JAKARTA - The Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Fadli Zon, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Cultural Cooperation between Indonesia and France with the Minister of Culture of France, Rachida Dati, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, during a series of state visits by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, to Indonesia as a form of joint commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries that have existed for 75 years. The signing took place at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, witnessed directly by President Prabowo Subianto and President Emmanuel Macron.
This agreement is a follow-up to the Joint Declaration of Indonesia's Future on Strategy in the Culture Sector which was also signed by the two heads of state during President Macron's state visit to Jakarta. The two documents are a new milestone in building a Cultural Strategic Partnership between Indonesia and France towards the celebration of 100 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2051.
"This MoU is an operational framework for realizing the cultural vision that has been agreed upon by the two Presidents. Through this collaboration, Indonesia and France are committed to building a common space for innovation, co-creation, and cross-generational cultural solidarity with the emphasis on preserving cultural heritage and heritage, developing museums, digitizing archives and collections, strengthening the capacity of cultural human resources, to promoting the economy and cultural industry such as film, music, wastra, culinary, performing arts, and games," said Minister Fadli Zon.
Through this collaboration, the two countries also affirmed a joint commitment to preventing the illegal movement of cultural objects and historical objects, including tracking the origins of the collection through research on pro-venance and ethical-based repatriation. Furthermore, this agreement also encourages the establishment of inter-institutional cooperation mechanisms, such as exchange of curators and conservators, artist recognition, joint festivals, and strengthening of networks between cultural institutions between the two countries. Programs such as the Indonesia-France Film Lab, the Borobudur Cultural Center, the PINTU Foundation, and participation in Cité internationale des arts in Paris are part of a concrete initiative to be carried out.
We want to strengthen cultural dialogue between the two nations, especially involving the younger generation and actors of contemporary culture. France and Indonesia have a dynamic and complementary cultural ecosystem. This is the time for us to move together to form a global cultural landscape that is more inclusive, open, and collaborative, "said Fadli.
This collaboration also emphasizes the position of culture as a strategic force in geopolitical and global economics. As emphasized by President Prabowo in the 2050 Joint Vision, Indonesia and France are committed to being pillars of the stability of the world's geo-economics, with culture as a binding between nations and the foundation of a sustainable civilization.
As part of the cultural diplomacy strategy, the Indonesian Ministry of Culture will also facilitate strengthening cooperation between cultural communities, education, and creative industry players from both countries. We open the widest possible space for synergy between countries and the cultural community. Through an inclusive approach, we hope to create added cultural and economic value for the two nations," concluded Fadli.
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The signing of the MoU is one of the main achievements in President Macron's series of visits to Indonesia, as well as marking the start of a new chapter in bilateral strategic relations in the field of culture, which is increasingly inclusive, innovative, and has a long-term impact.
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