Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan met with Indonesia’s Minister of Creative Economy Teuku Riefky Harsya in Jakarta on Tuesday for talks to strengthen ties.
The ministers discussed boosting creative-economy cooperation through exchanges in film, fashion, and handicrafts. They explored collaboration to promote innovation, sustainability, and creative products.
Prince Badr also visited the National Gallery of Indonesia in Jakarta, where he met Indonesian Heritage Agency Executive Director Indira Estiyanti Nurjadin.
They discussed ongoing cultural cooperation and exchanges between museum institutions in both countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Both sides explored strengthening ties between the National Gallery of Indonesia and the Kingdom’s Museum of World Cultures through expertise exchange and long-term loan programs.
Prince Badr toured the gallery, one of Indonesia’s leading cultural institutions. Established in 1999, it houses more than 1,700 artworks, including oil paintings, sculptures, and other visual art.
The gallery includes several main halls, among them a permanent exhibition tracing the development of Indonesian art since the 19th century.
It also features rotating temporary exhibitions of local and international artists, as well as dedicated spaces for educational programs including workshops and seminars.
Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Indonesia Faisal Abdullah Al-Amudi also hosted a dinner in honor of Prince Badr’s visit. It was attended by several Indonesian ministers, ambassadors, and representatives of Arab countries.
In a post on X, Prince Badr wrote: “I was delighted to meet Indonesian ministers, as well as ambassadors and representatives of Arab and Islamic countries in Jakarta. We are united by a history of cooperation and integration to promote a sustainable cultural future for all.”
On Monday, Prince Badr held talks with Indonesia’s Minister of Culture Fadli Zon in Jakarta on ways to enhance cultural cooperation across multiple areas.
The Saudi minister also visited the National Museum of Indonesia with his counterpart, where they were received by Nurjadin. It is an archeological, historical, anthropological, and geographical institution in downtown Jakarta.
Known as the Elephant Museum, in reference to a statue in its front courtyard, the museum houses an extensive collection spanning Indonesia’s and the region’s history.
Founded in 1868, it is the largest and oldest museum in Indonesia and one of the most prominent in Southeast Asia. It holds around 160,000 artifacts, including prehistoric, archaeological, numismatic, and ceramic items, as well as collections related to history and geography.
During his visit to Indonesia, Prince Badr was accompanied by Rakan bin Ibrahim Al-Touq, the assistant minister of culture.
