JAKARTA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) — Indonesia’s first national-level Chinese language New Yr celebration is anticipated to deepen cultural understanding and promote inventive cooperation between Indonesia and China, Deputy Minister of Artistic Financial system Irene Umar has stated.
“I really feel {that a} deep understanding of cultures on the nationwide degree will promote diplomatic exchanges between the 2 nations,” Irene advised Xinhua in an interview on Friday.
She famous that as bilateral exchanges increase throughout enterprise, academia and communities, a deeper understanding can be achieved.
In accordance with the Ministry of Artistic Financial system, the inaugural nationwide Chinese language New Yr Competition can be held from Feb. 17 to March 3, 2026, at Lapangan Banteng in Jakarta.
The celebration will function lantern festivals, culinary and artistic market festivals, an open museum showcasing Chinese language cultural acculturation, the Nusantara Chinese language New Yr Parade, and different inclusive public occasions. Parallel celebrations may even happen in cities together with Singkawang, Palembang, Solo, Semarang, Manado, Makassar, Surabaya, Medan, Bogor, Batam and Pontianak.
Irene, who additionally serves as chairperson of the Nationwide Chinese language New Yr Organizing Committee, stated the celebration takes on added that means because it coincides with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
For Irene, who’s of Chinese language descent, elevation of the celebration to the nationwide degree carries particular significance.
“That is one thing very particular and near my coronary heart,” she stated. “This is a chance to showcase to everybody that, hey, let’s get along with love.”
Past its cultural significance, Irene stated the pageant offers concrete assist for Indonesia’s inventive financial system by providing platforms for native entrepreneurs and creators.
“We offer lots of phases for our inventive financial system,” she stated, referring to inventive entrepreneurs as “inventive financial system warriors.”
Such platforms enable folks to find Indonesia’s inventive strengths and join immediately with creators, thereby increasing financial alternatives and fostering collaboration, based on her.
One of many key packages is a large-scale bazaar scheduled from Feb. 22 to March 1 at Lapangan Banteng, that includes greater than 200 native manufacturers, together with meals and beverage companies in addition to non-food and beverage manufacturers.
“The aim is for all Indonesians, of all walks of life, to assemble collectively as a result of meals combines and blends folks,” she stated.
Irene additionally highlighted how the celebration encourages cultural innovation and helps make conventional tradition related to youthful generations. Through the interview, she pointed to the sneakers she was carrying, which included lion dance design parts.
“That is one instance of how the inventive financial system could make cultures related to the youth,” she stated, explaining that inventive industries assist remodel cultural heritage into fashionable expressions that resonate with youthful folks.
She expressed optimism that such initiatives would additionally strengthen inventive and financial cooperation between Indonesia and China.
“We hope to see increasingly collaborations between the 2 nations, particularly on the inventive financial system facet,” she stated.
Having visited cities resembling Shanghai and Hangzhou, Irene stated her private experiences in China deepened her appreciation of cultural alternate and innovation.
“China, as a rustic, has at all times been a vacation spot for me to return and study,” she stated. “Deeper understanding of cultures bonds folks collectively.”
She additionally warmly welcomed Chinese language vacationers to go to Indonesia and expertise its cultural range firsthand.
“If you come to Indonesia, we welcome you with open arms,” she stated. “We would like to focus on that to the world so that individuals will know us higher, after which the blends might occur.”
