By Adnan Hameed TWA ______ The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Islamabad has been successfully attracting more public attention through the Indonesian Expo 2024 at the Centaurus Mall, 16-18 August 2024. The Expo is the first of its kind ever held in the iconic shopping center in Islamabad, as part of a series of events to commemorate the 79th Anniversary of the Indonesian Independence Day. The Indonesian Expo aims to provide a vibrant cultural backdrop to the business-oriented events as well as programs related to people-to-people contact. Among schedules on the stage are traditional and cultural shows including Indonesian martial arts called Pencak Silat, creative and religious performances by Indonesian students in Pakistan, and theme-based discussions on crucial issues to bring Indonesia and Pakistan closer in trade, tourism, and investment as well as education and religious moderation.

Many options are available during the Expo to elevate public awareness about Indonesia. Thousands of enthusiastic visitors look enjoyed the Expo atmosphere by visiting photo booths designed in an iconic Indonesian heritage background such as Rumah Gadang from West Sumatera Province and the Embassy’s vehicle in Pakistan’s truck art with Indonesian motifs. Moreover, the curious visitors also seem interested in reading the Indonesian short history through a miniature museum and historical display. During the main session of the Indonesian Independence Day celebration on 17 August 2024, the Indonesian Chargé d'Affaires (CDA) Mr. Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma highlighted the Embassy’s two priority areas of diplomacy in Pakistan; stronger economic relations and closer people-to-people contact. The Expo is designed as a fusion of commerce and culture to portray Indonesia’s dynamic economic growth and cultural diversity. “We have cordial political and diplomatic relations. In turn, we need to translate it into more concrete works. Indonesia has huge potentials and opportunities in many sectors that the Pakistani counterparts can further explore. The Centaurus as our option for current Expo aims to bring peoples of the two brotherly countries closer,” he said in front of Mr. Sardar Yasir Ilyas, CEO Centaurus as the Expo’s Chief Guest, and hundreds of visitors in the biggest Mall in Islamabad.

In his remarks, Mr. Sardar Yasir Ilyas expressed his appreciation to the Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad for selecting the Centaurus Mall as the venue for the Indonesian Expo 2024. “Everyone should learn from the Embassy of Indonesia for very active diplomacy in bringing peoples of the two brotherly countries even closer. We make the Centaurus Mall as a perfect place for other foreign missions in promoting their respective countries in Pakistan. So it is expected that all Pakistani people can learn from other countries such as Indonesia in successfully reaching its great achievement,” he said both in English and Urdu to transfer as more insights as possible to the audience. Furthermore, both sides proceeded to the “Tumpeng Cutting Ceremony”. Tumpeng is an Indonesian cone-shaped rice dish symbolizing gratitude to Allah and honor all creatures. The main session was concluded by the handover of “token of optimism” from the two sides. The CEO handed over the memorabilia of ongoing optimistic development and expansion of the Islamabad iconic Centaurus complex, while the Indonesian CDA gave plague of Pancasila as the Indonesian state of ideology which has successfully bolstered unity which subsequently lead the Country to the political stability and economic prosperity. “The expo is a fantastic opportunity to learn about Indonesia. The blend of business and culture made it a truly memorable experience for me,” said Haseeb from Lahore. “High appreciation to the Embassy’s initiatives. More and more Pakistanis are discovering the beauty and diversity in Indonesia,” expressed Tahir Mughal from Islamabad.