Fadli Zon Meets Yemeni Ambassador to Discuss Strengthening Indonesia-Yemen Cultural Cooperation
Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon held discussions with Yemeni Ambassador to Indonesia Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh at the Ministry of Culture offices in Jakarta. The meeting addressed the strengthening of bilateral relations through cultural cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and artistic exchanges.
During the dialogue, Fadli assessed that the Indonesia-Yemen relationship rests on strong historical foundations, necessitating the reinforcement of cultural collaboration through concrete and sustainable programmes.
“Relations between Indonesia and Yemen have existed for a long time, dating back to the 7th century. To this day, many Indonesian students study in Yemen, and this serves as an important bridge in the relationship between our two nations,” Fadli said in a written statement on Friday (20 February 2026).
He also noted that no dedicated cultural cooperation agreement currently exists between the two countries. This gap was seen as opening opportunities for more structured collaboration, including exploring shared cultural roots.
“Cultural cooperation could focus on efforts to identify shared cultural roots and develop areas of similarity, such as henna art, carving, pottery craftsmanship, bamboo and rattan weaving, date palm utilisation, and calligraphy,” he explained.
Fadli considered that these various potentials could be developed into joint programmes, including the possibility of submissions for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.
Meanwhile, Yemeni Ambassador Salem Ahmed affirmed that relations between the two nations have endured for hundreds of years, partly through the migration of Yemeni communities to the archipelago and their contribution to the spread of Islam.
“This relationship has existed for hundreds of years. Our ancestors came to the archipelago not only bringing religion but also playing a significant role in building civilisation and social structures. This motivates us to continue strengthening relations between our two countries,” Salem Ahmed said.
He noted that approximately 7,000 Indonesian students are currently pursuing education in Yemen, with numbers continuing to grow. He said the presence of these students helps maintain close people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Beyond cultural cooperation, Salem Ahmed also highlighted the need to reactivate the Indonesia-Yemen joint committee. He raised a number of agreements in the fields of trade, economics, and investment, as well as encouraging a visit by Yemen’s Foreign Minister to Indonesia to strengthen cooperation.
Closing the dialogue, Fadli expressed hope that Indonesia-Yemen cultural cooperation could be enhanced through realistic, measurable, and sustainable programmes. He noted that the long history of relations dating back to the 7th century and the presence of thousands of Indonesian students in Yemen could serve as an important bridge for strengthening collaboration between the two nations.
The meeting was also attended by Director General of Cultural Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cooperation Endah T.D. Retnoastuti, and the Minister’s Expert Staff for Law and Cultural Policy Masyitoh Annisa Ramadhani Alkatiri.