Indonesia - Albania Discuss Film Co-Production and "Joint Nomination" of Cultural Heritage

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon opened a more concrete cultural cooperation channel with Albania: film co-production, festival participation, to the submission of cultural heritage through a joint nomination mechanism. The focus is clear - cultural diplomacy that can measure its results, not just formal meetings.

The discussion arose in a dialogue between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia and the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Albania to Indonesia, Nickson Ballço, at the Ministry of Culture Building, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, February 10.

During the meeting, Fadli emphasized the establishment of the Ministry of Culture as a separate institution to strengthen the country's commitment to the cultural ecosystem - including making traditions as the foundation for character development in the midst of global currents.

One of the doors offered is the film. "We can explore our cultural diplomacy from the film side," said Fadli. He also mentioned the opportunity for participation in the Tirana International Film Festival as a meeting space for industry players from both countries.

In the cultural heritage sector, Fadli encouraged the joint nomination mechanism and active involvement in the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to strengthen bilateral relations as well as protect cross-generational cultural wealth.

Nickson Ballço welcomed the plan and hoped that Indonesian-Albanian cultural diplomacy could move from films to cultural festivals. The meeting was also attended by Director General Endah T.D. Retnoastuti, Expert Staff Anindita Kusuma Listya, Special Staff Annisa Rengganis, and Director of Cultural Diplomacy Raden Usman Effendi.