Indonesian Youth Choir-"Cordana"

June 29-Washington,DC
July 1, Princeton, NJ

The world reknowned Indonesian Youth Choir-Cordana is performing in DC and NJ in a few weeks. The group performs vocal music from both a Western and Indonesian repertoire and also incorporates traditional dance from major Indonesian cultural traditions. The group is composed of young performers from throughout Indonesia who must pass rigorous auditions. They have held command performances all over the world. I highly recommend you attend. They will amaze you !

Tickets:
June 29
July 1

Indonesia in America

Lately, it seems as though the United States is hungry for a taste of Indonesia. Stars such as Jessica Alba and Drew Barrymore (right) have been spotted carrying Batik bags, identical in their Jogjanese patterns. American singer and fashion sensation, Lady Gaga, wore a gown made by a young Indonesian designer, Tex Saverio, in the May edition of Harper's Bazaar magazine. A San Francisco art museum recently housed a Balinese inspired exhibit, fully equipped with carved wood, painted temple images, and even a gamelan concert. It is no surprise that Indonesian culture is increasingly gaining momentum in America. After all, Donna Karan, the creator of the American fashion label DKNY, declared Bali as her “favorite place in the world...where the mind, body, and spirit truly connect.” (based on goodnewsfromindonesia.org)

OPIC's May 4-6 Investment Conference in Indonesia

50% of Indonesia's population is under 29, Jakarta has twice as many active SIM cards as its population, and only 2% of Indonesia's geothermal resources have been tapped. These are a few of the facts I picked during my recent visit to Jakarta to attend the Overseas Private Investment Corporation's 7th International Conference. The meeting was an outgrowth of President Obama’s November 2010 visit to Indonesia. AICC signed up as a supporting organization and I chaired a panel on information technology.

Indonesia's need for infrastructure was a common theme that threaded its way through almost every panel. Some of the ideas that Allan Harari and I set out in a recent Op Ed piece seemed to resonate with several of the senior economic Ministers as well as leaders from the business community (KADIN) who attended.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gave an excellent keynote address that I encourage you to read and circulate. Click here to download it.

To read my summary of the 6 panel discussions as well as a meeting I attended with several key economic ministers, click here. It contains many useful facts and trends.

American Batik Design Competition: "Spirit of America in the Heritage of Batik"

To celebrate the new US-Indonesia Partnership, Indonesia's Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, is launching a nation-wide competition to design 'American batik'.

Indonesian Batik is known the world over for its vibrant colors and diverse designs. This competition is a challenge to US-based designers to craft batik designs with a distinct American style.

Prizes include cash and a trip to Indonesia where the winning designs will be made into actual finished fabrics.

Please spread the word to your friends, colleagues, and family.

All the entry requirements are available at the competiton website.

Rebroadcast of SBY Interview

Click Here to see Charlie Rose's excellent interview with President SBY of Indonesia.

Captures the dynamism of Indonesia and you get a strong sense of who SBY is as a person.

SBY Interviewed for One Hour on PBS TV April 25

Heads Up !

Award winning journalist Charlie Rose will interview Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono, on April 25th. Shot just a few weeks ago in Indonesia, Rose's interview is a one hour conversation in English and may be the first of its kind with an Indonesian President.

In NY the interview airs at 11pm EST. Check your local PBS listings for your area or the Charlie Rose Show website which lists stations that carry the show. You can also check this site a few days after the show to view a rebroadcast.

AICC played a role in connecting the show's producers to the President's office.

Indonesia Not Impacted by Japan Tsunami

Indonesia breaths a sigh of relief. Hopefully, it remains this way.

The Indonesian meteorology and geophysics agency said on Friday a small tsunami set off by a massive quake in Japan reached Indonesia's eastern coastline without causing any damage.

"A tsunami of only 10 centimetres triggered by the earthquake in Japan was detected in the North Sulawesi and Maluku islands," the agency's official Rachmat told AFP.

"We have just lifted the tsunami alert in Indonesia."

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry reported that it was looking into the whereablouts and possible needs of its citizens currently in Japan. Ministry data showed that 31,517 Indonesians are in Japan now.