REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, A grand reception was hosted by the Embassy of India in Jakarta on 27th January 2014 to mark the 65th Republic Day of India. The event was attended by a large gathering of over 900 people. The attendees included representatives of political parties, bureaucracy, defence, education, culture, media, Ambassadors/other diplomats and Indians/PIO's residing in Indonesia.
H.E. Mr. Gita Wirajawan, Minister of Trade, Republic of Indonesia was the Chief Guest on the occasion. The other prominent guests in the Reception were Mr. H.S. Dillon, Presidential Special Envoy for Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Wardana, Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ASEAN Secretary General, Mr. Le Luong Minh. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, who is presently in Jakarta also attended the function.
The event started with the rendering of the National Anthem of India and Indonesia by school children of Gandhi International Memorial School, Jakarta. This was followed by a violin recital by Mr. Johar Ali, music teacher of Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre (JNICC) who regaled the audience with a melodious rendition of Indian ragas and patriotic songs and a Kathak performance by Ms. Prathishta, dance teacher of JNICC.
Welcoming the audience, Ambassador Gurjit Singh remarked that the year 2013 has been a significant milestone in the bilateral relations between two countries which has been consolidated with the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Indonesia in October 2013.
Outlining the five pronged initiative taken by both leaders in the field of strategic engagement, Defence & Security Cooperation, Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Cultural and People to People links and Cooperation in responding to common challenges, Ambassador said that these initiatives will go a long way in strengthening the Strategic Partnership and taking the multifaceted cooperation to even greater heights.
Dwelling on the trade & investment relations between the two countries, Ambassador said that it has been robust despite a global meltdown which reflects the confidence reposed in both economies.
Ambassador also stressed upon the importance of strengthening ‘people to people’ contacts and outlined the various activities carried out by the Embassy and its cultural arm, JNICC. Events such as Celebration of Centenary Year of Indian Cinema, Indian Textile show by Indonesian designers, Ramanaya dance ballet, Art Exhibitions and Gandhi Memorial Lecture series have gone a long way in reinforcing the cultural ties between the two countries.
He also complimented the role of Indian community in Indonesia in building bridges of friendship with people of Indonesia and contributing to the outreach activities.
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Mr. Gita Wirajawan, Minister of Trade, recalled warmly his student days spent in India of which he had fond memories.
He said India and Indonesia, two flourishing democracies, share common similarities and have learnt from each other’s experiences namely in the field of Capacity Building, Defence, Trade and particularly ‘people to people’ contacts, where the youth of both countries have contributed significantly to enhance the relations. He mentioned that India and Indonesia have come together in various international fora such as G-20, ASEAN and recently in WTO.
A documentary titled “Harmony Fest” showcasing various festivals of India and the festive harmony enjoyed on these occasions was shown to an appreciative audience. An exhibition of Visual Arts from eight artists from Central Java was also displayed. Eight artists from the Central Java regions had specially volunteered in creating 16 exhibits on the occasion of the Republic Day. All the exhibits contain some elements of India which reflects the cultural heritage enjoyed by both countries.
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