Indonesia’s Creative Economy and Diplomacy

SUPRIYANTO

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The Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf), in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, held the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) in Nusa Dua, Bali, in early November.

The conference agreed on the Bali Agenda for the Creative Economy, which consists of political commitments at the international level to face challenges and take advantage of opportunities related to the development of the creative economy. It also agreed on the need for the involvement of the United Nations and other international institutions in building cooperation in this field. Among the many international cooperation, a step for diplomacy is needed by Indonesia.

Considered from the potential for development and contribution of the creative economy to the national economy, Indonesia cannot help but to be active in developing this creative economy, including being active in its diplomacy when it comes to the realm of international cooperation.

Potential and challenges

In Indonesia, the contribution of the creative economic sector to gross domestic product (GDP) reaches more than 7.4 percent and absorbs more than 17 million workers (14 percent of the national workforce). Interestingly, out of all workers employed in the creative economy, 54 percent are women.

The percentage of contribution to GDP and the absorption of labor in the creative economy of Indonesia is quite significant when compared to countries in various regions of the world. According to Ernst & Young data in 2015, the average contribution of the creative economy in the Asia-Pacific region to GDP was only 3 percent and absorbed 12.7 million workers; Europe: (3 percent and 7.7 million); North America (3.3 percent and 4.7 percent); Latin America (2.2 percent and 1.9 million); and Central East Africa (1.1 percent and 2.4 million). From the data, it could be clearly seen that Indonesia is indeed superior in the creative economy.

That fact is not so surprising. Creative economy is also frequently called a culture-based industry. With its cultural diversity, this kind of industry is not new to Indonesia. The world knows, Indonesia is a champion in the diversity of customs, traditions and culture.

However, the problem is how the wealth of tradition and culture can be capitalized in such a way to provide additional value for national income. Or, in other words, how the effort to commodify cultural diversity is developed so that besides increasing the national income, it also creates employment opportunities.

The challenges for Indonesia’s creative economy is how to transform the situation from being culturally feasible into commercially marketable. A product can be sold if there is a market for it. Indonesia’s creative economy needs a market, both domestically and internationally.

At the international level, the market is an opportunity for the export of cultural products to foreign countries. The domestic market is tourists and the Indonesian people themselves, who are traditionally and culturally diverse. At this point, when a cultural product is marketed in a society that is thick with traditional values and culture, including religious values, the promotion of Indonesia\'s creative economy is faced with challenges.

Traditional, cultural and religious issues were raised in discussions at the Friends of Creative Economy forum in the series of WCCE events. The focus of the issues pertain to the clash of values between cultural products (both materials, such as handicraft products; and non-materials, such as traditional ceremonies, traditions and rituals in various regions) and religious values. Indonesia, which is very rich in customs, traditions and culture is very vulnerable to the clash between cultural values and religious values.

The request not to show dance (which is considered to be erotic in certain areas), protests by a group of people against traditional ceremonies/rituals and traditions considered contrary to certain religious teachings, criticism against the wedding costumes of certain regions, which are considered to show sensual organs, is only a small example of how the clash between the cultural and religious values is real in Indonesian society.

Seen from the aspect of promotion, this clash of cultural and religious values is not a conducive situation for the development of creative industries in Indonesia. The two values should not eliminate each other. On the contrary, the two must complement and enrich each other. Precisely cultural-based creative products (by still heeding religious values) will be a stimulant for the millennial generation to expand their imaginary space in an effort to commodify the culture.

Local  wisdom

From a diplomatic perspective, Indonesia, which is known as a country rich in rituals, traditions, culture and religion, must be able to convince the international community that religious values will not hamper cultural product creativity. Instead, it enriches and expands the space for creativity of arts and cultural workers.

The image of Indonesia, which is open to cultural creativity, but also upholds religious values, becomes important when Indonesia wants to build international cooperation in the creative economy. The image of Indonesia, which respects cultural diversity and continues to respect religious values, must be put forward in Indonesian diplomacy.

In this context of interest, the final document of WCCE Indonesia includes the words: "local wisdom, cultural uniqueness, and cultural diversity". It means that in developing international cooperation in the creative economy, all countries must take into consideration the local wisdom, uniqueness, and cultural diversity of a country. These three phrases, if already included in documents in international forums, can be a reference in discussing the creative economy. The three phrases have strategic meaning in diplomacy: as a political hook-up if creative economic issues are discussed in other international forums in the future.

The challenges of Indonesia’s diplomacy in the future can be seen in how to promote this economic creativity issue to the international forum with wider participation like the United Nations. Because of having great interest in the creative economy, Indonesia has to highly promote this issue in relevant international forums, such as WIPO, WTO, or ASEAN. The UN, the members of which come from various backgrounds, including those with conservative political views and religions,  will probably face a process that is not easy when discussing the issues of politics, cultures, and religions in the context of cooperation in the creative economy.

Problems and challenges in diplomatic endeavors often emerge. However, at least Indonesia has initiated the way in Nusa Dua, Bali. Good luck, Indonesian diplomats!

Darmansjah Djumala, Diplomat, S-3 Lecturer of International Relations at Padjadjaran University, Participant of WCCE, Bali