Indonesian officials are exploring strategies to increase the global presence of the Indonesian language, viewing it as a key component of both national identity and the creative economy. Discussions involving the Cabinet Secretary and presidential staff focused on leveraging art, film, and music to promote the language internationally.
Globalizing the Indonesian Language
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya met with the president’s Special Staff for Creative Economy Yovie Widianto and Special Envoy for Youth and Artists Development Raffi Ahmad to discuss ways to globalize the Indonesian language. The meeting emphasized the importance of cross-sectoral coordination, according to a statement released Thursday.
Wijaya stated the Indonesian language should be positioned as a form of creative capital and national identity. He stressed the need to promote the language through popular media such as art, films, and music.
Officials pointed to the success of South Korea and China in promoting their languages globally. South Korea has popularized Korean words through K-pop and films, such as “saranghae” (I love you), while China has introduced terms like “ni hao” (hello) and “xie xie” (thank you).
Wijaya expressed confidence in the Indonesian language’s potential for global recognition through cultural exports. “From hundreds of thousands of Indonesian words, there must be one or two words known by the global community,” he said.
He encouraged the use of music, film, and art to spread Indonesian culture and language internationally.
The Indonesian language was officially recognized as the 10th official language of UNESCO on November 20, 2023, following the unanimous adoption of Resolution 42 C/28 during the 42nd Session of the UNESCO General Conference.
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