Indian embassy holds week-long festival in Indonesia

A week-long festival to promote Indian culture, films and bilateral tourism between India and Indonesia that would strengthen the diplomatic ties between the two nations was inaugurated in country's cultural capital Yogyakarta on Monday.

The India Culture Week (ICW) from December 17 to 23 is being organised by the Indian Embassy in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Yogyakarta Special Region, and Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga.

The ICW will showcase different facets of Indian tourism, arts, culture, music, dance, food, yoga and Bollywood films spread over the entire week.

"It will also help in promoting Yogyakarta as tourism destination, the embassy said in a statement.

A tourism event titled "India-Indonesia Tourism Seminar" will also be held on Tuesday to promote bilateral tourism and widen new avenues in the sector.

Several prominent Indian tours and companies in addition to nearly 30 local travel agents from Yogyakarta and around are expected at the event which will provide Business-to-Business meetings opportunity as well to tour and travel companies of Yogyakarta.

Special photo-exhibition on "Islamic Monuments of India" and "The 70th Anniversary of India-Indonesia Diplomatic Ties" is also part of the ICW.

The photo-exhibitions showcases facets of shared Islamic Heritage and key milestones in the diplomatic relations between India and Indonesia.

In addition, an Indian Film Festival is also being organised that will feature several Bollywood movies.

"It is expected that the week-long events planned under the India Culture Week would facilitate a better understanding and appreciation of India in the hearts and minds of Yogyakarta residents," the embassy said.