INDONESIA AWARDS ART AND CULTURAL SCHOLARSHIP TO BOOST PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONTACT

**Indonesian government awards the Art and Cultural Scholarship to 70 participants from 40 countries to enhance the people-to-people contact between Indonesians and the international community.** (Photo: MINA)

Jakarta, 19 Jumadil Awwal 1436/10 March 2015 (MINA) – The Indonesian government has awarded the Art and Cultural Scholarship to 70 participants from 40 countries to enhance the people-to-people contact between Indonesians and the international community.

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, Antara News quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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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.

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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. (T/P010/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)