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Celebrating Ireland-Indonesia bonds on St. Patrick’s Day
A message from the Irish ambassador to Indonesia on bilateral ties and cooperation for global peace and stability, on the occasion of St. Patrick's Day
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Racegoers dressed in the national colors of Ireland hurl their hats into the air during a Saint Patrick's Day celebration on March 13, 2025, the third day of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse in the western English town. (AFP/Justin Tallis)
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aint Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national day on March 17, is an opportunity for tens of millions of people with Irish heritage around the world – and many more friends of Ireland, including in Indonesia – to join in a celebration of Ireland and the literature, music, culture, history and outlook on life that have shaped our island.
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, but we must remember that he was not himself from Ireland, but from Britain. He is a symbol not just of Ireland, but also of how we can all benefit from our connections with other countries.
Ireland’s partnership with Indonesia is very important to us, and it is growing stronger. We are both island nations with similar historical experiences, and our people-to-people links strengthen every year.
Every year, more and more Indonesian students study at Irish universities. There, they not only receive an excellent education, but also make valuable connections with people from all over the world studying there. They make Irish friends and when they return to Indonesia, our embassy is committed to maintaining our connection with them.
Trade between our countries is constantly growing: Ireland is a global economy committed to increasing trade with all its international partners. A new Irish Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia has recently been started, a sign of our strengthened commercial links.
And although our historical and cultural links with Indonesia are limited, we are committed to creating new ones. For instance, we now have an official batik of the Embassy of Ireland, created by Indonesian artist Vania Gracia that brings together Irish nature and Indonesian motifs, and we have exhibited her batik paintings of Irish legends in an Indonesian style.
In Ireland, we know that we are truly fortunate to have a national day that so many people throughout the world enjoy.
