Opening the Pusparagam Festival, Fadli Zon encourages Jambi Songket to penetrate the international market

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon encourages Jambi culture to go further into the creative economy. One of the highlights is the songket and the typical Jambi motif which is considered to be developed to the international market.

This was conveyed by Fadli when opening the Pusparagam Negeriku Festival: From Jambi to Indonesia at the Jambi Cultural Park, Friday, July 31.

The festival was the closing of Fadli's working visit to Jambi. This event combines performance art, dance, fine art, to gastronomy or culinary culture.

Fadli said that Jambi Cultural Park has an important role for regional artists and culturalists. According to him, many cultural actors were born and grew from that space.

"There are many artists and cultural figures who were born in this Taman Budaya," said Fadli.

He said that Taman Budaya is a place for the public, artists, cultural activists, fighters, and cultural activists to express their works.

Fadli assessed that Jambi's culture has a large capital to be developed as a cultural and creative industry. With proper management, culture is not only a spectacle, but also has an economic impact on the community.

According to Fadli, the development of Jambi culture requires the cooperation of many parties. Starting from the central government, provincial government, districts, cities, cultural communities, UMKM players, communities, to the private sector.

"Of course it needs cooperation from the central government, provincial governments, regencies and cities with cultural communities, cultural drivers, as well as with MSMEs and the community," he said.

Fadli also hopes that the private sector and corporations will be involved in advancing culture.

He then touched on 16 intangible cultural heritages of Indonesia that have been recognized by UNESCO. According to Fadli, traditional fabrics or fabrics are one of the cultural strengths that can continue to be developed.

"We know that Jambi has very distinctive songket and motifs, and we hope that this can be developed to become a fashion not only in Jambi, but also internationally," said Fadli.

Jambi Governor Al Haris supports the Pusparagam Negeriku Festival as a space for strengthening cultural economy. He said that cultural festivals in Jambi not only showcase art, but also involve UMKM actors, historians, and cultural workers.

"This festival is held almost every year. In addition, there is the Batanghari Festival, then there are also several agendas that all display our various cultures," said Al Haris.

In the series of events, Fadli also inaugurated an art exhibition at the Jambi Cultural Park building. He reviewed paintings, contemporary installations, sculptures, and traditional clothes that illustrate the richness of culture from districts and cities in Jambi Province.

Fadli then reviewed the local food bazaar from the Jambi cultural community. The bazaar featured a variety of Nusantara gastronomy from the local area.

The Pusparagam Negeriku Festival is held as a space for the preservation, development, and development of regional cultural heritage. In addition to art and dance performances, this festival presents visual art, local food, and the works of Jambi cultural workers.