Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Three Australian students from the Parramatta High School, New South Wales (NSW), have won the Lottie Maramis Prize, an Indonesian language award, noted a press release from the Indonesian Consulate General, Sydney, received here, Thursday.

The three awardees are Payal Parikh, who won the first rank in the extension category, and Natasha Tan and Jonathan Tandera Yuana, in the beginner category.

Consul General in Sydney Yayan G.H. Mulyana handed out the Lottie Maramis Prize to Parikh and the Consul General Trophy to Dominique Splatt, the Parramatta High Schools principal, as a mark of appreciation for their interest and support for learning and teaching Indonesian language in the school.

"Indonesian language can be learnt easily, as it does not recognize conjugation and declination," the consul general stated in the presence of over 150 students, parents, and teachers of the Parramatta High School.

The Lottie Maramis Prize is dedicated by the Australia Indonesia Association-New South Wales (AIA-NSW) in honor of Charlotte Maramis, one of the founders and patrons of AIA, which was formed in 1945 for improving relations between both nations.

The Lottie Maramis Prize, bestowed on outstanding students in the field of Indonesian language, is a collaboration between the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney and AIA-NSW to constantly promote Australian students and teachers to develop a liking for Indonesia and the Indonesian language.

In 2017, the Consulate General in Sydney and AIA-NSW will present the Lottie Maramis Prize to four other students in NSW, who are also able to excel in the Indonesian language.

Consul Mulyana pointed out that as immediate neighbors, building strong relationships, including through language, is important for both countries.

"Indonesia is projected to be one of the worlds largest economies, offering economic opportunities to the younger business generation of Australia. Hence, mastery of Indonesian provides added value," the consul general remarked.(*)

Reporter: By Libertina Widyamurti Ambari
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017