U.S.-RI Society comes to town
U.S.-RI Society comes to town
JAKARTA (JP): The United States-Indonesia Society, which was inaugurated in Washington just over a year ago, will make its debut in Indonesia tonight with a gala appearance.
Hosting a reception to introduce the organization at the Aryaduta Jakarta hotel are the two co-chairs of the board of trustees, Paul Wolfowitz and Emil Salim, and the society's president, Edward Masters.
The United States-Indonesia Society was formed in February 1994 as a private nonprofit organization after a group of Indonesians and Americans with firsthand experience in both countries became concerned by what seemed to be growing bilateral problems and a lack of knowledge on United States' part about Indonesia's culture, history, general aspirations and governmental system.
Wolfowitz and Masters both served as American ambassadors to Indonesia while Emil, an American-trained economist, served in President Soeharto's cabinet for over 20 years until 1993.
Indonesian senior economist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo and former U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz sit as honorary co- chairs of the board of advisors.
The group had its official inauguration at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington in October 1994, an event that was attended by about 400 guests, including U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, who was the guest of honor, and Winston Lord, the U.S. Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
The society, which is convinced that sound U.S.-Indonesia ties are of growing importance in today's complex world, felt the need for an organization to focus on this relationship and help foster better understanding of Indonesia in the United States and the relationship between the two countries.
The society's activities include publications of various books about the roles both Indonesia and America play, professional orientation tours including of U.S. congressional staff, the granting of scholarships, organizing cultural events, speeches and interviews, conferences and lectures. (emb)