Four Years Running, Menparekraf Calls AKI An Effort To Restore Creative Economy

Sandiaga Uno (Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Menparekraf, Sandiaga Uno expressed pride in the progress of Indonesian Creative Appreciation (AKI) as the government's flagship program. He said AKI had a major impact on economic recovery, especially in appointing MSME and creative actors.

"For four years we have gone through the struggle (AKI program, ed) since the pandemic with innovation, adaptation and collaboration. We can not only overcome the pandemic but can also restore the economy," Sandi said in Tangerang, Banten, quoted from ANTARA, Sunday 15 September.

He said the AKI program, which has been rolling since 2021, has been present in 60 cities in 31 provinces in Indonesia, involving 1,600 creative economy actors and 1,600 creative products that have succeeded in opening up 25 million job opportunities.

"And during that struggle, our creative economy has entered the top three in the world," he said.

According to Sandi, this success is expected for the leadership of the new government in the Prabowo Subianto era to be able to continue the sustainability of the creative economy program as to strengthen Indonesia's position in the global arena.

"The sustainability of creative economy programs is needed to strengthen our position to become a developed country and a gold Indonesia in 20245," he said.

He also explained that the implementation of AKI in 2024 had attracted more than 6,800 registrants. Of these, 412 creative economy actors were selected who passed the curation and participated in a series of bootscamps and exhibitions in 12 cities/districts, namely Bekasi, Serang, Singkawang, Magelang, Blitar, Denpasar, Toba, Palu, Tanjung Pinang, Labuan Bajo, Ternate, to Merauke.

Of the 412 participants, he continued, 12 of the best AKI 2024 Finalists were selected who represented each city/district to participate in the National Exhibition of Puncak AKI Week which was held at Summarecon Mall Serpong on September 13-16, 2024.

"Of the total participants, approximately 400 of the total registered 7,000 in 12 cities/districts, they will later be selected to be displayed at AKI 2024 at Summarecon mall, Serpong Tangerang," he explained.