"The diversity of Indonesian traditions holds great potential to establishing mutually beneficial cultural collaboration," Fadli Zon said in an official statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
He added that with the establishment of the Ministry of Culture as a new independent institution, cultural diplomacy is now entering a more progressive chapter—one that is open to broader international cooperation.
The meeting also discussed the revision of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cultural cooperation originally signed in 2015.
The Minister expressed hope that the updated document could be finalized and signed soon. "Ideally, it will coincide with the state visit of the President of Belarus to Indonesia, which is planned to take place later this year," he said.
The signing is expected to pave the way for joint cultural events, serving as a symbol of the deepening partnership between the two countries.
On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, expressed appreciation for the warm welcome extended by the Ministry of Culture.
"We are very happy to have been welcomed at the Indonesian National Museum, a historical symbol of the Indonesian people from generation to generation, despite the tight schedule of the Minister of Culture," Ryzhenkov said.
Ryzhenkov also expressed Belarus’s keen interest in expanding cultural collaboration with Indonesia through the renewal of the MoU on cultural cooperation.
He emphasized the importance of a practical approach in building this cooperation, including encouraging direct public involvement or people-to-people engagement.
During the luncheon banquet, Minister Fadli Zon proposed the idea of hosting ‘Days of Cinema’ or ‘Days of Culture’ to be held reciprocally in both Indonesia and Belarus.
This builds upon the success of ‘Cinema Indonesia Day,’ held at the Minsk Listening Festival in 2021.
Such initiatives could include film screenings, art performances, traditional cuisine exhibitions, and other showcases of cultural heritage. These activities may also be linked to the major festivals in each respective country.
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Translator: Yoanita Hastryka Djohan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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