Indonesia Explores Cultural Cooperation with Mexico and Georgia

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta: Several ambassadors of friendly countries, including the Ambassador of the United Mexican States and the Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of Indonesia, participated in a dialogue with Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon. The meeting at the Ministry of Culture Building discussed cooperation in the cultural sector and how to strengthen Indonesia's cultural diplomacy.

In a meeting with the Ambassador of the United Mexican States to the Republic of Indonesia, Francisco de la Torre Galindo, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon emphasized the various opportunities for cooperation between Indonesia and Mexico.

They discussed the possibility of submitting a joint nomination for Semana Santa, a Larantuka tradition celebrated during Easter and similar to Latin American traditions.

"We can start by identifying shared cultural heritage for UNESCO, opening opportunities for joint submissions. In Indonesia, for example, there is the Semana Santa tradition of Larantuka, which is also recognized and celebrated in other countries. This similarity creates an opportunity for us to collaborate and celebrate together, promoting cross-border cultural recognition," said the Minister of Culture on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, as quoted by the Ministry of Culture's official website.

Francisco de la Torre Galindo said the community's role is key to his country's cultural growth. "As the Minister of Culture said, Mexico sees that culture and community bring people together. When we share cultural and artistic sources of pride, countries can grow and support one another."

Minister Fadli also met with the Georgian Ambassador to Indonesia, Tornike Nozadze. He said that Indonesia and Georgia have a long history of cultural cooperation. "There's a lot of potential for cultural cooperation, and it hasn't been fully utilized. We have a memorandum of understanding, and it's time to revive that cooperation," he said.

The Minister of Culture stated that the film industry could be a promising medium for joint development, including film production.

The Georgian Ambassador presented several proposals for cooperation in the film sector. "We propose cooperation on film screenings, showing Georgian films in Indonesia and Indonesian films in Georgia," Nozadze explained.

The Ambassador also sought to strengthen cultural relations with Indonesia in other areas, including high-level exchange visits and an open invitation for the Minister of Culture to visit Georgia.

"The Georgian National Film Center is ready to collaborate. To initiate the program, a technical memorandum of understanding is required between the institutions," he said.

"Beyond film, we would like to propose an exchange of traditional arts groups. We have Georgian folk music and dance, including polyphonic singing, which has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. I believe that people-to-people contact through culture is far more effective than mere geographical or academic introductions," Ambassador Tornike added.

Minister of Culture Fadli agreed that film is the best way to start working together. He said, "We can start with screenings and festivals, then move on to writing scripts and production. We can also look into funding and matching funds."

The meetings affirmed the Ministry of Culture's commitment to strengthening cultural cooperation with friendly countries through open and collaborative dialogue.

Through cultural diplomacy, Indonesia aims to promote the exchange of knowledge, creativity, and cultural values across borders, fostering sustainable bilateral relations and elevating the global profile of Indonesian culture. ***