Australia-Indonesia Institute Visit to Expand People-to-People Links

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty congratulated the Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII) on its success in fostering links between the two countries at the start of their official visit to Indonesia today.

“For more than two decades, the Institute has fulfilled a unique and vital role in fostering friendship and understanding between our two nations. In this new era of Australia-Indonesia relations, with deeper and broader engagement across many sectors, the work of the Institute is more relevant and important than ever,” said Ambassador Moriarty.

The AII Board is visiting Indonesia this week, with a range of calls on government, civic society, academic and cultural figures in both Jakarta and Lombok. In Lombok the Board is also scheduled to meet teachers and students at a local school which is participating in the AII’s ground-breaking BRIDGE program which creates links between Indonesian and Australian schools. It will also hold its Board meeting in Lombok to decide on new initiatives to expand people-to-people linkages between both countries.

“It is a pleasure for the Board to be back in Indonesia with our Indonesian friends and colleagues who have been working in partnership with us for more than two decades to build bridges of understanding between our two countries,” Chairman of the AII Board Prof Tim Lindsey said.

Established in 1989 by the Australian Government to promote bilateral people-to-people links, the Institute has supported a large number of projects in the arts, music, education and Australian Studies, youth, civil society, interfaith, media and sports sectors.

More information about the AII and its work is available at http://www.dfat.gov.au/aii/.

Media Enquiries:
Sanchi Davis, Cultural Attaché tel. (021) 2550 5260 mob. 0811 936 302