KUPANG – In celebration of its 78th anniversary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) organized simultaneous public lectures in 38 provinces involving 38 universities. Interestingly, Nusa Cendana University (Undana) was chosen by Kemenlu to host one of these public lectures.
The public lecture was conducted in a hybrid hybrid format (online and offline). Undana itself held the public lecture at the Rectorate Hall on Monday, August 21st, 2023. Present on this occasion were Undana's Rector, Prof. Dr. drh. Maxs U. E. Sanam, M.Sc, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Alumni, Dr. Sipri Suban Garak, M.Sc, and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Legal and Administrative Bureau Secretariat General, Pendekar Muda L. Sondakh, who was acting as a speaker at Undana's event.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, stated in her address that this moment marks the second time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) has organized simultaneous public lectures in all 38 provinces across Indonesia.
"This public lecture is a form of collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all stakeholders, particularly in the field of diplomacy and foreign politics, especially among academics. At the same time, this is a celebration of the 78th anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Minister Retno said in a virtual setting.
Minister Retno Marsudi stated that Indonesia not only acts as a regular leader within ASEAN but also guides the region in facing various challenges.
"There are three main focuses for Indonesia in the role of ASEAN Chair in 2023: building a strong foundation for the ASEAN 2045 vision, making Southeast Asia the center of economic growth, and promoting the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)," stated Retno Marsudi.
In her online address, Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that Indonesia aims to become the center of economic growth in Southeast Asia. With a population of over 600 million, Southeast Asia, as mentioned by the Indonesian Foreign Minister, is still considered to be highly trusted by the business world of the European Union.
"To achieve this, Indonesia must ensure ASEAN's resilience in various fields such as energy, food, health, climate change, and human resource capacity. Additionally, Indonesia should also promote the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)," she elaborated.
Minister Retno also mentioned that Indonesia will host the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) event concurrently with the 43rd ASEAN Summit on September 5 and 6. The summit will focus on strengthening cooperation in green infrastructure, strategic industries, digital transformation, and the creative economy.
Meanwhile, Undana's Rector, Prof. Dr. drh. Maxs U. E. Sanam, M.Sc, mentioned in his address that this activity is an extraordinary opportunity, as Undana is one of the 38 universities throughout Indonesia selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for this public lecture.
In line with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' initiative, Prof. Maxs mentioned that the Indonesian Rectors Assembly and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology through the Directorate General of Higher Education will also organize the ASEAN Award Education Contest on the 24th and 26th of the upcoming month.
"The host for this event is Universitas Padjajaran, with the theme focusing on the contribution of higher education institutions in ASEAN to promote development in Southeast Asia. This AHEC is one form of contribution from the ASEAN chairmanship, especially in the field of higher education," he explained.
Undana's Rector acknowledged that their university will also be present at the event to seize the opportunity and interact with the leaders of ASEAN universities. "This way, we can build a network with campuses across ASEAN, such as in Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and others, to foster good cooperation," Prof. Maxs expressed. (rfl)
