Menbud Fadli Zon Encourages Cultural Diplomacy, Calls For OIC Solidarity For Palestine And World Peace

Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Fadli Zon and Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani. (Doc. Ist)

JAKARTA Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Fadli Zon hosted delegates from the 19th Conference of the Association of OKI-National Parliaments (PUIC) at a cultural reception at the National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta, Sunday (11/5/2025). This event became the official opening of the PUIC series of sessions held on May 12'15 with the Indonesian House of Representatives as the host.

In front of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, the Chairs and Members of Parliament of the OKI countries, Ambassadors, and guests of honor from various countries, Menbud Fadli emphasized the importance of cultural diplomacy as a soft power to build peace and uphold global justice.

Cultivation is not just a relic of history, but also the key to shaping the future. The values of mutual cooperation, deliberation, and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika are the foundations of a strong democratic institution," said Menbud Fadli, who is also known to actively fight for Palestinian independence in international parliamentary forums.

Fadli underlined that cross-border cultural cooperation between OICs is very important to strengthen the narrative of global peace and solidarity. He cited the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution that independence is the right of all nations, as the moral foundation of Indonesia in calling for the cessation of violence in Gaza and supporting Palestine.

This cultural night also presents a poem reading by Taufiq Ismail entitled "Palestinian, How Can I Forget You?", performed in two versions of the Indonesian and Arabic language "by West Java DPRD Member Ricky Kurniawan. This action marked Indonesia's consistency in voicing justice through arts and literature.

The chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, in her speech stated that the parliament of the OIC countries must be a collective force in realizing a peaceful and just world. Parliament has a strategic role to maintain peace and fight for the rights of the Palestinian people," said Puan. She also called for strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation between Islamic countries.

Indonesia, as a mega-diversity country with 1,340 ethnic groups and 718 regional languages, has recognized more than 2,200 intangible cultural heritages nationally. Sixteen of them have been included in the UNESCO list, such as batik, angklung, pencak silat, to reog ponorogo.

Menbud Fadli Zon also announced that Indonesia will host the World Culture Forum 2025 in Bali in October with the theme "Culture for the Future". This forum is designed to be a strategic arena to strengthen global cooperation in the preservation of cultural heritage and development of a sustainable creative economy.

"Through the World Culture Forum, we want to present a wave of Indonesian culture on the world stage. It's time for local wisdom to be juxtaposed with global innovation," concluded Fadli.

The event that night closed with an Indonesian cultural arts show featuring the wealth and harmony of the archipelago. In the midst of an increasingly divided world, Indonesia established itself as a nation that made culture a bridge to peace.