ASIATODAY.ID, SUVA – In an effort to strengthen cultural relations between Indonesia and countries in the Pacific region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology is holding a cultural diplomacy mission entitled “Harmony for the Pacific: Connecting Indonesia and the Pacific through Culture and Shared Heritage” whose series will be held in Indonesia and Fiji on 9-27 September 2024.
Harmony for the Pacific is a concrete implementation of Pacific Elevation’s grand vision which aims to strengthen ties between the Indonesian people and Pacific countries.
The culmination of the Harmony for the Pacific series took place in Suva, Fiji on 23-27 September 2024. For three consecutive days, various activities were held, namely meetings with Fijian officials, meetings with alumni from Fiji who received Indonesian Government scholarships, and various cultural activities which reflects the diversity of Indonesia and the Pacific countries that are the center of public attention in Fiji.
These cultural activities include an exhibition of Woven Cloth typical of Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara and typical Fijian handicrafts, a screening of the film ‘ORPA’ followed by a discussion with the main cast and producer, a talk show about Indonesian gastronomy and a cooking demonstration of typical Papuan food guided by a gastronomic expert Indonesia, Helianti Hilman and Chef Charles Toto from Papua, as well as a performance resulting from an artist residency program involving the collaboration of 24 dance and music artists from Indonesia and countries in the Pacific.
“This is the first time Harmony for the Pacific has been held. “The activity aims to bridge contact between the people of Indonesia and the Pacific through cultural exchange,” said the Director of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Indonesian Delegation, Ani Nigeriawati.
In line with this, Restu Gunawan, Director of Personnel Development and Cultural Institutions at the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, expressed his belief in the power of culture in uniting the nation.
“I truly believe that culture has the power to unite and connect people, and build an understanding of similarities amidst differences,” said Restu.
The highlight of the collaboration between dance and music artists from the residency program which took place from 9 September 2024 was presented in a very impressive manner at the Diplomatic Reception to commemorate Indonesia’s 79th Birthday and 50 years of Indonesia-Fiji Diplomatic Relations on 27 September 2024. A total of 200 invited guests attended present gave a standing ovation at the end of the performance.
This peak event marked the end of the Harmony for the Pacific program which was successful in creating cultural harmony between Indonesia and the Pacific.
Josefa Tuima, Director for Asia, Middle East and Russia from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Fiji, expressed her appreciation for the Harmony for the Pacific program.
“Appreciating culture and cultural heritage is part of our identity as individuals. “Activities like this give us the opportunity to understand and experience the unique arts and culture of both countries,” he said.
Furthermore, the Indonesian Ambassador to Fiji, Dupito Darma Simamora, also emphasized the importance of this event to strengthen Indonesia’s diplomatic relations with Fiji.
“Diplomatic relations with Fiji marked Indonesia’s first contact with the Pacific region, and ‘Harmony for the Pacific’ is a strong symbol of our commitment to strengthening these ties,” concluded Dupito.
Apart from strengthening friendship and cultural contact between Indonesia and countries in the Pacific region, Harmony for the Pacific also produces a number of plans and opportunities for cooperation between Indonesia and Fiji in terms of co-learning and joint-research in the fields of arts, culture, museums, archeology and anthropology. , increasing entrepreneurial capacity in the food, food processing and culinary sectors, as well as the potential for penetration of Indonesian films into the market in Fiji. (AT Network)
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