Indonesia and Kuwait to Sign MoU on Culture, Museums, and Weaving

JAKARTA - Indonesia and Kuwait are exploring more concrete cultural cooperation. The agenda is not only the exchange of cultural events, but also new MoUs, museum cooperation, to support in the framework of the UNESCO Convention. The plan was discussed by Minister of Culture Fadli Zon when he received the Ambassador of Kuwait to Indonesia Khalid Jassim Al-Yassin at the Ministry of Culture Office, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, August 5. Fadli proposed the drafting of a new memorandum of understanding or MoU as an umbrella for Indonesian and Kuwaiti cultural cooperation. The MoU is expected to strengthen the implementation of the Cultural Cooperation Agreement which was signed by both countries on May 30, 2007. "We highly appreciate the long-standing relationship between Indonesia and Kuwait. I think that relationship needs to continue to be strengthened, especially in the cultural field," said Fadli. According to Fadli, the existence of the Ministry of Culture as a separate ministry opens up room for strengthening bilateral cultural cooperation. "I would like to propose that the two countries have a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU can be an umbrella for cultural cooperation and cultural relations between Indonesia and Kuwait," he said. Fadli also invited Kuwait to explore cooperation within the framework of the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Indonesia conveyed four proposals that it hoped would receive Kuwait's support. The proposals include Arabic calligraphy and the tradition of Islamic calligraphy, palm tree-based culture, community deliberation tradition, and weaving tradition. The Kuwaiti Ambassador Khalid Jassim Al-Yassin welcomed the new MoU proposal. He assessed that this step could strengthen the implementation of cultural cooperation that had been agreed in 2007. Kuwait also expressed its readiness to follow up on Indonesia's proposal within the framework of the 2003 UNESCO Convention. Besides UNESCO, Khalid opened the opportunity for inter-museum cooperation. The form can be in the form of exchange of collections and joint exhibitions. He said Kuwait has an Islamic Heritage House, a private collection owned by the Al Sabah royal family. Some of the collection has been exhibited in world museums, including the Louvre in Paris, the Kremlin Museum in Moscow, and Houston. "This cooperation is very relevant for Indonesia because of the common Islamic heritage and historical relations with Islamic civilization. We can also hold an exhibition of Indonesian collections in Kuwait museums," said Khalid. The meeting also discussed the plan for the Kuwait Cultural Week in Indonesia in early 2027. Both parties also explored the Indonesian Cultural Week in Kuwait. Khalid said the cultural week could present music groups, dance groups, and art exhibitions. "We have the idea of holding the Kuwait Cultural Week in Indonesia which is scheduled to take place in early 2027 by presenting a music group, a dance group, and an art exhibition," he said. "On the contrary, we also very welcome if Indonesia holds the Indonesian Culture Week in Kuwait," he said. Fadli welcomed the idea. He said Indonesia and Kuwait could explore collaboration in the traditional and fashion textile sector. According to Fadli, Indonesian batik, weaving, and Muslim fashion have the opportunity to be included in the cultural agenda of the two countries. "The idea to hold the Kuwait Cultural Week in Indonesia and the Indonesian Cultural Week in Kuwait is something that is very possible to be realized," said Fadli. "The expression of Indonesian culture in the field of fashion is very rich, especially the development of Muslim fashion, batik, and various traditional woven fabrics that have potential," he said. The meeting was also attended by Third Secretary of the Kuwait Embassy Asmaa Alhasawi, Director General of Diplomacy, Promotion and Cultural Cooperation Endah T.D. Retnoastuti, and Expert Staff for Inter-Institutional Relations Ismunandar. Both parties agreed to follow up on the opportunities for cooperation that had been discussed, ranging from new MoUs, museum cooperation, support within the framework of UNESCO, to the organization of cultural weeks in Indonesia and Kuwait. Source: VOI English