From London to Japan, the Rasa Bhayangkara Nusantara book resonates worldwide

The book ‘Rasa Bhayangkara Nusantara’ continues to leave a significant international imprint. After appearances in London, Davos, Washington DC and Jeddah, it is now present at the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia. The book Taste of Nusantara: 80 Bhayangkara Menus for Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals Programme was brought directly by Deputy Chief of Police Komjen Dedi Prasetyo for an iftar with the Ikatan Sakura Indonesia (ISI) and the Charge d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, on Wednesday 4 March 2026. The occasion marked the strengthening of Indonesia–Japan bilateral ties, particularly in police reform cooperation through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which since the reform era has supported capacity building, professionalism, and the reinforcement of community policing approaches within the Indonesian National Police (Polri). The journey of Rasa Bhayangkara Nusantara reflects Indonesia’s consistency in conveying policy narratives through a cultural approach. In London, the book was handed to the Indonesian Ambassador to the United Kingdom as a symbol of strengthening cultural diplomacy in Europe. In Davos, the book appeared at the World Economic Forum, introducing Indonesia’s unique approach that blends strategic policy, culture, and social programmes in a single narrative. In Washington, DC, the book formed part of diplomacy during President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to the United States. In Jeddah, the book was handed to a representative of Indonesia as a strengthening of diplomacy in the Middle East. In the Embassy of Japan, the book officially became part of Indonesia’s diplomacy network in East Asia. Each stop is not merely a ceremony but an expansion of Indonesia’s message to the international community that human resource development, food security, and the strengthening of cultural identity can progress hand in hand. The book is co-authored by Komjen Dedi Prasetyo and Dirgayuza Setiawan, Special Assistant to the President for Communications and Policy Analysis. Dirgayuza emphasises that from the outset the book was designed as an instrument of state diplomacy. ‘We wrote the Rasa Bhayangkara Nusantara as a bridge for Indonesia’s policy communication to the world. Through a universal cultural approach, the international community can understand how Indonesia runs the Free Nutritious Meals Programme with the strength of local wisdom and the diversity of national foods,’ Dirgayuza said on 4 March 2026. He noted that modern diplomacy requires inclusive narratives that are easy to understand and touch on the humanitarian sides of cross-border relations. Meanwhile, Komjen Dedi Prasetyo stated that the book embodies a synergy between policy, culture, and the contributions of state institutions in support of national priority programmes. ‘We wrote this book together as a tangible contribution to presenting Indonesia’s humane, culturally rooted, and policy-progressive face. Its presence at global hubs shows that Indonesia’s gastrodiplomacy can be a significant and aligned part of national diplomacy,’ he said. Gastrodiplomacy as the Face of National Diplomacy. Rasa Bhayangkara Nusantara contains not only 80 nutritious dishes from across Indonesia but also carries a major message about the implementation of the Polri’s Free Nutritious Meals Programme as a national priority. Now extending from Europe, America, the Middle East to Japan, Rasa Bhayangkara Nusantara continues to travel beyond geographical and diplomatic borders, delivering Indonesia’s message to the world: that strategic policies can be communicated through culture, that security and humanity go hand in hand, and that gastrodiplomacy is an integral, harmonised part of national diplomacy. This information is important for the public to know promptly as it demonstrates that the work of the nation and the spirit of Bhayangkara Nusantara has transcended borders to strengthen Indonesia’s position on the global stage through an inclusive, communicative, and internationally competitive approach.