“DIFFERENT FACES OF INDONESIA”

After a very successful, visited and meaningful series of lectures at the City Library in 2013, the Belgrade City Library has organized yet another cooperation with the Serbo-Indonesian Friendship society “Nusantara” by organizing on the 12 of February the evening “Different Faces of Indonesia” in the Roman Hall Library, dedicated to the traveler, writer and political scientists Jasmina Kuka.

Last year, Jasmine learned a lot by traveling around Southeast Asia and, for the first time, visiting Indonesia. She saw, learned, experienced, heard, tasted and found many new experiences. She expected the turquoise blue sea, coral reefs, impassable jungles and interesting wildlife. She awaited the meeting of centuries’ history and tradition, with fascinating temples and world cultural heritage. She hoped for wonderful food, mystical music and famous Indonesian shadow games. She knew long trips were ahead of her, but also traces of natural disasters.

But what she did not expect were the Indonesian smiles. Nowhere did she read that men smile with their eyes, women with their face, and children with their whole being – from heart to heart. No one has succeeded in portraying to her properly the hospitality, cordiality, warmth and openness of Indonesians. And then when she felt it all, she realized that this was only the first of a series of her future visits to Indonesia.

The author presented the different faces of Indonesia during an interactive presentation: the face of creation, destruction and the face of hope. The audience participated in the presentation, but also did the members of the Society.

A presentation of the present and recently appointed new Ambassador of Indonesia in Serbia, HE Harry Richard James Kandou, welcomed participants along with the collaborator and Cultural Attaché Chabad Handojo Soewodo.

The presentation was attended by the former Ambassador of Serbia in Indonesia, HE Jovan Jovanovic.

The attendees were greeted by “Nusantara’s” Association President Dr Aleksandar Rakovic.