Minister of Culture Opens RI-Yemen "Cultural Cooperation": From Henna to Dates, Being Targeted for UNESCO Entry

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon encourages more concrete and measurable cooperation between Indonesia and Yemen. He said that the opportunities for collaboration were wide open because the relationship between the two countries was long, but it was not supported by a special agreement in the field of culture - a blank space that, according to him, should be filled immediately.

The encouragement was conveyed by Fadli when he had a dialogue with the Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to Indonesia, Salem Ahmed Abdulrahman Balfakeeh, at the Ministry of Culture's office, Jakarta, Thursday, February 19.

"The relationship between Indonesia and Yemen has been going on for a long time, even since the 7th century," said Fadli. He added that the presence of Indonesian students in Yemen is one of the important bridges of relations between the two countries.

Fadli assessed that cultural cooperation should not stop at discourse. He proposed focusing on areas that have a tradition in both countries, ranging from henna art, carving art, pottery crafts, bamboo and rattan weaving, the use of date trees, to calligraphy. A number of these potentials, according to him, can be directed into a joint program, including the possibility of being submitted as an Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO.

The Yemeni Ambassador Salem Ahmed said that the relationship between the two countries was formed strongly through the history of migration of the people of Yemen to the archipelago and their role in the spread of Islam. "Our ancestors came to the archipelago not only bringing religion, but also playing a major role in building civilization and social order," he said.

Salem Ahmed also said that there were about 7,000 Indonesian students studying in Yemen and the number was increasing. He assessed that the students were in a relatively stable condition and strengthened relations between communities.

Apart from cultural issues, the Yemeni ambassador touched on the need to reactivate the joint Indonesia-Yemen committee and encourage the continuation of cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, and investment. He said his country was trying to encourage the visit of the Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs to Indonesia.

The meeting was also attended by the Director General of Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cultural Cooperation Endah T.D. Retnoastuti and the Expert Staff of the Minister for Legal and Cultural Policy Masyitoh Annisa Ramadhani Alkatiri.

Closing the dialogue, Fadli emphasized that the cooperation of the culture of Indonesia and Yemen must move through an agenda that is "realistic, measurable, and sustainable", with a long history of relations and the existence of thousands of Indonesian students in Yemen as a not small social capital.