Dutch cultural center Erasmus Huis was first established in 1970 in Menteng to strengthen the relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia, before it was eventually moved to its current premises in Kuningan, South Jakarta. An important establishment in the city’s cultural scene, Erasmus Huis is currently led by Michael Rauner – he is not only

On 9 May every year, the European Union (EU) celebrates Europe Day as a symbol of peace and unity in Europe. This year is particularly special for EU as the delegation commemorates two occasions; the 60th Anniversary of the Treaties of Rome and the 40th Anniversary of EU-ASEAN Dialogue Relations. This year also marks the 30th Anniversary of the Erasmus

Institut Français d’Indonésie (IFI) plays a crucial part in promoting cultural and education exchange between France and Indonesia. This year, the institute promises more diverse and exciting programmes, ranging from discussions and exhibitions to music recitals. “At IFI, we support all cultural activities that involve representation of both countries. In addition to organising our own

Through its goods on display, such as colourful souvenirs, traditional food and drinks, clothes as well as furniture, Betawi Store, which is located inside a traditional Betawi house, showcases the cultural richness of Betawi people (the term Betawi is derived from Batavia, the official name given to Jakarta by the Dutch during the colonial era).

Jambi, on the east coast of central Sumatra, has a textile tradition shrouded in mystery. In fact, Jambi seems to have had two textile traditions: the tradition of lembato yellow and indigo blue batiks discovered by the Dutch in the 1920s – which nearly died out by the time the Japanese invaded in 1942 –

Until today, there’s still so much left unknown about Indonesia’s sea nomads, the Bajo Tribe. What we know is that this tribe is scattered in numerous areas, from eastern Indonesia to northern parts of Kalimantan (Sabah, Malaysia) and southern Philippines (Sulu Archipelago). That said, no written documents or ruins of ancient monuments or villages were

@america, the U.S. Embassy’s American cultural center located on the 3rd floor of Pacific Place mall in Jakarta, is a place that builds bridges between Indonesia and America. The cultural center aims to provide a space specifically for young Indonesians to learn more about the culture and values of the United States and promotes an

The Japanese culture and language has long fascinated people all over the world – it is no different in Indonesia. The Japan Foundation in Jakarta, which was first established in 1974, fosters international exchange in both fields. According to Tsukamoto Norihisa, Director General of the Japan Foundation, Jakarta, Indonesia is the second largest country when

The Goethe-Institut needs no introduction: one of the busiest and most thriving cultural centres in the country, it has attracted German language students and aficionados of German culture for several decades. With institutes in Jakarta and Bandung as well as the “Wisma Jerman” in Surabaya, the Goethe-Institut Indonesien has served as major focus point on

On November 18, Sole Oha, a special exhibition demonstrating the lives of women weavers in Sulawesi and Flores, will open at Jakarta’s Museum Tekstil in Tanah Abang. Several exhibition rooms will be turned into homes of weavers from the islands of Adonara and Lembata, as well as homes of Torajanese weavers from Sa’dan and Mamasa

The exhibition, which runs through 5 January, was opened by the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Rob Swartbol, and Prof. Dr. Wardiman Djojonegoro, the former Indonesian Minister for Education and Culture. In his speech, the Ambassador reminded guests of the importance to make the collection accessible to a wider audience through digitalisation.  Photo courtesy of

Blessed with vast cultural influences, Indonesia has long been a melting pot. One local performance art that’s heavily influenced by the Chinese culture is now growing in popularity. Wayang Potehi is Chinese-Indonesian tradition which famous in Eastern Java. Photo courtesy of Wayang Potehi/NOW!JAKARTA Known as Wayang Potehi, the hand-puppet performance first graced Chinese temples in Java