Indonesia and France Forge Strategic Literary Alliance

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Culture and the French Embassy in Indonesia formalized their commitment to deepen cultural cooperation, with literature and literacy at the center. The agreement was reached during a Connection Night event held in Makassar on the sidelines of the Makassar International Writers Festival (MIWF) 2026.

The event, jointly organized by the two institutions, was described not merely as a celebration but as the opening of a working relationship between two distinct cultural ecosystems. Special Staff to the Minister of Culture for Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations, Anissa Rengganis, outlined the concrete shape the partnership would take.

"We will 'marry' two major programs, which are the Choix Goncourt Indonésie program from the French Government with the Read Indonesia program and the National Talent Management in Literature program from the Indonesian Government. The presence of the French delegation at MIWF this year is a crucial first step in implementing that cooperation," Anissa said in an official statement confirmed from Jakarta on Saturday, May 18 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The Choix Goncourt Indonésie is a French-initiated program that engages Indonesian readers and institutions with the renowned Prix Goncourt literary award. This initiative will now find a counterpart in Indonesia's homegrown efforts to cultivate and promote its own literary talent on the national stage.

Anissa was clear that the ambitions extend well beyond the ceremonial. "We hope this activity can give birth to concrete collaboration, from cultural exchanges, book translations, and writer residencies, to festival cooperation in the future," she added.

Three strategic agendas form the backbone of the literary partnership. Indonesia is set to participate in Le Festival du Livre de Paris in 2027, while France will engage with the Indonesia International Book Fair.

Crucially, both sides are also working to develop a translation subsidy scheme that would help bring Indonesian literary works into major world languages. This initiative aims to address a long-standing gap that has limited the global reach of the country's rich literary output.

The Makassar Connection Night, held within MIWF 2026, was itself positioned as evidence that cultural diplomacy can move alongside political diplomacy, with literature, art, and human networks serving as the connective tissue.

Through this collaboration, Indonesia's Ministry of Culture reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the global footprint of Indonesian literature while building a sustained and substantive cultural relationship with France. Organizers hope this partnership will grow well beyond the pages of any single festival program. ***