Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said in her remarks at the opening event of the program here on Monday that through the scholarship, all participants will be able to learn about Indonesia and will then be expected to improve their understanding and respect for different cultures.
"Learning a foreign language and respecting the culture of a country are not just about seeking new experiences; it also means you are building a bridge of understanding, peace, and prosperity for the world," she remarked.
According to Director of Public Diplomacy Al Busyra Basnur, besides learning the language and studying Indonesias art and culture, the scholarship recipients will also visit six cities in Indonesia: Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo, Surabaya, Makassar, and Bali.
"In Yogyakarta, they will join an academic class on Indonesian politics, economy, society, and culture. In the other five cities, they will learn traditional dances, musical instruments, and local wisdom," he said.
The 2015 Art and Cultural Scholarship was awarded to participants from 40 countries, including Austria, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, the Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Thailand, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United States, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
The three-month program will come to a close with a major performance, titled "Indonesia Channel," with participation from all the scholarship recipients.
"The performance will be held to showcase what the participants learned in Indonesia. This year, the Indonesia Channel will be performed in Bandung on June 15, 2015," he remarked.
Basnur noted that the scholarship program had also contributed to promoting Indonesian art, culture, and tourism to the international community.
"After the participants return home, they are usually very active in promoting Indonesia," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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