Indonesia, Iran Explore Expanded Cultural Cooperation in Film, Literature, Heritage
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia and Iran have explored avenues to expand bilateral cooperation in culture, with a particular focus on film, literature, heritage, creative industries and people-to-people exchanges.
The discussions took place between Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon and Iranian Deputy Culture Minister Mohsen Javadi on the sidelines of the BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Bhopal, India, on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Fadli said Indonesia and Iran had maintained longstanding relations, particularly in the cultural sphere, and emphasized the need to renew and strengthen those ties through more concrete forms of cooperation.
The two sides discussed the possible extension of the four-year Indonesia-Iran Cultural Exchange Program, which is scheduled to expire in 2026. The extension would provide a framework for broader cooperation in heritage preservation, museums, literature and translation, film, creative industries and human-resource development.
Fadli proposed joint film productions and exchanges of filmmakers as a means of strengthening cultural understanding and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
He noted that Indonesia and Iran had already demonstrated creative collaboration through Indonesia’s 2026 adaptation of the Iranian film Children of Heaven, originally released in 1997.
The Indonesian minister also welcomed Iran’s invitation for Indonesia to participate in future editions of the Tehran International Book Fair, describing the initiative as an opportunity to further strengthen literary and cultural exchanges.
Fadli praised Iran’s active role in UNESCO and called for closer cooperation following Indonesia’s election to UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2026-2030 term.
He also expressed Indonesia’s interest in working with Iran on the joint nomination of the Islamic tradition of iftar, the breaking of the fast, for inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Javadi welcomed the proposal to extend the Indonesia-Iran Cultural Exchange Program, saying it could serve as a foundation for expanding bilateral cultural cooperation through wider joint initiatives.
He expressed confidence that Indonesia and Iran could further elevate their cultural ties through cooperation in film, literature, music education and cultural tourism, building on shared cultural characteristics and values.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to translating the identified areas of cooperation into concrete programs aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations.
