RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, has underscored the importance of culture as a strategic foundation for achieving the country's long-term economic independence. He delivered the remarks during the National Dialogue of the 2026 Indonesian Convention on Science, Technology, and Industry (KSTI) at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC), Sunday 28 June 2026.

The forum, themed "Culture and the People's Economy: The Foundation of National Economic Independence," brought together government officials, academics, and industry leaders. It aimed to strengthen the role of higher education, science, and technology in shaping strategies for Indonesia's economic self-reliance and public prosperity.

In his keynote address, Fadli Zon said that economic independence should not be viewed solely through the lens of fiscal, monetary, or trade policies. He argued that a nation's ability to develop knowledge, preserve its cultural identity, strengthen social cohesion, and foster creativity is equally essential to sustainable economic development.

"Culture is both the capital and the infrastructure of civilization. It shapes how a nation produces, adapts, innovates, and builds solidarity," Fadli Zon said. He stressed that culture must become an integral part of Indonesia's economic strategy rather than serving merely as a complementary element of development.

The minister highlighted Indonesia's vast cultural assets as a major source of economic potential. With around 1,340 ethnic groups, 718 regional languages, thousands of items of intangible cultural heritage, and multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, he said the country has a strong foundation for developing a culture-based economy.

Fadli Zon also described culture as both a civilizational resource and an engine of economic growth capable of creating added value and improving people's welfare. "The economic independence we aspire to must grow from our own strengths, serve the people, and be rooted in Indonesia's culture," he said.

To support this vision, the Ministry of Culture will strengthen several strategic initiatives, including expanding the national cultural database, promoting cultural downstream industries, enhancing copyright and communal intellectual property protection, broadening access to financing and markets for cultural practitioners, and encouraging universities to become centers for research, innovation, documentation, and the development of knowledge-based cultural industries.

The 2026 KSTI National Dialogue was also attended by Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, Minister of Finance Yudhi Purbaya, and Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Stella Christie. Fadli Zon further expressed hope that the forum would produce strategic recommendations to strengthen Indonesia's economic independence through the integration of culture, science, and technology.