RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian overseas students once again drew attention through a cultural festival in Japan, serving as both a character-building platform and an informal channel of international diplomacy.

The 2026 Bunkasai (Cultural Festival) at the Indonesian School of Tokyo (SIT) featured creative activities by students from kindergarten to high school. The festival, themed “Wonderland Carnival,” blended art, entrepreneurship, and social interaction into a series of events.

Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir, said the festival holds strategic value in shaping the identity of Indonesia’s youth on the international stage.

“Everyone at the Indonesian School in Tokyo is an ambassador of the nation who will one day play a crucial role in international relations,” she said during the opening ceremony on Friday, April 24, as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Saturday, April 26.

According to the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, the program included “Market Day” as an entrepreneurship exercise, an exhibition of student works, and an arts performance titled “Showtime.” These activities were designed to sharpen students’ critical thinking, creativity, and social skills.

Ambassador Kartini emphasized that education extends beyond the classroom, developing through direct experience and the courage to express oneself. She noted that Japan’s environment, renowned for discipline and innovation, provides an important context for shaping students’ character.

“In that context, the 2026 Bunkasai at the Indonesian School in Tokyo plays a highly strategic role,” she said.

Education Attaché Amzul Rifin added that Bunkasai is part of co-curricular learning aimed at enhancing creativity, cooperation, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Through this festival, Indonesian students in Tokyo are expected to continue upholding diversity and local wisdom as part of the nation’s identity on the global stage. ***