakulaman Temple has to place a special order from the third generation of makers who have been pioneering since the 1950s. In Jogja, Garulina is very difficult to find and is considered rare because it is not sold every day.
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Lombok, a beautiful island in Indonesia, has once again made a great achievement in the world of tourism. In 2024, the island has been recognized as one of the best natural tourist destinations in the world by Tripadvisor, a leading global travel review site. This award marks Lombok's achievements as a tourist destination that captivates travelers with its extraordinary natural beauty. Quoting from the official Tripadvisor page, this award is not only given to the natural tourism category, but also hotels, restaurants and activities which have been repeated over the past 12 months. Trip Advisor stated that less than one percent of the 8 million Tripadvidor listings received the best award. Starting from secluded small coves, rows of cream-colored beaches, and beautiful waterfalls. Natural beauty is not only presented on land. Lombok's underwater sites, such as Gili Trawangan, Meno and Air, also offer beautiful panoramas. Tourists can swim with turtles there. Lombok's achievement in being included in Tripadvisor's list of the world's best natural tourist destinations confirms how attractive this island is in the international tourism arena. Besides Lombok, the best natural tourism award was also given to several destinations in the world including Kathmandu, Halong Bay, Zanzibar Island, Grand Cayman Guadeloupe, Kruger National Park and Martinique.
The Indonesian Ambassador to Kenya, Mohamad Hery Saripudin, said that member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement -NAM were obliged to support Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations -UN. A written statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi received in Jakarta, Thursday (18/1) reported that according to the Ambassador, Palestine has the right to be equal with other countries, especially in fighting for its interests. In line with the NAM's commitment to fighting for Palestinian independence, the NAM is obliged to support Palestine to become a member of the UN. Ambassador Hery Saripudin, who also served as Chair of the Indonesian Delegation at the Ministerial Level Meeting and the NAM Palestine Committee Meeting, conveyed this at the latter in Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday (17/1). He said that more than 24 thousand residents in Gaza were victims and more than 85 percent of the residents were driven from their homes. He added that this situation increasingly emphasizes the risk of genocide. NAM cannot remain silent, he said. In addition, the Ambassador also conveyed four messages from Indonesia to the NAM, namely, first, to continue fighting for an end to Israeli aggression, second, increase the distribution of humanitarian aid, including helping with the Gaza reconstruction process. Third, continue to push for Israeli accountability, including the accusation of genocide. In this regard, Indonesia supports South Africa's initiative to submit Israel to the International Court of Justice. The fourth message seeks to hold a peace process under the supervision of the UN General Assembly. The NAM Palestine Committee meeting was held on the sidelines of the NAM Summit on January 15 and 16. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, and attended by member countries of the NAM Palestine Committee, including Indonesia, South Africa, India, Iran, Cuba, Malaysia and Zimbabwe.
Banjarnegara, which is located in a regency of Central Java Province, has a special dish made from rice and wrapped in woven coconut leaves, namely Kupat Landan. It is usually eaten when celebrating Idul Fitri.Ketupat Landan has a unique taste, soft texture, and distinctive color. Precisely, the ingredients and method for cooking Ketupat Landan are the same as ketupat in general, but the difference is that Ketupat Landan uses boiling water. Ketupat Landan uses ash deposited from coconut trees to boil it. The ash comes from coconuts fiber that has been cleaned and then burned and after it becomes ash. Then, it is mixed with water until smooth and then settled. After it settles, then take the water from the coconut fiber ash deposits and separate it in another place. Afterwards, the water is used to boil the ketupat for approximately 4-5 hours. The well-done ketupat will be red in color, and when it is split, this reddish brown color will be clearly visible on the part of the ketupat which is attached to the wrapper.Apart from the color of the ketupat being reddish brown, the taste of this ketupat is also more savory and the texture is softer. Usually, Ketupat Landan is eaten with chicken Opor and other dishes made with coconut milk. Besides, there are also other dishes for this Ketupat Landan to be taken with, such as tempe mendoan, pecel and gado-gado. For you who are culinary lovers in Indonesia, Central Java, especially in Banjarnegara, please try ketupat landan and its other dishes which become the favorite dish of Banjarnegara. It is guaranteed to make you addicted because of its unique taste.
