Deputy Minister of Creative Economy\/Deputy Head of the Creative\nEconomy Agency Irene Umar formally opened the Imlek Nusantara Parade\n2026 at Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta. The parade serves as the culmination\nof the National Imlek Festival activities running from 22 February to 1\nMarch 2026, functioning as a cross-cultural meeting space reflecting the\nspirit of unity and diversity in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Irene emphasised that the staging of the Imlek Nusantara Parade,\ncoinciding with the month of Ramadan, reflects the nation\u2019s values of\nunity and inclusivity through cross-sector collaboration involving\ngovernment, communities, the private sector, religious leaders, and the\npublic. She made this statement while opening the Imlek Nusantara Parade\non Saturday 28 February 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndonesia is the most inclusive nation because diversity is not\nmerely something we proclaim, but something we demonstrate and\nexperience every day. This Imlek celebration does not belong to one\ngroup, but to all Indonesians, regardless of ethnic, religious, or\nracial background,\u201d Irene stated in a written statement on Sunday 1\nMarch 2026.<\/p>\n
She explained that the Imlek Nusantara Parade featured cultural\nprocessions blending Chinese and Nusantara traditions, including mounted\npolice and female officers, decorated vehicles and art troupes, dragon\nand lion dances, marching bands, Jakarta\u2019s Koko Cici performances, Bedug\nYudha Asri, wushu and pencak silat demonstrations, jaran kepang (hobby\nhorse dancing), and ondel-ondel (traditional Jakarta dolls).<\/p>\n
The parade began with a Long March from Jakarta Cathedral towards\nLapangan Banteng and was symbolically opened through a drum strike by\ncross-sector representatives.<\/p>\n
Various regions, including Pontianak, Surakarta, Medan, and Semarang,\nactively participated as parade entrants, showcasing Chinese cultural\nperformances combined with local Nusantara culture throughout the parade\nroute.<\/p>\n
Irene, in her capacity as Chair of the National Imlek Festival, noted\nthat the selection of the parade area located between Istiqlal Mosque\nand Jakarta Cathedral serves as a powerful symbol of harmony and\ntolerance, simultaneously affirming that diversity forms the primary\nfoundation of national life in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and\nTechnology and Vice-Chair of the National Imlek Festival Stella Christie\nhighlighted the importance of cultural spaces as vehicles for public\neducation in understanding the history of pluralism and cross-cultural\ncontributions to Indonesia\u2019s national journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndonesia\u2019s national identity is shaped collectively through a\nlengthy process of acculturation. Many cultural elements we know today\nemerged from encounters between various cultures, including the\ncontributions of the Chinese community in history, language, cuisine,\nand national struggle,\u201d said Stella Christie.<\/p>\n
Through the Imlek Nusantara Parade 2026, the government reaffirmed\nits commitment to making cultural celebrations not only a unifying space\nand reinforcement of pluralist values, but also an ecosystem encouraging\nthe growth of creative economy based on collaboration, mutual\ncooperation, and diversity.<\/p>\n
Various officials and national figures witnessed the Imlek Nusantara\nParade 2026, including Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar,\nDeputy Minister of Women\u2019s Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica\nTan, North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda, Semarang Mayor Agustina\nWilujeng Pramestuti, and Executive Director of the National Imlek\nFestival Jago Anggara.<\/p>\n
The celebration of the Imlek Nusantara Parade 2026 represents an\nimportant moment for the government to reaffirm its commitment to making\nculture a unifying space for the nation. Beyond mere ceremony, this\nevent was designed as a strategic ecosystem encouraging the growth of\ncreative economy based on collaboration, mutual cooperation, and\ndiversity.<\/p>\n
Aligning with this vision, Artha Graha Peduli (AGP) together with\nArtha Graha Network through its operational unit Bank Artha Graha\nInternasional (BAGI) provided comprehensive support through a series of\nconcrete actions touching on environmental and grassroots economic\nempowerment aspects.<\/p>\n
Commitment to Environmental Cleanliness<\/p>\n
As a form of social responsibility, Artha Graha Peduli (AGP)\nconducted a Saber (Sapu Bersih rubbish-sweeping) initiative. This\ninitiative aimed to ensure that the parade celebration maintained\nenvironmental cleanliness.<\/p>\n
With the spirit of mutual cooperation, the AGP team ensured that\nevery activity area remained free from rubbish, setting a new standard\nfor environmentally-friendly cultural festival implementation in\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
MSME Advancement Through Digitalisation<\/p>\n
On the economic side, Bank Artha Graha Internasional (BAGI) played a\nvital role in upgrading the level of MSMEs participating in the parade.\nThrough QRIS payments, BAGI promoted digital transformation in every\ntransaction.<\/p>\n
To stimulate visitor enthusiasm and merchant revenue, BAGI introduced\na special cashback programme, expected to increase sales volume whilst\naccelerating digital financial literacy among small business\noperators.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis collaboration is a concrete manifestation of private sector\nsynergy in supporting the national agenda. We want this cultural\ncelebration to be not only visually beautiful, but also environmentally\nclean and economically strong for MSME operators,\u201d said Hanna Liles, a\nrepresentative of Artha Graha Peduli management.<\/p>\n
Through the integration of cultural preservation by Artha Graha\nPeduli, environmental care, and digital economic strengthening by Bank\nArtha Graha Internasional, the Imlek Nusantara Parade 2026 is expected\nto serve as a benchmark for sustainable cross-sector collaboration for\nnational progress.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-stages-imlek-nusantara-parade-reflecting-spirit-of-indonesian-unity-1772366083", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }