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Information for Indonesians abroad for better friendship (indonesiansabroad@gmail.com).
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Indonesians in America
Indonesians Students in America
The Obama administration wants to double the number of Indonesians studying in the United States. More than fifty American universities
recently attended an education fair in Jakarta as part of a visit by a
top American trade official. The United States is reaching out to
fast-growing economies like Indonesia and Vietnam as new markets for
American goods and services. International students put an estimated
nineteen billion dollars into the American economy last year. Last June,
the Obama administration set a five-year goal to increase university
partnerships and student exchanges with Indonesia. The subjects include
agriculture, business and information technology. Micro-scholarships
will support intensive language training programs for Indonesians, and
for more Americans to study there.Ambassador Scot Marciel says student
exchanges create a personal basis for better relations. But he says the
United States has to work harder to get more Indonesians to study in
America.
He says: "We have to do a much better job of
A) marketing our universities, which are the best in the world; and
B) changing this terrible perception that you can't get a student visa.
So I'm literally almost out on the streets grabbing people as they walk by saying, Hey, we'll give you a visa if you go study in America." Ambassador Marciel says more than ninety percent of Indonesians who request a visa to study in the United States are approved. Still, the number coming to the United States has been falling since the Asian financial crisis in nineteen ninety-eight. Last year, there were fewer than seven thousand. That was a loss of about eight percent from two thousand nine. More Indonesians have been choosing to study in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. But the United States still has many of the world's top universities and research centers. English remains a favorite subject among students from Indonesia. However, many are also choosing business and science.Education Minister Mohammad Nur says increased cultural diplomacy will help develop Indonesia and its friendships. There is a lot of history behind Indonesia's relationship with America, he says. That is why it needs to be strengthened. But the world's largest Muslim-majority nation also wants to strengthen ties with other countries and Europe.Some Indonesian students at the education fair said they are less concerned about where they study than about having enough money to pay for it.For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villareal. You can learn more about the world everyday and learn English at the same time at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English.
He says: "We have to do a much better job of
A) marketing our universities, which are the best in the world; and
B) changing this terrible perception that you can't get a student visa.
So I'm literally almost out on the streets grabbing people as they walk by saying, Hey, we'll give you a visa if you go study in America." Ambassador Marciel says more than ninety percent of Indonesians who request a visa to study in the United States are approved. Still, the number coming to the United States has been falling since the Asian financial crisis in nineteen ninety-eight. Last year, there were fewer than seven thousand. That was a loss of about eight percent from two thousand nine. More Indonesians have been choosing to study in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. But the United States still has many of the world's top universities and research centers. English remains a favorite subject among students from Indonesia. However, many are also choosing business and science.Education Minister Mohammad Nur says increased cultural diplomacy will help develop Indonesia and its friendships. There is a lot of history behind Indonesia's relationship with America, he says. That is why it needs to be strengthened. But the world's largest Muslim-majority nation also wants to strengthen ties with other countries and Europe.Some Indonesian students at the education fair said they are less concerned about where they study than about having enough money to pay for it.For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villareal. You can learn more about the world everyday and learn English at the same time at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Congress of Indonesian Diaspora
Today, there are approximately
more than 150,000 Indonesian as well as Americans of Indonesian descent
living in the United States. They live, study or work in different parts
of the US. They come from different ethnicities, religions, level of
economy and level of education. They come with different ideas,
different skills and potentials. Further, there are also many Americans
and American Companies alike that have a great interest in and have a
connection to Indonesia. These are Indonesian Diaspora who can be a real
force to help Indonesian development and to help change for a better
world. Acknowledging the potentials of Indonesian diaspora as a social
and economic forces for a better Indonesia and a better world, the
Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC with the support from Indonesian
Consulates in the US is organizing a Congress of Indonesian Diaspora (CID) as a forum to connect and unite Indonesian Diaspora in the US and
in other parts of the world.
Congress of Indonesian Diaspora
(CID) will be held on July 6th to 8th 2012 in Los Angeles Convention
Center, Los Angeles, California. It will mark as a historic and very
important event as it will be the first Congress of Indonesian Diaspora
in the World. The event is hoped to reflect a new paradigm for millions
of Indonesian diaspora across the globe.
CID aims to inspire Indonesian
diaspora communities to connect and to unite themselves into one big
community and create a tangible force in order to achieve a better
Indonesia. Further, the event also aims to foster and implement concrete
initiatives to empower Indonesian communities in the US, to support
Indonesia’s economy, social and political progress, and also to
strengthen US-Indonesian ties in these areas. CID will have a historical
value because it will be the world's first grand meeting conducted
specifically for Indonesian diaspora.
The event will feature
inspirational speakers and interactive discussions on variety of topics.
Some of the topics of discussions are “Connecting Indonesian
Voices, Ideas and Skills to the World”; “Connecting Opportunities,
Empowering Communities, Building Destinies”; “Entrepreneurship and
Making Career Choices”; “Education and Scientific Literacy, Creative and
Innovative Indonesia”; “Citizenship Issues: Legal Status, Dual
Citizenship, Raising Diaspora Children”; “US-Indonesia Business
Opportunities”; “Promoting Indonesian Culinary”; “Indonesian Students”;
“Marketing of Indonesia’s Signatures”; “Immigration and Citizenship
Regulations”; “Pluralism, Democracy and Good Governance for Indonesia”;
“Creating Jobs and Forming Business in Indonesia”.
Some of the speakers that we are planning to invite will include Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economic Dr. Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister of National Education Muhammad Nuh, World Bank Managing Director Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Dr. Sehat Sutardja (President of Marvell Technology Group), Om Prakash Lohia (CEO and Managing Director of Indorama Group), Chaerul Tanjung (CEO of the Group) and other figures related to the topics of discussion.
As side events,
there will be a food bazaar/culinary, exhibition and job fair. The CID
program will also include cultural performances, art and music. These
performances will be held at the opening, the Unity and Diversity
concert in the second day, and at the closing session. We are also
planning to invite some of Indonesian artists such as Anggun, Denada,
and Afghan and also Indonesian talents who reside in the United States.
At the end of the 3 days program, a “Declaration of Indonesia Diaspora” will be read and concludes the program.
The committee
will provide a pray room, first aid kit room for all participants and
playground facilities/Kids Corner (restricted only at the time of the
event) for participants who bring their kids.
CID invites all in the US as well as outside the US. Inspired by the spirit of
Sumpah Pemuda 1928, the participants are expected to join CID,
independently and voluntarily. With that spirit, the CID will foster
unity and togetherness. It will bring participants with different field
and expertise, who will benefit from the forum as well as contribute
their idea, aspirations and potentials for a better Indonesia and a
better world.
Interested participants must register to participate in CID.
Registration form can be downloaded here or you can register through EventBrite: Congress of Indonesian Diaspora 2012
and it is free. Three out of first 1,000 registrants will receive a
souvenir from sponsors. Interested participants may also do on-site
registration at the Los Angeles Convention Center on July 6, 2012.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in San Francisco
1111 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133
Tel. (415) 474-9571
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