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'Sahabat India' launched on Republic Day
Message From The Ambassador Of India To IndonesiaToday India celebrates its 66th Republic Day and also inaugurates Sahabat India: The Festival of India in Indonesia 2015
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Message From The Ambassador Of India To Indonesia
Today India celebrates its 66th Republic Day and also inaugurates Sahabat India: The Festival of India in Indonesia 2015. It is a proud moment in the history of our two countries. India and Indonesia are linked by culture, civilization and people-to-people contacts over several centuries. Sahabat India is a humble tribute from India to its steadfast friend, Indonesia.
India and Indonesia have been closely linked by geography and a harmonious history. In the ninth century when the great kingdoms in Indonesia, Sailendra, Sanjaya, Majapahit and Srivijaya flourished, they also linked themselves to Indian centers of excellence mainly the Nalanda University. In the Deva Pala inscription in the Nalanda copper plate dated the 21st day of the month of Kartika in the 39th year of the rule of Deva Pala (middle of the ninth century) it is said that at the request of Balaputra Deva the illustrious King of Svarnadvipa, Deva Pala presented five villages for the maintenance and sustenance of revered Bhikshus and Scholars and for the upkeep of a monastery at Nalanda. This is an impressive tradition that our strategic partnership takes into account and Sahabat India is the manifestation of our continuous desire to expand people-to-people contacts.
India and Indonesia are youthful countries not only in terms of our common fight for political emancipation and its values but also for our current commitments to democracy, development, equality and pluralism. This is a time to build new ideas and bring contemporary trends into our steadfast friendship particularly as our populations are young, aspirational and hopeful.
We bring the vigor and vitality of India's diversity to Indonesia and the events of Sahabat India will be held in Jakarta and 16 other cities in all parts of Indonesia. There will be classical and folk music and dance, cinema, food and fashion, education and literary fairs, business and trade delegations, art and artisans, paintings and sculptures and through these we hope to explore the new emerging trends of our cultural interaction in a modern context in an era of globalization and swift communication. We aspire to bring our special partnership in tune with the times.
Since new governments were elected in both India and Indonesia last year, it is clear that the aspirations of the people are high and the path of democratic development clearly indicated in both countries. Like in Indonesia, in India too, we have undertaken many new initiatives under the leadership of HE Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which include Digital India, Make in India, International Yoga Day, Swachh Bharat and Skill Development among others. We hope to share the best practices between our countries so that the objective of inclusive and broad-based growth at a higher rate will be achieved in both our countries. The sharing of our mutual vision at the meeting between HE Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India and HE Mr. Joko Widodo, the President of Indonesia in Naypyitaw in 2014 exemplifies this.
We have received immense support from the Ministry of Culture in India as well as the External Affairs, Tourism and Textiles ministries and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. We received the fulsome support of the government of Indonesia through the Foreign Affairs, Education, Tourism and Culture ministries, as well as the city of Jakarta and the provincial and city Governments of all the places where Sahabat India will be held.
Sahabat India: Festival of India in Indonesia 2015 - Program
The Embassy of India has listed below the events scheduled to take place during the period January-February 2015. Readers are requested to visit the Embassy's website at indianembassyjakarta.com and Facebook at facebook.com/Indianembassyjakarta to confirm the details. Events planned for March-May 2015 will be available on the Embassy's website in due course.
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Yoga Festival
Yoga Festival will be held on June 21 to commemorate the First International Yoga Day. Those interested in the event, write to us at yogadayjune21@gmail.com.
Social Media Contest
Give your feedback on Sahabat India at www.facebook.com/Indianembassyjakarta and follow us on Twitter @IndianEmbJkt. Participate in quizzes and win prizes including air tickets to India.
