The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with Palangka Raya University, on Monday, August 21, 2023 held a Public Lecture on ASEAN and the Foreign Policy of Indonesian Diplomacy. The public lecture was held in conjunction with the 78th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia and the 78th Anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. The public lecture was delivered by the Expert Staff for Socio-Cultural Affairs and Empowerment of Indonesian Communities Abroad, Ms. Siti Nugraha Mauludiah. The public lecture was held in a hybrid manner (online and offline) which was attended by 41 universities spread across 38 provinces in Indonesia.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Mrs. Retno Marsudi, in the introduction of the Public Lecture said that Indonesia currently has received high trust from the international community, of course this trust is the result of long investment and consistency of diplomacy and foreign policy carried out by Indonesia to date. But at the same time, it is a great responsibility and mandate to continue to carry out free-active politics and of course Indonesia must always be a solution in the midst of uncertain global conditions and the rivalry of developed countries. Indonesia’s role and leadership in the G-20 forum in 2022 is crucial in bridging differences and voicing the interests of developing countries.
Rector of Palangka Raya University, Prof. Dr. Ir. Salampak, M.S, in his speech expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for entrusting Palangka Raya University as the venue for the public lecture. The Chancellor of UPR said that after the Covid-19 pandemic, universities around the world were forced to take adjustment steps, and on the other hand also had challenges in preparing hybrid learning and ensuring the quality of graduates, especially those experiencing disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so it is important for universities in the Southeast Asia region to be able to take strategic steps together to ensure the relevance of higher education in Southeast Asia amid increasing economic needs driven by innovation, industrial growth and rapid development of technology.
The public lecture was followed by the delivery of material by the Expert Staff for Socio-Cultural Affairs and Empowerment of Indonesian Communities Abroad, Mrs. Siti Nugraha Mauludiah. Public Lecture activities are expected to provide additional knowledge of higher education institutions that can be an instrument of diplomacy by making a country or culture highly attractive through intellectual excellence, as well as Indonesia’s involvement in realizing the vision of Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship that is relevant and inclusive for the people of Indonesia.