Former President Megawati Opens 2016 World Culture Forum

Megawati opens the 2016 World Culture Forum in Bali, Thursday (13/10). (Photo by: Public Relations Division/ES)

The fifth Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Thursday (13/10) opened the 2016 World Culture Forum held at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC), Nusa Dua, Bali.

The opening of the event was marked by the striking of a gong by Megawati Soekarnoputri herself, accompanied by Minister of Education and Culture MuhadjirEffendy, Iranian Minister of Culture Ali Jannati, Tuvaluan Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development NamolikiSualikiNeemia, Director General of Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Education and Culture Hilmar Farid, and Director of UNESCO Office in Jakarta Shahbaz Khan.

In her remarks, Megawati called on participants of the forum to join ranks and to exchange thoughts and ideas on how traditions and cultures can shape the characters of the nation, especially in the era of modernization, globalization, and the free market.“The revival of culture can bring enlightenment and waves of change that uphold humanity and social justice and are full of solidarity and based on respect to nature and the ecosystem,” Megawati said.

Previously, Minister of Education and Culture MuhadjirEffendy in his remarks said that the World Culture Forum 2016 was held to discuss cultural issues and how to place them in the upstream part of the development.“Together, we will push for mainstreaming of cultures in development by placing cultural considerations in the upstream part of the whole process of development,” Muhadjir said.

In the meantime, Director General of Culture Affairs of the Ministry of Education and Culture HilmanFarid reported that the 2016 World Culture Forum was attended by 1,307 participants from 63 countries. The participants consist of a number of high-ranking officials from friendly countries, culture experts, representatives of several NGOs, Indonesian high-ranking officials overseeing cultural issues, as well as representatives of cultural institutions both at the national and international levels.

According to Hilman, there are six symposiums held at the 2016 Word Culture Forum, namely:  a. Reviving Cultures for the Sustainability of Villages; b. Water for Life: Reconciling Socio-Economic Growth and Environmental Ethics; c. Weaving History, City Planning, and Cultural Movement; d. Cultures in the New Digital World; e. Reconciling Divide Country, People and Culture; f. Cultural Diversity for Responsible Development (EP/YM/Naster) (AS/ES)