Media Release
11 January 2024
On 8 January the Australian Embassy celebrated the successful conclusion of the 2023-24 Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) with program participants and alumni.
Every year, Indonesian and Australian AIYEP participants aged 21-25 spend one month in each others’ countries undertaking work placements, homestays, cultural activities and visits to local schools and communities.
This year, the 21 Indonesian participants were warmly hosted in Canberra, Australia during November-December 2023, fostering personal connections and experiencing life in Australia.
The culmination of the program took place in Belitung Island in December-January, where both Indonesian and Australian participants were immersed in the local community. Living with host families, engaging in work placements within Belitung Regency government, visiting schools, sharing insights with students and learning traditional Belitung dances enriched their experience.
Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams PSM said, “The real friendships formed and cultural insights gained through AIYEP build mutual understanding and lay the foundations for future collaboration between young Australians and Indonesians. This is so important, because our young people share a region, and a future.”
AIYEP was established in 1982. It is a flagship program of the Australia-Indonesia Institute, with support from the Australian Government, and is run in partnership with the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports. There are now over 1,300 alumni of the program.
Media Enquiries: [email protected]
Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB9EaQ