Menbud Fadli Zon Attends INACRAFT 2025, Encourages Cultural Downstreaming For MSMEs

Menbud Fadli Zon (Doc. Kemenbud)

JAKARTA Minister of Culture Fadli Zon emphasized the government's commitment to supporting the strengthening of cultural-based MSMEs when opening INACRAFT 2025 at the Jakarta Convention Center, Thursday, October 2. The largest handicraft event in Southeast Asia is an important stage for craft business actors from various regions to penetrate the national and international markets.

INACRAFT is close to culture because its main resources are in culture. The works here show high creativity from regions in Indonesia," said Menbud Fadli. He emphasized the importance of downstreaming culture so that traditional heritage does not stop as a symbol, but is processed into high economic-valued creative products.

The Minister of Culture directly inspected MSME booths, had a dialogue with textile craftsmen, ukir wood, and traditional oil producers. Events such as INACRAFT must be held more often in various regions, not only in Jakarta. That way local creativity can grow more evenly," he added.

Chairman of the BPP Indonesian Handicraft Exporters and Producers Association (ASEPHI), Muchsin Ridjan, said that INACRAFT has been running for 25 years thanks to the synergy of the government and society. This year's theme, Craft, Culture and Future, strengthens the handicraft ecosystem through cultural forces," he said.

The Minister of Trade, Budi Santoso, who is also present, reminded the younger generation to be proud to buy local products. "The future of crafts is in our hands. Buying local products is a way to preserve culture as well as encourage innovation," he said.

In addition to the wife of Vice President Selvi Gibran Rakabuming Raka and the Minister of Trade, Budi Susanto, the opening of INACRAFT 2025 was also attended by a number of officials and ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, including the Minister of MSMEs, Maman Abdurahman; Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Veronica Tan; and SERUNI (Women's Solidarity for Indonesia) Red and White Cabinet.

Their presence shows that cultural-based MSMEs are not just a commercial matter, but part of a big strategy to maintain identity while strengthening national economic competitiveness.