Consulate General of India
Bali
Press Statement
India Indonesia Cultural Conference 2024
An International Conference “Echoes across the Waves: Revisiting the Intersections of India and Indonesia’s shared Cultural Heritage” was organized on 14th and 15th of September at Hyatt Regency, Bali by Consulate of India to Bali, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Ministry of Culture, Government of India and The Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) an India based well known Think Tank. As India and Indonesia marks its 75th year of diplomatic relations, this International conference focused towards manifesting the cultural tapestry shared by India-Indonesia over long period of time.
The event marked its inaugural on 14th of September along with an exhibition on “The Indonesian Odyssey of Rabindranath Tagore” curated by Arindam Mukherjee, Director, ISCS featuring historical, linguistic, religious, and artistic exchanges between India and Indonesia. The Inaugural was addressed by Amb. Sandeep Chakravorty- Ambassador of India to Indonesia, who welcomed all the participants from Indonesia as well as India participating in the conference to denote the mesmerizing history and cultural ties between India and Indonesia. He also thanked the research forums who joined hands with the Consulate of India to Bali to weave a platform to deliberate the cultural connect and commonalities shared between the two countries in terms of food, textile, art and artistry. His deliberation emphasizes on adding importance in terms of policy and initiatives to assert more structured collaborations and initiatives to attain the prospects of people to people connectivity in future.
Dr. Shashank Vikram – Consul General of India to Bali, underlined the importance of the Conference in invigorating and streamlining the discussions and research on the subject of deep rooted cultural connections between India and Indonesia. Dr. Sarup Prasad Ghose- Director MAKAIAS shed lights on commercial, trade aspects between India and Indonesia and Shri Arindam Mukherjee-Director ISCS featured about rich maritime heritage binding India and Indonesia. He also added that initiatives like this develops a platform to emanate initiatives to accomplish economic and cultural exchanges significantly.
The multiple academic sessions such as- Waves of Exchange: Exploring Ancient Maritime Trade Routes in the Indian Ocean, Divine Encounters: Tracing Hindu-Buddhist Traditions of Indonesia, Language and Literature: Comparative Analysis of Linguistic and Literary Traditions, From Brushstrokes to Spice Blends: Tracing Cultural Innovation in Art-Craft and Cuisine, Rhythmic Dialogues: Exploring Dance, Music, and Theater Traditions of India and Indonesia, Modern Mirrors: Reflecting on India-Indonesia Cultural Exchanges in the Modern Era. That was Chaired and addressed by eminent academicians and civil society actors from both the countries who elucidated on various aspects of shared cultural heritage that binds India and Indonesia. In other words, the conference featuring insightful presentations, discussions and vibrant exhibition featuring paintings, manuscripts, philately, puppets, and traditional mask gave an insight to India-Indonesia cultural confluence from multiple dimensions.
In order to develop comprehensive partnership between academic institutes, Seven MOU’s were signed between Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies and Dwijendra University, Ganesha University of Education, Bali State Polytechnic and Indonesian Hindu Scholars Association from Indonesia.
In other words, Conference accentuated the millennium old cartography of cultural connect between two countries and framed a gateway for collaborative approach, cultural grafting – emphasizing on expanded movement of goods, technology, images, ideas to meet the end needs of cultural globalization.
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