It's Officially Opened, Papua Youth Creative Hub Is Expected To Be A Place For Creativity

Inauguration Of Papua Youth Creative Hub/ Photo: Antara

PAPUA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno accompanied President Joko Widodo to inaugurate the "Papua Youth Creative Hub" in Jayapura City as a form of the Indonesian government's commitment to providing space for Papuan youth to develop innovation, technology, creativity, and local creative economy products.

Menparekraf, through a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday, said that the tourism sector and the creative economy must go hand in hand. Papua has a variety of tourist attractions with an abundant stretch of nature and culture.

"Of course, we really appreciate the Papua Youth Creative Hub, which we hope will create a creative economy ecosystem for young people in Papua," said Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga, quoting Antara, Wednesday, March 22.

The existence of the Papua Youth Creative Hub will be very important in supporting the development of the creative industry with the characteristics of Jayapura City. So that the economy of the people in Papua can increase and open up more business opportunities and employment opportunities.

The presence of the Papua Youth Creative Hub in Jayapura is a follow-up to a meeting between President Joko Widodo and 23 Young Papuan Inspirational Leaders in September 2019 at the State Palace. Which was then built collaboratively by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the Ministry of PUPR.

This two-story building is projected to become the Silicon Valley of Eastern Indonesia. Which is equipped with exhibition spaces, co-working spaces, theater rooms for art and cultural development, research rooms, photo studios, music studios, culinary spaces, to sports fields.

President Joko Widodo said Papua Youth Creative Hub shows that Indonesia's development now is not a Central Java but a Central Indonesia. And Papuan land is a priority starting from the development of accessibility to infrastructure supporting the creative industry.

"We must provide opportunities for our young people who have creativity, have innovation, have a great desire to move in the creative industry. And I hope this can improve welfare, provide improvement in progress to the Papuan people we love," said President Joko Widodo.

On that occasion, the President gave direction to Sandi to present assistance and training programs related to the creative economy to Papuan youth, as well as to organize Street Carnival in Jayapura in June.

Responding to the directive, Sandiaga plans to hold a Carnival Street in Jayapura as a side event for the Lake Sentani Festival which is included in the Kharisma Event Nusantara 2023 agenda.

Also attending the inauguration ceremony of the Papua Youth Creative Hub, the Ministers of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet were Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Sri Mulyani, Minister of Law and Human Rights (Menkumham) Yasonna H. Laoly, Minister of Manpower (Menaker) Ida Fauziyah, Minister of Investment/Head of the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia.

Also present were the Head of the State Intelligence Agency, Budi Gunawan; Head of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri) Listyo Sigit Prabowo and the TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono.