Adorned in a traditional red Cambodian ensemble, Shopey confidently strode into the embassy's hall to join over 20 fellow alumni of the Indonesian Arts and Culture Scholarship (BSBI) program, who shared her infectious enthusiasm that evening.
The 22-year-old Cambodian national, who owns a cafe in Phnom Penh, is registered as a two-time participant in the program managed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shopey experienced an initial setback when her inaugural BSBI program participation was confined to virtual interactions, a consequence of the stringent pandemic-related restrictions that were in effect at the time.
Undeterred by her previous virtual experience, Shopey seized the opportunity in 2023 to travel to East Kalimantan, Indonesia, enabling her to deeply immerse herself in Indonesian cultural traditions, with a special focus on exploring the intricacies of traditional dances through the scholarship program.
Showing a genuine interest in Indonesia, Shopey participated in the BSBI 2024 Refresh Program. With no second thoughts, she gladly accepted the ministry’s invitation for her to capture a more comprehensive picture of the cultural wealth that Indonesia is blessed with.
“I like Indonesia, its culture. I believe this program is instrumental in introducing foreigners to Indonesian dances and culture,” Shopey stated in very basic Indonesian.
Momvan Davin, a student at the Royal University of Fine Arts of Phnom Penh, shared similar impressions that night.
The alumnus of the 2021 BSBI program said he admires Indonesian culture as he observes that it is connected to the culture of his own country.
“I like Indonesian culture. As I have said before, we share a history. We are like a family in the cultural sense, considering that the two countries have similar temples and Sanskrit writings,” he said in Indonesian and English.
Meanwhile, Vadsana Dechampa, a BSBI 2009 alumnus from Laos, expressed her special love for the unique culture of Indonesia’s Bali Island.
The Defense Ministry of Laos employee admitted to having been fascinated by the culture since the first time she set foot on the Island of Gods 15 years ago as a BSBI awardee.
“Dances, gamelans, paintings. I am fond of Indonesian culture, especially the Balinese one. I love Bali,” she remarked in quite fluent Indonesian.
Another female Laotian national, Thippavan Thongphachanh, also conveyed statements about Bali in a similar tone.
“Bali is very beautiful in the morning,” Thongphachanh remarked.
A BSBI alumnus from Vietnam, Mai Diep Yen Nhi, drew attention to the fact that Indonesia represents a vibrant mosaic of ethnic diversity characterized by a rich tapestry of linguistic traditions and distinctive cultural practices that vary across its numerous communities.
“While blessed with an array of cultures, Indonesia remains united in diversity. I think the fact that the Indonesian language manages to unite the people that speak different languages locally is magical,” she stated in Indonesian.
The Vietnamese woman, who prefers to be addressed as Nuri—the Indonesian name given to her—reminisced about her trip to Indonesia, saying that she was always amazed by how unique each region is from the other in terms of culture.
“It (visiting another Indonesian region) felt like visiting another country. I think Indonesian people do love their cultures,” she affirmed.
It is worth noting that Nuri has just graduated from the Indonesian study major at the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
“I am looking forward to another opportunity to visit Indonesia. I really like Indonesian culture and arts,” she remarked.
Polishing Indonesia's image
Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto highlighted the steadily growing number of BSBI alumni. Since its inception in 2003, the scholarship program has produced 1,071 alumni from 84 countries.
The positive trend has eventually led to the urgency of establishing an association that can help the program’s alumni remain interconnected and maintain their cultural and emotional bonds with Indonesia.
That way, Indonesia can expect to witness the alumni promoting its cultures, values, and uniqueness to their respective nations.
With their first-hand impression of Indonesia, the alumni, as cultural ambassadors, are expected to help debunk false, negative narratives against the country.
Ambassador Darmosumarto expressed belief that the BSBI alumni would help boost the effectiveness of Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy, considering that they hail from different levels of society, ranging from college students, government employees, workers, and businessmen.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Director of Public Diplomacy, Ani Nigeriawati, said she is convinced that under a network, the BSBI alumni could continue solidifying their friendship with Indonesia and promoting the country’s appeal.
That being said, she expressed hope that the reunion of BSBI alumni in Phnom Penh would drive the Indonesian Embassy in Cambodia to create a platform that brings together the program’s awardees from across the country to introduce Indonesia to a larger number of Cambodian citizens.
In short, it is safe to say that owing to its cultural appeal, Indonesia wields the chance to brand its positive image to a broader population of the world by forming platforms that can help unite alumni of programs offered by the government not only in Cambodia but also in other countries across the globe.
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Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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