Head of the Culture and Tourism Cooperation Division of the ASEAN Korea Center Secretariat, Alex Macatuno in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday (17/1) conveyed that from 11 representatives of ASEAN member countries in Seoul, Indonesia was selected to lead the Working Group -Pokja Tourism and ASEAN Korea Center Culture at the first session in 2024. In a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, he stated that with the election of Indonesia, the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul serves as the host and the Embassy of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Seoul as its co-host. After the election, Coordinator of the Creative and Digital Economy Function, Acceleration of Start Up and Public Diplomacy at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, Joannes Ekaprasetya Tandjung and representative from the Lao Embassy, Soudavanh directly chaired the first session which discussed the two main agendas, namely the activity report for the 2023 period and the 2024 work plan.Joannes has also explained Indonesia's leadership in the 2024 ASEAN Korea Center Tourism and Culture Working Group will function as a representative who not only voices the tourism and cultural interests of the ASEAN Committee countries in Seoul to the ASEAN Korea Center, but also seeks broader opportunities for cooperation based on culture and tourism for closer friendship among ASEAN countries and South Korea. Indonesia's leadership in the ASEAN Korea Center Working Group reflects recognition of Indonesia's crucial role in strengthening cooperation between ASEAN countries and South Korea in the tourism and culture sector.The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul as the driving force behind the promotion of tourism, culture and the creative economy of Indonesia, is determined to advance this collaboration with some activities, such as the Colorful North Sulawesi event and the Indonesia Night in Daegu. Through this leadership, it is hoped that it can have a positive impact in supporting economic growth, sustainable development and strengthening relations among ASEAN countries and South Korea in the tourism and culture sectors.The activities during the 2023 period included organizing ASEAN Week 2023, tourism promotional videos production for ASEAN countries sponsored by the ASEAN Korea Center, ASEAN Digital Library and the Sustainable Tourism Development Forum. A series of activities throughout 2024 include tourism promotion and cultural exchange, programs organizing the ASEAN-Korea Culture and Tourism Integrated Experience exhibition and capacity development programs for developing ASEAN-Korea quality tourism towards sustainability.
A total of 66 students from 55 senior high schools/vocational schools/Islamic high school SMA/SMK/MA from 27 provinces across Indonesia competed in the 2024 National German Language Olympiad at the Goethe-Institut Jakarta on January 16. The first and second winners will represent Indonesia to compete in the International German Language Olympiad in Germany next July. The National German Language Olympiad organized by the Goethe-Institut Indonesien in collaboration with the Indonesian German Language Teachers Association (IGBJI) is an annual national ompetition for German language learners aged 15-17 years. This year, the National German Language Olympiad, which is entering its 17th edition, will be held offline for the first time after the previous three editions were held online due to the pandemic. In the winner announcement ceremony at GoetheHaus Jakarta on Wednesday (17/1), Kheiren Valentine Husnafsky (SMA Ignatius Global School Palembang) was crowned first winner. Sebastian Dikko Daniswara (SMAN 3 Yogyakarta) was selected as the second winner. Kheiren Valentine Husnafsky and Sebastian Dikko Daniswara will continue their struggle to compete in the International German Language Olympiad which is scheduled to take place in Göttingen City, Germany from 15 until 22 July 2024. Around 100 students from 50 countries are expected to compete for the title of best German language learner. This grand international competition takes place every two years. Meanwhile, Maria Margaretha Steffany (Santa Laurensia Alam Sutera High School) won third place and Chatima Anandakhorita (PGII 1 Bandung High School) took fourth place. The fifth winner was Fujima Salomo Maetuzala Sihombing (SMAN 1 Plus Matauli Pandan) and the sixth winner was Anindita Kirana Lestari Adinarto (Garuda Scholar High School, Jakarta). 3rd to 6th place winners received scholarships for German language courses for teenagers this summer in Germany. The finalists who competed in this year's National German Language Olympiad had previously gone through the preliminary round, which was attended by 1,301 students from 366 SMA/SMK/MA during October to November 2023 at 16 examination sites in 31 provinces.
