2026 Biak Festival to boost RI cultural diplomacy

Manokwari (ANTARA) - The Biak Numfor District Administration in Papua is positioning the 2026 Biak Cultural Festival as a platform for cultural diplomacy aimed at strengthening ties between local communities and Pacific countries through art, traditions, and shared cultural heritage.

Head of the Biak Numfor Tourism Office, Turbey Onesimus Dangeubun, said in Manokwari, West Papua, on Wednesday that the festival has evolved beyond a regional cultural event into a meeting point for Indonesian and Pacific communities.

"The festival, scheduled to take place on October 17-21, 2026, will be organized on a larger scale by involving participants from various regions across Indonesia and several Pacific countries," he said on the sidelines of the 14th National Church Choir Festival (Pesparawi).

According to Onesimus, the participation of cultural communities from Papua, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara, and Pacific countries is part of efforts to strengthen cooperation networks based on shared history, culture, and Melanesian identity.

He said cultural diplomacy plays a strategic role not only in fostering closer people-to-people relations but also in creating opportunities for cooperation in various sectors, including social affairs, the creative economy, tourism, education, and regional development.

"There are many benefits that can be gained through cultural diplomacy," Onesimus said.

He noted that the 2026 Biak Cultural Festival will coincide with Indonesia's National Culture Day on October 17, providing momentum to strengthen Biak's position as one of the centers of cultural and tourism development in Eastern Indonesia.

The festival will serve as a platform to promote Papuan culture to national and international audiences, introduce Indonesia's cultural diversity to Pacific countries, and strengthen Indonesia's role in fostering cultural relations through a more inclusive and sustainable approach.

"Through this festival, we want to strengthen brotherly relations among nations while reinforcing Indonesia's cultural diplomacy in the Pacific region," Onesimus said.

The local government is seeking to develop the Biak Cultural Festival into an annual international event that supports cultural preservation, boosts tourism, and stimulates local economic activity.

"We are working to ensure that the festival is not merely a regional event but becomes a national-level event that generates broad economic benefits," Onesimus said.

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Translator: Bayu Prasetyo

Editor: Primayanti

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