“The goal of this competition is to introduce our cultural heritage and cultural richness to international schools at the elementary, junior high, or senior high levels,” Undri told reporters at the National Gallery of Indonesia, here on Saturday.
The competition, designed specifically for international school students, also serves a clear purpose in preserving Indonesia’s cultural heritage.
According to him, the initiative can become a positive diplomatic effort to further introduce Indonesian culture to students studying in these international schools.
“We want international-level schools to serve as platforms for diplomacy and promotion. This is how our cultural richness can be communicated and conveyed to other countries or to students’ home countries,” he explained.
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The event received a strong response from international school students in Indonesia. More than 700 submissions were received by the committee from 242 schools across the country.
“The response is remarkable. We recorded 707 participants from 241 schools nationwide. With such strong participation, we see that international school students are highly enthusiastic,” he emphasized.
The students’ works will later be featured on the Culture Ministry’s digital platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, and promoted as part of cultural diplomacy efforts.
In the same event, Culture Minister Fadli Zon through a video message said that international schools are where cultures from around the world meet.
He expressed hope that the competition would produce future cultural ambassadors.
“I hope this competition gives rise to cultural ambassadors who are intelligent and big-hearted. Congratulations on celebrating our diversity, tolerance, and empathy,” he said in a video message.
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Translator: Chairul, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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