Recently we had an invitation extended by our counterparts in Indonesia to attend this year's Indonesia Batik Festival which is at Yogjakarta, Indonesia on October 18 to 20. The delegation from Sarawak had consisted of myself and YB Datuk Snowdan Lawan the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) for as well as officials from the ministry.
Our delegation also had the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to His Excellency Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the Governor of the Special District of Yogyakarta. Our appreciation to His Excellency Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X for being willing to discuss with our delegation which is focused on the potential cooperation between Sarawak and Indonesia in the field of batik textiles which play an important role in the traditional cultural identity of both sides.
For the record, Yogyakarta was awarded as "World Batik City" in 2014 by the World Craft Council (WCC). The special region has preserved its traditional batik-making techniques, which have been passed down from generation to generation.
Through the collaboration between Sarawak and Yogyakarta, it has the potential to help both parties in various fields such as batik techniques, motif design, and preservation efforts, increasing the cultural and economic value of this traditional art form.
It can also give Sarawak a unique opportunity to learn from its practices in heritage preservation and knowledge exchange. For Sarawak's craft industry, it also gives positive exposure because of Yogyakarta's successful approach that supports batik artisans while adapting them to meet contemporary market demands. Sarawak can develop the local batik craft sector by integrating the practice of economic sustainability of the batik industry in Yogyakarta which is supported by artisans, strategic marketing and branding.
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