INDONESIA KEEPS ON DEVELOPING CULTURAL DIPLOMACY, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAYS

Solo – The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hasan Wirajuda, said Indonesia will continue developing diplomacy through culture as the most effective way to introduce the country to the outside world.

The Minister made the remark when visiting the participants of a training program on culture and arts from the Asia-Pacific and African countries at the Semarak Candra Kirana Art Center in Solo, Central Java, on Thursday (19/07).

He said the training program of the Foreign Ministry was started in 2002, and this year it will cover European countries in view of the great number of enthusiasts of the program in those countries. 

"I hope that after returning to their respective countries from following the cultural training, the participants will become Indonesian representatives as they would be able to explain the true condition in Indonesia," he said.

He also said those Indonesian youths who will be studying abroad need to have a wide knowledge about culture, because through cultural interaction they will be able to improve friendship with the youths of other countries.

            For these kind of activities, the participants are trained in four cities, namely Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo and Bali, in cooperation with local art centers.

            The art and cultural training program in Solo has 13 participants. They are Febrina Hambalah and Yani Wirayuda of Indonesia, Alena Vesikula of Fiji, Tan Lang Fang of China, Harri Samiulea N Hapa of Tonga, Dang Nguyn Ngoc of Vietnam, Ruel Mayer Sangalang of the Philippines, Andrew Taraha of Solomon Islands, Kaitip Kami of Vanuatu, Dalila Morato Da Costa of Timor Leste, Stephen De Klerk of Australia, Arisa Fukushinma of Japan and Penesa Elise of Tuvalu (Antara, 20/07/07).