The event, titled “Dari Kata ke Rasa” (From Words to Taste), was held on Tuesday to underscore the strategic role of literary works and cuisine in advancing Indonesia’s diplomatic outreach, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Ministry of Culture.
Director General for Cultural Diplomacy, Promotion and Cooperation Endah Retnoastuti said Indonesia’s traditional and contemporary cultural expressions have become important markers of national identity amid intensifying global competition.
“Literature and gastronomy are unique sources of Indonesia’s soft power because they are deeply rooted in society,” Retnoastuti said, adding that the Ministry of Culture shares responsibility for supporting the country’s broader diplomatic agenda led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
She noted that since the establishment of the Ministry of Culture last year, the government has begun to articulate a more unified approach to cultural diplomacy and related initiatives.
Retnoastuti stressed that cultural promotion must go hand in hand with improving the welfare of cultural communities, particularly through the creative economy.
“Only then can culture truly become an engine of national progress,” she said.
Retnoastuti expressed hope that the talk show would encourage stronger cross-sector collaboration, enabling Indonesia to maximize its literary heritage and rich culinary traditions as tools of diplomacy.
A similar view was echoed by Kamapradipta Isnomo, an advisor to the foreign minister on socio-cultural affairs and human empowerment. He said literature and gastronomy offer strong potential to communicate Indonesia’s values and history to the world.
“Literature reflects a nation’s history, character and social life, while gastronomy conveys its emotional essence,” Isnomo said, also pointing to Indonesia’s vast collection of ancient manuscripts as an underutilized cultural asset.
Meanwhile, National Library head E. Aminudin Aziz said his institution plans to adapt ancient manuscripts into 25 comic books in collaboration with the public, as part of efforts to preserve and popularize Indonesia’s literary heritage among younger generations.
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Translator: Fita A, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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