This time we would like to introduce you to one of the cultural arts of the people of South Sumatra, namely Kipas Serumpun Dance. The dance is a creative dance originating from Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra. This dance tells the story of friendship among Banyuasin people who have various ethnicities and religions. Kipas Serumpun dance contains a meaning about the importance of mutual cooperation among people. This mutual cooperation attitude is integrated into the joy that is reflected in a people's party.Kipas Serumpun dance is usually danced by eight female dancers. The dancers wear clothes brackets which are dominated by golden colors as a traditional characteristic of South Sumatra. This characteristic can also be seen from the use of siger as a head covering which is usually worn by brides in traditional weddings. In accordance with the name of this dance, Kipas is the main property in the performance. The dance movements created by Kipas Serumpun are dominated by agile hand movements. The movements of moving and then making formations are also often present in dances, which depict the joy of Banyuasin women at a people's party.Kipas Serumpun Dance is accompanied by music that comes from a combination of various traditional musical instruments, such as kendang, percussion and accordion as a characteristic of Sumatran Malay music. The use of electronic guitar and bass is a complement to produce lively musical accompaniment.
Indonesia and Turkey have agreed to target a bilateral trade volume in 2024 of 10 billion US dollars This agreement is the result of discussions between the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey, Achmad Rizal Purnama and Turkish President Reccep Tayyib Erdogan, at the Presidential Palace, Ankara on Wednesday (17/1/2024). Ambassador Achmad Rizal, in an official statement on Wednesday, said that during a discussion with President Erdogan, he conveyed the priority of 1+4 bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade as well as defense and strategic industrial cooperation, energy, construction and pharmaceuticals. Ambassador Achmad Rizal Purnama held several bilateral talks after he handed over a Letter of Credence to President Erdogan.The Turkish President and Ambassador Rizal also discussed the completion of free trade agreement negotiations between the two countries, expanding defense industry cooperation, strengthening security cooperation and countering terrorism, and developing energy cooperation. On that occasion, Ambassador Rizal added that Erdogan appreciated Indonesia, which continues to monitor the Palestinian issue in various international forums In particular, Erdogan prayed that the general elections that will take place in Indonesia would run smoothly and bring goodness and progress to the Indonesian people. Rizal was appointed as Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey by President Joko Widodo on June 26 2023 and began carrying out duties in Turkey in early September 2023. By handing over the credentials, Ambassador Rizal has fulfilled all stages of diplomatic etiquette to carry out his duties fully as the representative of the Indonesian government in Turkey.
Bali - a piece of heaven in Indonesia - has stayed one of the world's best destinations and best honeymoon spots in 2024, according to TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor has crowned Bali as the best honeymoon destination in the Travelers’ Choice awards Best of the Best 2024. Winners needed to receive and sustain lots of amazing reviews at key destinations like hotels, restaurants and activities, as reviewed by individuals from the TripAdvisor community over 12 months. Bali defeated other honeymoon destinations such as the Maldives, Santorini, and Bora Bora. TripAdvisor wrote that Bali is a ‘living postcard’, a fantasy-like heaven. Bali is known not only for its beaches, but also its lush green forests that are home to amazing waterfalls, stone temples and wildlife, including monkeys. Bali also has Ubud, a thriving hub for art. This calm city is perfect for watching cultural dances, batik or silvery workshops, or simply relaxing the mind and body in yoga classes. Following Bali for the Travelers' Choice Awards Best of the Best for honeymoons, was Hoi An in second place and the Maldives in third place. In total, there are 25 honeymoon destinations in TripAdvisor's awardee list. Santorini was in 8th place, Venice in 10th, and Bora Bora in 17th.
