Community Collaboration Strengthens the Foundation of Indonesia Australia Relations

Name: Community Collaboration Strengthens the Foundation of Indonesia Australia Relations
Uploaded: 2024-04-17T00:51:44Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: As a neighboring country, Indonesia is Australia's destiny and vice versa. Collaboration at the citizen level is very important.

As a neighboring country, Indonesia is Australia's destiny and vice versa. Collaboration at the citizen level is very important.

This article has been translated using AI. See Original .

IRENE SARWINDANINGRUM

· 4 minutes read

The artistic collaboration between Indonesian artists and Australia marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia this year. Collaboration between citizens of the two countries is considered important as a foundation for strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The collaboration in the form of a mural is entitled "Together" which means together. This work is the result of a collaboration between TuTu Erlangga from Indonesia and George Rose from Australia. Before producing this work, the two artists said they had never met.

They only knew about each other through their respective social media showcasing their works. "When I received this information, I contacted her and started creating a work to respond to 75 years of Indonesia-Australia," said Rose during the inauguration of the mural at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Thursday (28/3/2024).

The painting on one of the walls of Taman Ismail Marzuki is a response from the two artists to depict the Australia-Indonesia relationship over the past 75 years.

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Rose is drawing flowers from the Nusantara, namely the white moon orchid which is also Indonesia's national flower, combined with jasmine and rafflesia arnoldi. Those Nusantara flowers are accompanied by the golden wattle flower, which is Australia's national flower.

The national botanical symbols, according to Rose, represent diversity. The golden Wattle, which is also a symbol of unity, is interconnected with the flowers of Indonesia that reflect the close relationship between the two countries.

Rose's work is encompassed by TuTu's work, which is in the form of an arch that resembles a window that leads to Rose's work. This arrangement reflects the role of the Australian Embassy as a window to Australia from Jakarta.

Outside the curve, TuTu employs abstract forms and two figures that also symbolize collaboration between Indonesia and Australia. "One figure is holding a rope that symbolizes the bond of the relationship, while the other figure is holding a book, a symbol of knowledge and cultural exchange," said the Jakarta-based artist who started as a street painter.

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As a reflection of technology, the mural has also utilized augmented reality technology. With this technology, the two-dimensional flowers appear to become three-dimensional and grow out of the wall, making it seem as if they can be touched. This augmented reality technology can be experienced by using a mobile phone and filter provided on the Instagram account of the Embassy of Australia.

The work was inaugurated by the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams and the Director General of Asia Pacific and Africa of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Kadir Jailani along with the launch of the 75th anniversary logo for Indonesia-Australia.

Economic, political, and business relationships are important. However, the most important thing is the relationship of mutual understanding between the people.

The launch of the collaborative work also officially kickstarts the series of events commemorating the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-Australia in Jakarta, which is planned to be filled with a film festival, a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performance, and Australian cuisine.

"This year marks the celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Indonesia. This celebration is not only a historic milestone in our diplomatic relations, but also a moment for all Australian and Indonesian citizens to come together to reflect on our shared relationship and celebrate our partnership," said Williams.

Black Armada

Williams stated that collaboration between residents of two countries is the most fundamental aspect in building diplomatic relations between the two nations. "Economic, political, and business relations are important. However, what is most important is the relationship of mutual understanding between the communities first," he said in fluent Indonesian.

KOMPAS/IRENE SARWINDANINGRUM

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Penny Williams, and Director General of Asia Pacific and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdul Kadir Jailani, inaugurated the logo of 75 years of Indonesia-Australia relations and the "Together" mural, which symbolizes the collaboration between Indonesia and Australia, launched in celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Australia at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Thursday (28/3/2024). This mural is the result of a collaboration between two artists from both countries, namely TuTu Erlangga from Indonesia and George Rose from Australia.

The Australian people's sense of closeness to Indonesia has actually been growing for a long time. This can be seen from the story Black Armada. The Black Armada was a boycott by Australian dock workers of all Dutch ships in Australian ports around 1945. This action was an act of support from Australians for Indonesian independence.

In 1945, Williams said, many Australians supported Indonesian independence. "At that time, Australian dock workers completely boycotted the Dutch fleet carrying troops and weapons to Indonesia. They were called the Black Armada," he said.

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He also feels personally connected to Indonesia. Williams shared that when he was in 10th grade, he lived and studied in Indonesia as part of a student exchange program.

For a year, he lived with an Indonesian family in Jakarta, not far from Taman Ismail Marzuki. Since then, he began to understand and respect Indonesian culture. He then intended to study Indonesia by taking Indonesian language courses.

"This mural not only depicts the relationship between Indonesia and Australia, but also the relationship between our communities, my story of studying here, and the story of the Black Armada, which is the story of our society," she said.

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For 75 years, Indonesia's cooperation with Australia has continued to develop. Currently, with a quota of 4,612 in 2023, Indonesia is the country with the largest quota to obtain a working holiday visa (WHV) in Australia. Meanwhile, Singapore receives a quota of 2,500 people, Brazil with 3,400 people, and Malaysia with 1,100 people.

In the field of education, there are more than 300 partnerships between Australian and Indonesian higher education institutions in 2016, some of which have been going on for more than 20 years. Some of these partnerships include joint degree programs, staff and student exchanges, credit transfer agreements, collaborative research, and joint publishing.

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Due to their proximity, Jailani stated that Indonesia and Australia have no other choice but to collaborate. There have been many improvements in cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, tourism, education, and cultural arts.

"This is what we want to achieve from the strategic and comprehensive partnership between the two countries, as agreed in 2018. However, there is still much to be explored in the future," he said.

To progress together, cooperation and collaboration between the two countries cannot be avoided. As neighboring countries, Indonesia is destined to have a relationship with Australia, and vice versa.

Editor:

BONIFASIUS JOSIE SUSILO HARDIANTO

Community Collaboration Strengthens the Foundation of Indonesia Australia Relations

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Black Armada