Indonesia, Belarus sign five-year cultural cooperation deal

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia and Belarus on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation to expand bilateral ties through joint programs involving artists, museums, academics and creative communities, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said.

The partnership aims to connect artists, cultural workers, museums, arts institutions, academics and creative communities from both countries to learn, create and innovate together, Fadli said.

“This is the essence of cultural diplomacy—building people-to-people connections that ultimately strengthen ties between nations,” he said.

Fadli said he expects the agreement to produce concrete programs that strengthen Indonesia’s position in the global cultural landscape.

He said the agreement reflects both countries’ commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through culture as a pillar of their strategic partnership.

The MoU establishes a framework for structured, sustainable and mutually beneficial cultural cooperation while deepening people-to-people ties between Indonesia and Belarus.

Fadli said the agreement also supports Indonesia’s broader cultural diplomacy strategy to strengthen the country’s global soft power.

“Under President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia continues to strengthen cultural diplomacy as a key pillar of its foreign relations,” he said, adding culture helps build trust, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.

He said the agreement provides a foundation for long-term cooperation in the arts, cultural heritage and creative industries.

Areas of cooperation include partnerships among performing arts institutions, including theater and film organizations, museums, artists’ groups, museum exhibition exchanges and participation in international film festivals.

The agreement also covers capacity building for artists and cultural workers, and cooperation in protecting, documenting and restoring cultural and historical heritage.

Indonesia and Belarus will also cooperate in folklore, fine arts, traditional dance, traditional music, handicrafts and other cultural fields to support implementation.

The two countries will establish a joint working group to facilitate, monitor and evaluate implementation and prepare sustainable work programs.

The agreement is valid for five years from the signing date and may be automatically extended by mutual consent.

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Translator: Sinta Ambarwati, Raka Adji

Editor: Rahmad Nasution

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