Listener, Niantic, Inc. as the developer of the mobile game Pokémon GO, along with The Pokémon Company (TPC), the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, and Garuda Indonesia, are holding a series of exciting activities in the Pokémon Air Adventure collaboration. One of these is Pikachu's Indonesia Journey and the launch of the first Indonesian edition of Pokémon, namely Pikachu wearing a Batik shirt. Pikachu's Indonesia Journey is the biggest Pokémon-themed joint synergy event held in Indonesia from March 2 to March 3, 2024, at Puputan Renon Field, Denpasar, Bali.This project arose from a conversation between Vice President of Emerging Markets Niantic, Inc. Omar Tellez and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno at the 2022 Pokémon Festival. According to emerging Markets Head of Niantic, Inc., Refael Siregar, by attracting the interest of domestic and international tourists, this synergy aims to encourage the progress of the Indonesian tourism sector. Refael Siregal further stated that Indonesia is a meaningful market for Niantic, Inc., with a loyal community throughout the archipelago. So, Niantic, Inc. wants to appreciate Trainers by combining Indonesian cultural heritage into Pokémon GO. Pikachu's Indonesia Journey combines exciting adventures between the real and virtual worlds of Pokémon. Fans can enjoy various fun activities such as booths, games, a very special appearance from Pikachu, and other exciting events.During the event, Pokémon GO Trainers have many bonuses, access to Special Research and can catch special edition Pokémon, including Pikachu wearing a Batik shirt and Flying Pikachu, who can be seen floating around with balloons. These Pokémon will be available in the game for a limited time only. Apart from Pikachu's Indonesia Journey and Pikachu in Batik shirts, in the future, Pokémon Air Adventure will feature other programs, one of which is Garuda Indonesia's Pikachu Jet.
Visitors flocked into the Indonesian booth displayed at the Travel Expo, Norway's largest tourism exhibition which was held at the Telenor Arena in Oslo on January 13 and 14. The Travel Expo 2024 was visited by more than seven thousand potential tourists.Indonesian Ambassador to Norway, Teuku Faizasyah, through a press release from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Oslo, which was obtained by Antara on Monday (15/1), said that the participation of the Indonesian Embassy in Oslo in this Travel Expo was an effort to further increase the number of tourist visits from Norway to Indonesia.In this exhibition, the Indonesian Embassy also involved travel operators to directly offer tourism packages and promotions to prospective Norwegian tourists.At Travel Expo 2024, the Indonesian booth featured the theme "Escape the Winter". This theme was raised to take momentum from the increased trend of Norwegian people's holidays to tropical countries during the Winter holidays. Winter in Norway, which reaches minus 30 Celsius, makes Norwegians choose warmer tourism destinations.In this exhibition, Indonesia introduced its other tourism destinations, such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, West Sumatra, Lombok, North Sumatra and North Sulawesi.The exhibition was also enlivened by cultural performances of the Bona Jeges dance from North Sumatra and the ondel-ondel dance from Jakarta.Besides, Indonesia also provided typical Indonesian coffee, and there was also a performance of playing the Gambang musical instrument to further attract the attention of visitors.During the two-day exhibition, many visitors bought Indonesian tourism packages. Some of them chose to return to travel to Indonesia to explore Indonesia's unique tourism destinations.Based on Travel Expo data and Norwegian statistics, with a summer and winter holiday period of more than 30 days, Norwegian tourists are the type of tourists who have quite long tourist periods, namely more than 10 days. They also have quite high levels of tourism spending.The type of travel that is popular with prospective Norwegian tourists is unique tourism attractions that have high cultural value, including climbing and diving. In addition, Norwegian tourists also expect tourism destinations with good facilities and transportation.