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Letters: Is cultural diplomacy effective?
I refer to a comment on an article titled "Riri Riza: Film as a cultural product," (The Jakarta Post, June 14)
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I refer to a comment on an article titled "Riri Riza: Film as a cultural product," (The Jakarta Post, June 14).
It is certainly true the young producer you mentioned is talented. However, all that glitters is not always gold.
The question is whether all the money and energy spent on "promotion" by the Indonesian Embassy here in the Czech Republic is efficient. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. No discussion about this has ever been held.
The notion of "cultural diplomacy" is an interesting one. However, I don't think all efforts by an embassy should be focused on culture. Indonesian dances are certainly interesting... but should be accompanied by more varied efforts (economic dimensions of mutual relations are conspicuously missing).
I just have suggestions or a mild criticism of the strategy taken by the Indonesian representatives here in Prague... the only thing that is hard to accept is the huge exaggeration of the efforts/events in the Indonesian online media and rather too modest PR effort in the Czech media (target country in this case).
Anyway, I enjoyed the opportunity to meet shortly with Riri Riza, an interesting and modest person. Also thanks to Pak Salim Said, former film critic and ambassador in Prague - his role shouldn't be underestimated.
Ctenar Z. Prahy
Prague
