Fadli Zon raises prospect of cultural cooperation with Yemen
Jakarta (ANTARA) — Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon has raised the prospect of enhanced cooperation in arts and culture between Indonesia and Yemen.
During a meeting with Yemeni Ambassador to Indonesia Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh at the Ministry of Culture offices in Jakarta, Fadli stated that the longstanding relationship between Indonesia and Yemen could be strengthened through sustained cultural collaboration.
As cited in a ministry press release in Jakarta on Friday, he explained that ties between Indonesia and Yemen have existed since the 7th century, yet to this day there is no dedicated cultural cooperation agreement between the two countries.
“Cultural cooperation could focus on efforts to identify shared cultural roots and develop areas of similarity, such as henna art, carving, pottery crafts, bamboo and rattan weaving, the utilisation of date palms, and calligraphy,” he explained.
He also raised the possibility of developing joint programmes between the two countries, including the submission of intangible cultural heritage nominations to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Yemeni Ambassador to Indonesia Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh stated that Yemen’s relationship with Indonesia has deep historical roots, primarily through the migration of Yemeni people to the archipelago and their role in 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 order. This serves as motivation for us to continue strengthening relations between our two countries,” he said.
He noted that there are currently around 7,000 Indonesian students pursuing their education in Yemen, and they play an important role in building people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Beyond establishing cultural cooperation between the two countries, Balfakeeh raised the need to reactivate the Indonesia-Yemen joint committee and bilateral cooperation agreements in the fields of trade, economy, and investment.