Indonesia and Saudi Arabia strengthen bilateral relations through culture
“We are very pleased with the presence of His Excellency (Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, Faisal Abdullah H. Amodi). We hope that cooperation in the cultural sector between the two countries can continue to be strengthened and provide significant benefits to the cultural ecosystems in both,” the minister said when receiving the visit of the Ambassador when confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday.
Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a 76-year friendship. During the meeting, they discussed several potential strategic collaborations to strengthen the cultures of both countries, supported by the diversity and broad scope of Indonesia’s Cultural Advancement Objects.
According to him, the establishment of the Ministry of Culture as an independent ministry is a strategic step to strengthen cultural advancement.
The Minister of Culture of Saudi Arabia, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, is also scheduled to visit Jakarta and sign the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on Culture between the two countries which will expire in 2027.
Fadli Zon also announced Indonesia’s candidacy for membership in the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2026-2030 period.
He stated that Saudi Arabia’s support for Indonesia will strengthen their shared commitment to the governance and preservation of cultural heritage globally.
Indonesia is also encouraging collaboration in submitting extensions to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage elements, particularly the Arabic Calligraphy elements, which have been inscribed internationally, including by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, Indonesia is also exploring extensions to other elements relevant to everyday life in both countries, such as the Majlis and the Date Palm.
The countries are also exploring opportunities for cooperation in the cultural industry, including film. Fadli Zon sees the potential for co-production and film festivals through the Red Sea Film Festival taking place in Jeddah and the JogjaNETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) in Yogyakarta.
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Translator: Sinta Ambarwati, Asri Mayang Sari